Decisions, Decisions
by Lightness Moon
Summary: She may look like her father. Hell she may even have a certain lack in regards to rules, she even got his Quidditch talent. Harianna Potter however inherited more from her mother than just her eyes. Smart, caring and kind attracting the attention of a certain red headed twin. George/ fem Harry
1. Chapter 1

_**A.N. Will be fem Harry George fanfic. Harry's name will be Harianna, though will be shortened to Harry and later on as Anna.**_

 _ **Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter!**_

* * *

Once upon a time, on September first an eleven-year-old girl with short raven hair and green eyes, was standing at a busy train station, Kings Cross to be exact. She huffed, the platform she was looking for should be around here somewhere in front of her, right between platform nine and ten. However, the platform she is looking for is nowhere in sight. She should have thought something was suspicious the moment her aunt and uncle had dropped her off without a fuss, why had she been so foolish. Her aunt and uncle would have never agreed to drop her off without a fight, and now she was stuck in London.

The commotion of an owl hotting brings her attention around, the reason why was clearly plastered over the older woman's face. A short plump red-headed woman surrounded by a sea of red-headed children. Five to be exact four boys and one girl. Two of the boys were twins had almost caused a collision of trollies by their sheepish faces. Or by the more obvious shout, the older woman gives who is clearly their mother.

'Fred and George, stop that this instant we are late as it is. We do not have time for you two to be messing around. Come on platform nine and three quarters this way.'

That was all she needed to hear, they were magical, just like herself and they knew how to get to the platform she was looking for. Following a safe distance behind for a few minutes until they came to a solid brick wall. She watched as one of the older red haired boys makes a break towards the solid wall. Did he not realise that he was about to crash. Instead, no collision came in a blink he disappeared, then she watches as the twins do the same.

'Excuse me,' she calls to the older woman. I'm sorry - you see I don't know how to - she indicated to the wall into which three of her sons have just disappeared into. She watches as the older witch glanced at her belongings. If it had not been for her birthday present, her owl Hedwig, well, she wouldn't exactly scream that she was a witch. But it obviously was enough to convince the woman that she indeed was.

'How to get onto the platform. It's easy you just go through the barrier dear. Did no one explain that to you?'

'Not really, they didn't get time to,' she shrugged in apology. More like Hagrid disappeared before she could ask but this woman however helpful did not need to know to that.

'It's best to take a run up if you're nervous. Go on why don't you go next.'

'Thank you.'

So following the example of her three older sons, she takes a run towards the solid brick wall coming out on to the very platform she had been looking for. Making her way over to the Hogwarts Express, while trying and failing to lift her trunk up, a voice brings her attention up towards them.

'Does the pretty lady need a hand?'

'A hand would be nice,' she said. As for pretty, he had to be joking she was dressed in cheap clothes that were about two years old now. But if earlier had been anything to go by then, of course, he was joking with her.

The boy turned around to find his twin, 'Oi Fred, give me a hand.'

His brother walked over, frown on his face. The boy indicated to the trunk, then to the train, earning an eye-roll from his brother.

'Thank you, I wouldn't have been able to do it alone.'

'Never fear, Fred.'

'And George, are here.'

'To save the day.'

'Now fair lady we'll be on our way.'

Definitely jokers with those silly antics.

...

It wasn't long her peace of the quiet empty compartment was disturbed by another person.

'You don't mind do you, everywhere else is full.'

'Go ahead.' she said to the girl, who looked to be about the same age as her. 'Is this your first year too?'

Yeah, I couldn't believe it when Professor McGonagall told me about Hogwarts. It seemed like a complete dream. I thought it was some kind of, well, I didn't believe her at first, that I was a witch. I'm muggle-born.'

Hagrid at least told her what that meant, had told her her mum was a muggle-born witch. I live with muggle relatives, I had no idea either that any of this existed too.'

'I'm Hermione. Hermione Granger by the way and you?'

She frowned before answering she disliked her name. Until she met Hagrid, no one had even pronounced her name correctly. Then she found out that the wizarding world knew of her name just because she had survived a curse, a curse that had killed her parents. What if Hermione reacted the same way everyone else in the Leaky Cauldron did upon hearing her name?

'Harry.'

'HARRY? Strange name for a girl.'

'Its a nickname of sorts. I'm not overly fond of my name,' she shrugged towards Hermione.

'Anything from the trolly dears?' a voice from a woman with a trolley full of sweets said.

I'm not meant to. My parents are dentists, they wouldn't be impressed with me eating sweets.'

Harry glanced towards Hermione, the girl needed to loosen up a bit.

'Oh, come on share with me. Don't you want to try some wizarding sweets?'

Oh, go on then.

It didn't take Harry much convincing, 'A bit of everything then please.'

And so Harry had found a friend to speak to about all the wonders of the wizarding world, that had yet to come. Not saying her name had been a rather smart thing it turned out. Hermione had done a bit too much reading so knew a lot and by a lot, to Harry, it felt like she knew everything. sure Harry had opened her books up but she didn't sink in half the information Hermione had told her she had read.


	2. Chapter 2

Hagrid had been waiting for them at the station, calling for the first years to follow him. Once he had rounded everyone up he led them towards a lake that had small boats floating on the water. Hermione and herself had shared a boat with two boys. The red-haired boy she had seen at King's Cross before she had stepped through the barrier. Who like his older twin brothers had blue eyes. And a short plump boy with dark hair, dark eyes who had a timid smile. As they crossed the lake they took in their first sight castle. Breath-taking that's what the castle of Hogwarts truly was, there was no other explanation for it. As they followed Hagrid, the grounds of the school showed its' true beauty that was hidden from the distance. A stern looking woman appeared from the doorway a few moments later as they stood in the hallway waiting for instructions.

'I am Professor McGonagall. Deputy Headmistress and Head of house for Gryffindor. In sheer moments, you will be taken through to the Great Hall to be sorted into your house. You will come forward once I call your name.'

'Whilst at Hogwarts your house is your home. There are four of them Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Slytherin and Gryffindor. Points are rewarded for good behaviour whilst trouble making will gain deductions in points. Detentions will be given also. I advise against the trouble making path. The Professors here will not tolerate it, that is your only warning.'

'Now follow me.'

Professor McGonagall led them into a huge hall with a starry night sky. Candles floating in it. Four long tables were placed along the length of the hall. Four tables, for the four houses Harry guessed. So, that is what Professor McGonagall had meant by their house being their home.

'It's enchanted it look that way,' Hermione whispered to Harry, her own head still looking up at the ceiling of the castle.

'I don't care. It's beautiful, I simply love magic.'

Harry almost fell over from the abrupt halt they come to. Clearly, she needed to watch where she was going. In front of them on a stool was placed a ratty hat. Harry watched as it started to sing, looking around the hall of the four tables. None of them seemed at all surprised. Hermione's eyes widen in shock which caused Harry to giggle.

'How is some old hat meant to be able to tell what house we belong to?' she whispered while the hat sang.

According to the hat, it could see inside your head. Loyalty meant you were a Hufflepuff. Ravenclaw saw out those with smarts. Gryffindor was for the brave and Slytherin for the pure and cunning. Which caused Harry to frown slightly wondering what house she would be placed in.

'I'm thinking that's not just any old hat,' she whispered back.

'Upon hearing your name you will set on the stool. I will place the hat on your head, sorting you into your house,' Professor McGonagall said and called, 'Abbott Hannah.'

Harry watched the girl walk off in the direction of the Hufflepuff table after the sorting hat shouted, the name of the house out. Slowly students file off into their respective houses. Hermione had been placed in Gryffindor. As the number of students left to be sorted the more Harry felt exposed. At least with the other students around, she had remained hidden. Harry started to bit her lip as her Professor reached the names beginning with M. Nervously she moved her hand to the band in hair, making sure it kept her fringe in place. So far it was the only reason as into why she had not been recognised. It hid her scar perfectly, but as the moments went by Professor McGonagall had started calling the surnames beginning with P. In a few moments her name would be called and everyone one would know who she was. Why couldn't she just be normal? OK not normal ... still, have magic but like everyone else. Then the moment came, the moment she had been dreading.

'Potter, Harianna.'

Harry closed her eyes she heard gasps surrounding throughout around the hall. Opening her eyes again she glanced out of the corner of her eyes at the reactions from the other students. Her own name had caused so much of a stir. Students were standing up trying to spot her, there were whispers going on all around her.

'Did she say Harianna Potter?'

' _The_ Harianna Potter?'

Timidly she made her way to Professor McGonagall who sent a small smile in her direction.

'Look there the small kid with the messy black hair.'

Then in a blink of an eye, Harry watched her Professor glare across to the students silencing them. Thankful Harry sat on the small stool as the hat is placed on her head.

 _'Miss Potter I've been wondering when I would sort you. Now let's take a look and see where to place you. Umm loyal but not enough to be placed in Hufflepuff.'_

 _'Clever too but I don't think Ravenclaw is for you.'_

Oh please, not Slytherin. The man that killed her parents was in that house. Shknewwn that much, Hagrid had told her when they went shopping for her school things. Not a wizard that hasn't gone bad who wasn't placed in Slytherin he had warned her.

 _'Not Slytherin - you would do well. You are very cunning after all you concealed your identity until the last moment did you not.'_

That wasn't out of fear though, that was not wanted to be swamped by a load of people she didn't even know.

 _'Very well so be it.'_

 _'GRYIFFINDOR,' the hat shouted._

Harry let out the breath she had been holding, walking towards the Gryffindor table sliding in next to Hermione. The shouts and clapping had been a lot louder for her then any other student so far. She watched as the twins danced around shouting out at the top of their voices 'We've got Potter, we've got Potter.'

'You could have told me you know,' came an exasperated sounding voice beside her. 'I have a bit more tact then those two,' Hermione indicated towards the twins.

Harry sent Hermione a sheepish smile. 'With the reaction, I just caused do you really blame me?'

Harry spotted a smile playing in Hermione's expression. 'No I don't. I forgive you Harianna or do you still prefer Harry?'

'Harry's good,' she grinned.

'Friends?' Hermione quizzed.

'Definitely.'


	3. Chapter 3

Harry wasn't sure what she had been expecting when they had started lessons. The lessons themselves had not been so bad. If she didn't count Potions Professor Snape had basically picked on her asking her random questions. It was a good thing she had read her Potions book. Professor Snape just sneered at her continuing on with his lesson. Harry had learned rather quickly that her Professor Snape seemed to have a fondness for Gryffindor's. A fondness to deduct points from them for the smallest thing. In their class, it seemed to herself and Neville Longbottom who was the shyest out of the boys in Gryffindor, her Professor picked on most. Harry disliked Professor Snape or more the way he thought them. He was strict and the class was held in the utmost silence. He favoured his own house as he was the Head of Slytherin given out points when questions were answered correctly or a potion had been brewed to his expectations. There was no chance that any one from Gryffindor would ever earn points from Professor Snape for doing those things.

Their own head of house Professor McGonagall didn't favour anyone, she treated everyone all the same. If anything, she was harsher on her own house. So, Transfiguration was another lesson dealt in utmost silence. At least Professor McGonagall was fair, strict but never the less fair. Professor Quirrell was a bumbling mess it was hard to understand his Defence Against the Dark Arts lessons at all as he was always stuttering. Professor Flitwick was a kind dwarf who taught harms, another head of house this time for Ravenclaw. Harry loved this lesson the most, even though they used magic to turn one thing into another in Transfigurations. She had found that harder than learning Charms, like the one to fix things. Being able to repair her reading glasses, well that had earned Professor Flitwick a lot of respect from Harry. History of magic was taught by a ghost; Professor Binns who loved to drone on and on. Most of their class had fallen asleep in his lesson, it had been that boring. Then there was the Hufflepuff head of house Professor Sprout who taught Herbology. They often worked in groups or pairs so Harry didn't mind this lesson much, even if she had to get a bit dirty.

Getting to know the girls in her Gryffindor year hadn't been as hard as she thought it may have been. After the first night, her dorm mates had got over the awkwardness of having a celebrity in the same room as them. Lavender Brown was a chatty girl who loved any kind of gossip. Parvati Patel was the person Harry would go to when her hair didn't want to play ball, as she was a complete genius when it came to hair styles. Hermione, of course, shared her love of finding out everything so possibly could. Although Harry wasn't as keen as Hermione to know everything. Harry doubted she would ever have the smarts Hermione did. However, much time they landing up spending together in the library lost in books or exchanging their notes in the common room over sweets.

The boys were harder to get to know. Seamus Finnigan was a loud mouth Irish boy. Dean Thomas had a talent for art, plastering his drawings all over the walls. Then there was Neville of course who only came out of his shell when in the common room. Or in classes, he liked which turned out to be Herbology.

And then there were the Weasleys. The red headed family that she had seen on the platform. Percy Weasley, the eldest was a Gryffindor Prefect. He liked to think he was being helpful, even when he wasn't. Next came the twins who were always going about trouble making and pranking. It had taken Harry a little while to work out the difference between the two. As they loved to answer for each other causing confusion. She had been somewhat grateful that they had helped her out with her trunk. It helped her figure out the difference between them. There wasn't much to go on but the differences were there. George had liked to have his hair a bit spikier than his brothers. Though, it had been the eyes that had given the twins a way most. Plus, there was added fact that George would barge anyone near her at meal times so he himself could sit next to her.

Last, there was Ronald Weasley, who was just as loud as his twin brothers. Like his older brothers, he had blue eyes even though his own were much sharper. His red hair matched his fiery temperament. He was a whizz a chess, the only thing that troubled Harry about him was his mouth. Ron, as he insisted everyone called him had a tenancy to let his mouth run off with words. Saying harsh things before contemplating what he had actually said.

Which is why Harry currently was not in the best of moods with Ron. Ron had muttered under his breath "git" not quietly enough during their potions lesson when Professor Snape had been overseeing their potions. Earning Harry, a detention and loss of points for not respecting her elders. Harry had sent the youngest male Weasley her hardest glare. To which he just shrugged at her continuing on with his own potion. There was no point in arguing with a Professor that seemed to dislike her for some reason. It would just land up in more loss of points.

It was on the way out of Potions at the end of the week she met the most obnoxious boy of them all. A grey eyed, blonde haired boy dressed in a Slytherin uniform had literally stood in front of her blocking her path. His skin was pale and his hair had been sleeked back from his face. He introduced himself with his hand firmly held out towards her.

'Malfoy, Draco Malfoy. You do not need to hang around their kind,' the boy told her.

Their kind? What did he mean by that? 'Excuse me?' Harry said.

'I've seen you hang around with the Muggle-born. You need not lower yourself.'

Lower herself, what was wrong with Muggle-borns? Just who did he think he was?

'Lower myself. If you think that Muggle-borns are beneath you. Then don't waste your time with me.'

The boy blinked at her lowering his hand.

'You must have missed the memo. I was raised by Muggles. So I guess that makes me just as low as a Muggle-born. Good day, Malfoy.'

'You OK Harry? What was that about?' Hermione asked once she caught up to her.

'You really don't want to know. He was just being a snob.'

'Boys sure are full of themselves.'

Harry couldn't help but agree with her concluding in her own mind that boys were just annoying.


	4. Chapter 4

When they first heard that they were going to have flying lessons, Harry had been excited. It had actually kept her awake throughout their history lesson. Professor Binns had been teaching them about the witch trials. Telling them how witches and wizards who were captured would just freeze the flames. However, the trails had caused innocent Muggles their lives. How the first recollected witch trial was that of a man. In the time of Merlin himself. The man had been completely innocent. The reason Harry had managed to stay awake may have been due to her mind slightly drifting to their upcoming flying lesson.

The excitement of flying, however, had lasted until she had come across the sight of the old dusty school brooms. Seemed like the Weasley twins spoke some truths after all. All morning they had explained about the brooms to any of the first years that would listen. Complaining about how some would steer off in the opposite direction or how some who buck mid-flight. It had put off a few of the students but Harry had wanted to learn about it anyhow. A magical form of transportation what was not exciting about that?

'See what did I say. It is just a broom. What is so good about them anyway?' Hermione said to her. Needless to say her friend had been less excited about learning to fly.

'If it's just a broom Hermione, you don't need to be so scared of it.'

'I'm not scared of it. I'd rather my feet were firmly on the ground is all.'

'Good Morning I'm Madam Hooch. I'm going to teach you the wonders of flying. For now, we'll begin with the basics. Everyone grab a broom then spread out, placing the broom next to you.'

Doing as instructed she followed the other students spreading out once she had got a broom.

'Place a hand over the broom when I blow my whistle say up.'

Harry's broom shot straight up into her hand, causing her to grin widely. She glanced towards Hermione whose broom was still on the floor. The way she had been commanding the broom to go up, had been in a tone of voice someone would use with a small child when they wouldn't do as they had been asked. Harry chuckled lightly to herself, looking around to the others. Only a few students had made the broom successfully leave the ground. Much to her disappointment, she had recognised the blonde Slytherin boy that cornered her after Potions. Malfoy's broom was also in his hand a smirk spread across his smug face.

This was repeated a few times before Madam Hooch let them hover on their brooms. Hovering inches above the ground. When Madam Hooch had been satisfied enough they were allowed to go higher. This turned out to be the wrong thing to do, a few of the Slytherin's. Harry recalled their surnames being Crabbe and Goyle along with Malfoy. Had been flying so close to Neville knocking his own concentration. Making him spin it had only been when Madam Hooch took control of the broom directing him to the ground. Harry had caught onto the game the Slytherin's had played. Malfoy was holding in his hands a small glass ball that Harry had seen Neville wrap this very morning.

'There is to be no reckless flying. Am I understood?' Madam Hooch shouted up from the ground while tending to Neville who looked completely petrified.

Of course, Malfoy and his associates were laughing their heads off. Then Malfoy had obviously got bored with Neville's Remembrall. Throwing it away, stupidly he did so in Harry's direction. Harry reached up quickly catching the small ball in her hand before it goes too far. Seemed as though Malfoy was crap at throwing things if she could catch meters away from him.

'Nice throw Malfoy,' Harry said sarcastically.

'LOOK OUT,' came a shout as an empty broom whizzed past crashing below them.

'Ron's fallen off his broom.'

Harry watched as the red head fell downwards. Ron was going to be really hurt if he hit the ground. Without knowing what she was doing she moved her broom into a steep dive racing against the falling boy. She instantly knew this feeling, it tasted like freedom. She felt like she had been made for this. Harry love every minute of it, focusing on her task, she keeps the broom under her steady control. She willed the broom to go faster she was so close to him now. Just a little bit further. Reaching out she yanks on Ron's arms trying to pull him towards the broom. Ron had gripped the end of the broom with his free arm pulling himself towards her landing on awkwardly on the broom behind her.

'Gotcha,' she said.

The death like grip from Ron didn't let up til, he shifted himself properly onto broom behind her. She pulled out of the steep dive slowing the broom down so they can approach the ground at a gentle pace. As they come to land a voice she recognised as her strict head of house called out her name.

'Miss Potter come with me.'

Harry gulped she was in so much trouble. That's what she gets for saving Ron Weasley from falling to his death. Harry felt so small as Professor McGonagall led her away from the Quidditch pitch.

Unbelievable, she had thought later she couldn't believe what had happened. Professor McGonagall must have been having a crazy moment that was all. The voice of her friend snapped her out of her own thoughts.

'Harry, what happened? Did Professor McGonagall give you a detention? Did she expel you?' Hermione rushed out her questions as Harry walked back into the Gryffindor common room.

'Neither.'

'Why were you so long then?'

'She put me on the Gryffindor Quidditch team. Youngest player in a century according to Oliver Wood. He is the team Captain.'

'McGonagall put you on the Quidditch team?'

'Yeah something about a Seeker,' Harry explained, then after a breath as realisation hit her she stuttered out. 'Hermione I know nothing about Quidditch.'

'Well she must have a good reason to put you on the team. You're so lucky she didn't expel you after all you against strict instructions. You will just have to learn about Quidditch so she doesn't change her mind.'

Hermione was right there would be a book on it somewhere in the library. Though from the conversations she had heard Quidditch it was a rough game. With a lot of rules that even caused her fellow house mates to argue over. Expulsion actually sounded like the better choice now to learning about a complex game such as Quidditch. How could saving someone's life make her own so complicated.


	5. Chapter 5

It turned out that Quidditch wasn't as mind boggling as she had originally thought. Oliver had explained the basis of the game to her. She could deal with that it was easy enough to follow. What she had been so worried about she didn't know. That morning had found herself waking up early to join the team for practice.

She had stood next to Oliver while he introduced the teams' three Chasers to her who were Angelina Johnson, Katie Bell and Alicia Spinnet. Oliver was the teams' Keeper. The twins to Harry's amazement were the Beaters. Apparently, there were some things that even they took seriously. Then came Harry's introduction.

'Right guys.'

'And girls,' Angelina interrupted him.

'And girls. I would like you to meet our new Seeker.'

The team had mixed emotions upon receiving Harry onto the team, obviously wondering what a lousy first year could do. Or wondering how a first year with only one flying lesson under her belt had made her way onto the team. The question had soon been answered for them. Oliver practised with her throwing golf sized balls that were the same size of a Snitch. Which she had caught meters in the air.

'Right then how about we practice with Snitch now? See what you make of that?'

Harry nodded readying herself, Oliver had warned her the Snitch was fast. It disappeared in a blink of an eye, making her search around for the small golden ball. Then she spots the glint of gold at the far end goal posts. Speeding towards it she narrowly dodges a Bludger, missing colliding with Katie before she reaches the sight of her objection. Diving right after it catching the golden ball a bare inch above the ground as she was pulling out of her drive. Landing moments later her feet firmly on the ground. She wanted to that again and soon.

'McGonagall said you were good I wasn't expecting you to be that good. Where have you been all of my life Harianna?' Oliver exclaimed as he landed next to her. The rest of the team following behind him.

Unsure how to answer that Harry replied to him, 'Umm, living in Surrey.'

'AWWW, bless her. Don't worry Harianna we'll look after you,' Angelina winked at her as they walked into the changing room.

'Oh, don't you worry girl we've got you covered. First rule of being on the team never listen to what the twins tell you,' Katie Bell said.

'Why we are completely well behaved,' Fred told them.

'Yeah, I'm shocked by you all,' George said.

'Second rule never eat anything the twins give you,' Alicia added shaking her head in disbelief.

'Percy had it coming.'

'After he got us in trouble.'

'Third rule if they give you any problems at all. Come to me alright honey, I'll sort them out,' Angelina said then leant towards her so she could whisper in her ear so that only Harry could hear, 'Fred has a slight crush on me; he thinks I have no clue about. He'll do anything I ask of him.'

'That's about it really Harianna.'

'You've just made Oliver's dreams come true by the way,' Katie mentioned.

'Yeah, we haven't had someone as good as you in years,' Angelina said.

'Well not since their older brother Charlie, anyway,' Oliver said indicating to the twins.

'Right practice is over all. Let's get changed. One last thing who our new seeker is now our secret weapon.'

'Weasley honour we won't say a thing.'

'Yeah give us a bit more credit.'

'That means a lot of early wake-up calls boys. If we are going to manage to at all keep the fact the Harianna Potter is a member of a team quiet.'

This had caused a few groans.

'It will be worth it when we beat Slytherin though,' Oliver added which caused the team members to grin.

'Welcome to the team Harianna.'

'Thanks, one thing though, could you all call me Harry. I prefer Harry.'

The team had taken this very seriously, the girls had literally taken Harry under their wing. Helping Harry out so she could at least tame her wild hair. The twins tried to give Harry pointers. Talking about the rules or Quidditch matches in general. Whispering techniques she could try out to improve her skill. Harry remembered rule number one so choose not to listen to them.

It was near the end of the week that a surprise appeared at breakfast. A brown barn owl had swooped down landing with a large parcel attached right in front of her. Wrapping it her eyes widen she had received a Nimbus 2000.

'You might want to wrap that up before everyone sees. I spoke with Professor McGonagall I couldn't have my star player on an old-school broom,' Oliver whispered to her.

Harry did as he advised, taking her broom out of the hall. However, she collides with Malfoy before she even reached the stairs towards the Gryffindor Tower.

'What's that you got their Potter?' Malfoy sneered.

'None of your business.'

Goyle tugged at the wrapping. 'Draco it's a broom.'

'Oh, you are in so much trouble now. Professor,' Malfoy called out as Professor Snape came into view. 'Potter's got a broom.'

'I can see that very clearly Mr Malfoy.'

'I've got permission.' Harry said.

'I am also aware of that very fact Miss Potter. Well were you not going to take it to your dorm?'

'Yes, Professor.'

Harry watched as Snape goes into the Great Hall. Seemed McGonagall had passed on the message, he did not at all seem to be impressed.

'You think you're so special don't you Potter,' Malfoy said.

'What do you want?'

'A wager, ever heard of a duel Potter?' Malfoy asked.

She hadn't but she wasn't going to tell him that. 'Yes, where?'

'Midnight Trophy Room.'

'You're on.'

So later that night Harry snuck out of the tower heading towards the trophy room.

'He's not there,' a voice said. She recognised Ron Weasley as soon as he had stepped into the light.

'I snuck out before you. I overhead you with Malfoy earlier today. Didn't you know you need a second for a duel.'

'Not really, well I guess that means he wanted to get me into trouble. We best head back.'

'Thanks,' Harry said to Ron as they made their way back up.

'Couldn't let you go not without having a second.'

'A second?'

'Someone to take over if - well you die.'

'Harry there you are. I've searched the whole tower for you.'

'Sorry Hermione, I never mind.'

'Good becau-'

The stair case moved stopping Hermione mid-sentence.

'Where are we?' Ron asked.

'I believe we are on the third floor,' Harry said.

'Oh we are in so much trouble we are out of bounds,' Hermione said.

Footsteps were heard down the corridor.

'Filch?' Ron said.

'I don't want to stay here and find out.'

'Quickly, through this door - damn it's locked.'

'Oh, honestly _Alohomora!_ ' Hermione whispered opening the door.

The footsteps pass the door, but before they get a chance to catch their breaths they come face to face with a three-headed dog. Snarling at them, rushing out of the door again they use all the force they could muster up to close the door behind them.

'No wonder the third-floor corridor is off limits. Who would be mad enough to put a Cerberus there? We could have been killed,' Ron said.

'Dumbledore, he did warn us at the welcoming feast after all. It's obviously guarding something did you not see the trap door by its feet,' Hermione said.

'No I was too busy looking at the three heads that wanted to rip me apart,' Ron said.

'How about we just get out of here before Filch returns,' Harry suggested.


	6. Chapter 6

Needless to say, Ron had gone back to not speaking to them after their little run in with the three-headed dog. He had taken it upon himself to avoid them as much as he could. The morning after the whole fiasco Harry had spotted Malfoy at the Slytherin table with a furious scowl on his face. Harry had taken that due his disappointment, that she hadn't been expelled. So, likely hood had been Malfoy had planned for her to get caught by Filch after curfew. This made Harry pleased with herself as tired as she was.

Oliver had the team up early again that morning. Harry practised hard on her new broom. Wanting to prove it had not been a waste of Oliver's time speaking to Professor McGonagall. She, however, was grateful that during Charms the morning of Halloween that they had been learning an easy spell. The levitation charm, Professor Flickwick had paired them up. While Harry was paired up with Dean, Hermione had been paired up with Ron. It was the first time that they had been near each other since the three-headed dog incident.

Harry could hear Hermione correcting Ron on the pronunciation of the charm. She watched out of the corner of her eye as Ron just got completely stressed out glaring in fury at Hermione. Hermione however, like usual got it on the first go earning her points from Professor Flickwick. Harry turned back to her own feather which had been burned due to Dean's attempts. This caused her house mate to smile at her sheepishly. Once they got a new feather they went back to practising until the class bell rang.

'Where's Hermione?' Harry asked Lavender later at dinner.

'Girls' bathroom, she seemed quite upset after Charms.'

Hermione had been partnered with Ron during their lesson. Come to think of it she hadn't seen her since. She had been busy working in the library working on homework. It wasn't unusual for Hermione to work on her own elsewhere in the library. So, Harry hadn't been too worried until now she couldn't remember seeing her in History of Magic either. Lavender said they she seemed upset after Charms. Surely, he wouldn't have but then this was Ron she was talking about.

'WEASLEY.'

Several heads turned in her direction but Harry only had her eyes set on one of them. Pacing over towards him until she seats beside him. She watched as Ron's eyes widen.

'What did you say?'

Ron looked slightly confused, though he gulped. 'What?'

'To Hermione, what did you say?'

'That it is no wonder she doesn't have any friends besides you. Did you hear her in class, correcting me?'

'Stupid boy,' Harry snarled. 'It's a wonder you actually have friends.'

Then the Great Hall doors burst open. Professor Quirrell come into the Great Hall shouting at them. Warning them of a troll in the dungeons.

Dumbledore silenced the hall. Asking them to leave for their dorms. Harry was fuming just who did Ron think he was. How had she not noticed what kind of friend didn't notice that her friend was upset? Poor Hermione - wait, Hermione, she didn't know about the Troll. She stops suddenly the girls' bathroom near the charms corridor wasn't far from here.

'Where are, you going?'

'To get Hermione,' she answered back not looking at who asked her the question.

She rushed down the corridors until she reached the Charms corridor. She watched as the Troll disappeared into a room.

'I thought the Troll was meant to be in the dungeons,' the voice said behind her. Harry turned shocked to find that Ron had followed her.

'I guess it made its way through the-'

The scream stops her mid-sentence. Harry looked up spotting the sign.

'HERMIONE,' she shouted. 'COME ON,' Harry added to Ron.

As they ran into the bathroom Harry spotted Hermione in the corner. She moved sideways waving to Hermione to move out but the Troll turned spotting her. The troll quickly grabs her holding her up by her leg.

'DO SOMETHING!'

'WHAT?' Ron asked.

'ANYTHING!'

' _Wingardium Leviosa!'_

The trolls club levitated into the air dropping down on top of its head. The grip on Harry slipped and she fell to the ground landing not far from the Troll. She got up dusting herself down.

'Think it's dead?' Ron asked.

'No I think you just knocked it out.'

The next thing Harry is aware of is Professors Snape, Flickwick and McGonagall walking into the girls' bathroom.

'Just what had the three of you been thinking, taking on a fully grown mountain troll by yourselves. You could have been killed.'

'It was my fault Professor I thought I could take it on by myself. If Harry and Ron hadn't come along when they did-' Hermione trailed off.

'I'm disappointed in you Miss Granger. Be that as it may, they still should have informed a member of staff or Prefect at least,' Professor Flickwick said.

'To bed with you all. The three of you will serve detention with Mr Filch cleaning out the trophy room tomorrow at seven. Now go before I change my mind.'

They turn to leave the bathroom as they reach the door they hear their strict head of house speak again.

'Oh, Mr Weasley and Miss Potter five points each for aiding a student in need and for sheer dumb luck.'

'Umm thanks for not telling,' Ron said to Hermione as they made their way up the stair cases.

'Thanks for saving my life.'

'Look I shouldn't have said what I did. I'm a prat OK, I'm used to five older brothers always getting the best of me. So I say stuff without thinking, my mouth tends to run away from my brain. What I'm trying to say is I'm sorry.'

'Apology accepted.'

'Can we- could we- Do you think that -' Ron struggled, his face turning red.

'Friends?' Hermione inquired. 'Sure.'

Ron grinned then turned towards Harry. 'I should have said something to Snape instead of having you serve the detention I should have had.'

Harry nodded in acknowledgement.

'I guess I should also thank you for what you did on the Quidditch pitch.'

'Don't mention it.'

'But I should I owe it to you Harianna after everything and with the way I treated you.'

'You did try to make it up by being my second in a duel that never happened remember,' Harry said. 'though if we are going to be friends you can start by calling me, Harry.'

'Umm, sure,' Ron shrugged then smiled towards them both. 'George is going to be so jealous,' he declared afterwards.

'Why?' Harry asked.

'Oh because I became your friend before he did, he has been trying to befriend you for ages,' he said to Harry

'It's the only way I can tell the twins apart. Hadn't you noticed the way George acts around you?' Hermione asked

'Umm, not really.'


	7. Chapter 7

Detention they had been given was cleaning the trophy room with no magic. Turned out not to be so bad all things considering. Harry was used to cleaning things after living with the Dursleys. They split up to cover more ground so they could get the detention over quickly. Once the room was up to Filch's standards he let them go. It was on their way out that Ron stopped.

'Harry take a look at this.'

Harry walked over to Ron looking down towards the trophy he was pointing at. A trophy that her dad's name on it. He had held the same position as her, on the Quidditch team.

'He played Quidditch?' Harry said surprised.

'You didn't know?'

'No I had no idea.'

'Looks like it runs in the family,' Hermione said.

Harry looked back at the trophy with a small smile, she replied. 'Yeah, I guess it does.'

However, despite learning that she had inherited her father's talent had not helped her nerves the morning of her first Quidditch match. She had butterflies in her stomach that wouldn't settle enough for her to be able to eat anything.

'Just try to eat something. It will make you feel better,' Hermione told her.

Grabbing a slice of toast, she took a bite regretting it instantly.

'You're going to be fine Harry,' Ron added.

Then the voice of Oliver was calling for the team to leave.

Standing in the changing rooms waiting for the game to start was, even more, nerve racking. She found it impossible to keep still.

'It's good to be nervous. It's normal, everyone here was for their first match too,' Oliver said to her.

'Not us,' Fred said.

'No nerves at all,' George added.

'Well almost all of us,' Oliver stated, whispering to her, 'there isn't much that fazes those two though. I wouldn't worry.'

'Right ladies,' Oliver indicated to the girls. 'and gents this is it.'

Harry went back to her own thoughts as soon as the twins started mocking Oliver during his speech. What if she messed up? What if Professor McGonagall had got it all wrong and she had no talent at all? What if it had all been down to luck? After all, she had never really been overly good at sports before.

'Here this is for you,' George said to her snapping her out of her thoughts. Before her, his hand was extended out towards her. He appeared to be holding some sort of silver chain bracelet towards her. Why would he get her something? Then she remembered that Ron had said he had been trying to befriend her.

'If you wanted to be friends with me, all you had to do was speak to me,' she told him. 'You didn't need to get me anything.'

'I - umm - wanted to.'

'Thanks.' Harry said meaning it she extended her hand to take the gift before a thought occurred to her. 'Can I accept this, there isn't some rule that says do not accept gifts from the twins somewhere is there?'

This caused the girls to laugh. Oliver had a slight smile on his face. George had turned completely red in the face. While Fred looked bewildered.

'What?' Harry asked slightly confused.

'Don't worry Harry just concentrate on catching the Snitch,' Oliver said.

Harry nodded in acknowledgement to Oliver then took the bracelet, placing it onto her wrist. Thanking George once again. Who replied "you're welcome" to Harry she just about heard Oliver mutter. 'Seems like the twins are fazed by things after all.' Before the game started.

The plan during for the game had been simple enough. Oliver had wanted Harry to remain out of the way of the game until the sight of the Snitch. They were playing Slytherin and Oliver didn't want to take any risks. Simple enough plan until the first sight of the Snitch was seen. Both of the Seekers raced after it, though the ball disappeared out of sight moments later. Chasing after the Snitch had caused Harry a problem, her broom started to act on its own accord. Trying to jerk her off in the middle of the Quidditch pitch in full play. Oliver's simple plan was so not going to work now.

Holding on for her dear life, the broom moves sharply jolting her from it so that she is hanging from the broom by just her hands. This so wasn't good she was going to mess up the first game all thanks to a broom that she had no control over. As her fingers slip the jerky movements stop. Pulling herself up back onto her broom spotting the Slytherin Seeker tearing after the Snitch not moments later. Harry chasing after them both, she wasn't going to lose this. No way! Not now. She followed the other Seeker into a steep dive, when they get closer to the ground the other Seeker backed out of the dive. Stupidly into a Bludger knocking him to the ground. Harry pulled outs of dive seconds before the ground following the Snitch. Then moments later it changed direction backtracking towards her, caught in alarm she tumbled over with broom falling flat on the ground.

She felt like she was choking as she leant over to catch her breath. She coughed up the Snitch falling right into her hands. The next thing she was aware of was the twins friend Lee Jordan announcing the Gryffindor had won. The team landed next to her embracing her. It didn't matter she had lost control of that damn broom. She caught the Snitch and she couldn't help grinning back at the team.


	8. Chapter 8

It was a few days later after the celebrations had calmed down enough. Harry, Ron and Hermione had managed to escape the commotion of the Gryffindor common room, they had gone down to join Hagrid after classes to join him for some tea, it was then that Harry found out, just what had caused her brooms behaviour.

'It was Snape; Hermione saw him hexing your broom.'

'Professor Snape.'

'Can't have been you must have been mistaken,' Hagrid said.

Harry thought back, it made sense to her, Snape had never liked her after all. There had been that first night at the feast when her scar hurt and there was the way he had been limping the night of Halloween. Why had he been limping he had been nowhere near the troll. So, what had hurt his leg?

'He had been bitten.'

'What was that Harry?'

'The night of Halloween I just realised. Snape had been limping.'

'Oh, you're right.'

'But anything could have happened to him,' Ron said.

'Too close to the third-floor Ron. Remember what was on that floor?' Harry whispered.

'The three-headed dog,' Ron exclaimed loudly enough that Hagrid heard.

'What do you lot know about Fluffy?'

'We know that he's guarding a trap door,' Hermione said.

'That things name is Fluffy?' Ron said at the same time.

'Yes, he's mine. Lent him to Dumbledore. It's none of your business what Fluffy is guarding that's between Professor Dumbledore and Nicolas Flamel.'

'Who's Nicolas Flamel?'

That's when Hagrid decided that they knew too much and wouldn't tell them anymore no matter how much they try to coax him. This, however, got Harry into thinking about the trap door. If the dog was guarding something, then what was it guarding?

The only thing Harry could think of had been wait the package Hagrid retrieved that day in Diagon alley. Why did Snape want it? And who was Nicolas Flamel?

Harry was sure she had heard of that name before. She just couldn't remember where. At least they had some of the puzzle figured out. Snape must have known what the package was and knew that Harry had seen it. Why else would he risk trying to kill her?

Harry wasn't the only one to be thinking these questions. Hermione had been so determined to find out just who Nicolas Flamel was, that they had been spending way too much time in the library. Harry was sure that they had searched through the whole of the library by now.

That was until Hermione mentioned that they hadn't been in the restricted section. Harry eyed the cornered off section of the library not liking the dimness of it. Luckily as first years, they were very unlikely to get permission for any of the books in it.

Turned out that being friends with Harry and Ron had given Hermione a little bit a rebellious streak. She thought that they could sneak into the restricted section. They hadn't managed it so far, but how else were they supposed to get answers, it wasn't like they could walk up Professor Snape and just ask him. 'Hi, Professor I was just wondering why did you try to kill me?' Harry could just picture it, and she didn't think it would go down very well. She'd be in detention until the end of her school days.

Harry thought that it was best not to mention it. Until she had heard from Oliver that Snape was going to refereeing their next match.

Flamel completely forgotten, Harry focused on not dying. Snape was in the usual sulky mood. The last thing Harry wanted or that Gryffindor needed was to lose more points from the man. So the morning of their next Quidditch game. Harry searched continuously until spotting the golden ball near Snape about an hour into the game. The team let out a sigh of relief after the game, thankful that it had ended quickly. Harry, however, had been grateful that this time Snape hadn't tried any nasty tricks.


	9. Chapter 9

Snow had covered the grounds in time for the Christmas break. Hermione like most of the students were heading home for the holidays. Originally so was Ron but then his parents decided to make an unplanned trip to see one of his older brothers.

It was turning out to be the best Christmas holiday ever. The snow covering the castle grounds that made Hogwarts seem more enchanted than it already was. The castle had been decorated for the festivities. It wasn't the snow or the tinsel covered school or the fact she was away from the Dursley's. It had been the laughter caused by the twins during Exploding Snap. Or the laughter while Ron had been playing chess with Harry. Ron had taught her how to play but she was still getting the hang of it. This caused her to have a few rants at the chess pieces who stubbornly refused to move.

It had just been so nice to relax. However, the shout of her name being called up the stairs woke her up bright and early Christmas morning. She dressed before opening the door to the dorm.

'Oi Harry, you coming down or what? There are presents for you,' Ron shouted up clearly having lost his patience waiting for her.

Harry ran down the stairs, 'Presents?' she asked.

'Yeah look,' Ron said pointing towards the pile.

Harry was speechless. She knelt beside her small pile of presents touching the wrapping paper lightly.

"Well, you going to open them or what?"

Harry grinned opening the first in the pile. Which turned out to be Quidditch book from Hermione.

'Figures she'd send a book,' Ron said.

'It's one even you might read,' Harry said showing him the title.

She received a flute from Hagrid. The Dursleys had given her fifty pence which caused her to snort in her own amusement. Then she opened up a selection of sweets from the twins. George happened to have given her the Chocolate Frogs while Fred had given her a box of Bertie Botts every flavoured beans. She turned to the last present pulling it towards her.

'Oh, no we know what that is,' Fred said.

'Mum's sent you a Weasley jumper,' George said.

'She knits us one each year,' Ron explained.

Harry pulled out the green jumper. Looking back to the box she also saw that she had been given some mince pies. She put on her jumper straight away. Turning towards the boys who seemed to be a bit shocked. They, after all, had been wearing theirs.

'What it's a nice jumper. Besides it lovely and warm. Your mum is brilliant.'

'At least yours doesn't have a letter on it though.'

'Suppose she doesn't think that you'll get yourself mixed up.'

'We are not silly we know our names.'

'Are Gred and Forge.'

'I'm not surprised that your mum sends your jumpers with your initials on, especially if you keep wearing each-others,' Harry said.

'You can tell the difference.'

'Between us?'

'Yep. I thought you knew?' Harry asked them.

'We thought that maybe.'

'It was just luck.'

'Nope, no luck about it. So now you know you won't be able to trick me,' Harry said.

'Bugger never mind.'

'Well then as you can tell the difference.'

'You best stay away from Percy's sweets.'

'It was his idea,' they finished together indicating to each other.

Harry had been about to ask why she should stay away from Percy's sweets - not that she would take something from anyone else - when Percy appeared in the common room looking completely furious, he was covered in brightly coloured polka dots. Harry realised then why rule number two existed.

After the twins had spelled Percy back to normal _._ They all went outside, well almost all of them. Percy had stayed behind in the common room in a strop. Harry had been in the middle of building a snowman when the twins thought it would be a great idea to start a snow ball fight. Ron joined in within moments, Harry, however, had thought it was best to stay out of the brothers away as they each throw snow balls at each other. That was until a snowball had landed on her shoulder. Harry looked up and the only culprit it could have been that had thrown it at her had been George. By the slight smile on his face, he hadn't meant to throw it at her. However, all of the Weasley's were laughing obviously from the look they received from Harry.

'Oh, so throwing snowballs at a girl is funny. Let's see how you like it.'

That had been the only warning the boys received before she thrown a well-aimed snowball at Fred.

'Hey I didn't hit you,' Fred exclaimed.

'Oh, don't worry I'll get my revenge on Weasley over there, but first I think a bit of payback is in order for laughing at me.'

Harry held up her own well during the snowball fight, her Quidditch skills had come in handy. It didn't mean she had an advantage though, nope, the twins had a really good aim, no surprise there as they were Beaters for the team. It was the fact that they would randomly work together one moment, then start throwing snowballs at each other. You never knew what they were thinking next. It had only been when Harry had hit a branch of a tree causing snow to fall on top of George's head that the snowball fight had ended.

Harry had never been so grateful when they walked back into the warm common room. She changed out her wet clothes before heading back down to join the boys. Only to find Percy and George in the common room. She still felt completely frozen as she sat near the fire to warm herself up. When a blanket draped around her. Looking up she noticed that it had been George to place it over her.

'Thank you.'

'You're welcome. You just looked really cold.'

'I am.'

George nodded. 'I'm going up to change the others will be down soon.'

'Oh, Harianna you missed a present by the way. I found this hiding near the back of the tree,' Percy said. 'I'll go check on the boys. See what trouble they are getting into now.'

Harry turned towards him taking the present. She hadn't noticed any other presents this morning. She was sure she had opened them all.

'Sorry I must have missed it when I pulled all the presents forward this morning,' Ron said to her as he sits down next to her.

'Oh!'

She unwrapped it to find a smooth silk cloak in the box. Standing up she wrapped it around her looking down in surprise as her body disappeared.

'That's an Invisibility Cloak. They are really rare. I wonder who sent it to you.'

Harry looked back towards the box noticing that there was no note from whom she received it from.

'There's a note on the floor must have fallen out.'

Taking the Cloak off Harry sat back down picking up the note reading it.

 _Your father left this in my possession before he died._ _  
 _It is time it was returned to you_  
 _Use it well.__

Touching the smooth cloak, she hugged it towards her chest wrapping her arms around it.

'You alright mate?'

'It- the Cloak, belonged to my dad.'

'Really?'

Harry nodded. It had been the very first thing she had ever received that had belonged to one of her parents. Harry wondered who sent it to her? Obviously, someone her parents trusted as the cloak wasn't torn so it had been looked after. Well whoever it had been she mused she had been thankful nevertheless.


	10. Chapter 10

Harry rolled over once again to the other side of her four-poster bed in the all too quiet dorm room. She had been trying and failing to fall asleep for a while now. How late it was, she had no idea. Letting out a sigh she opened her eyes she had forced herself to keep closed in the hopes of falling asleep. Reaching out to the cabinet beside her she pulled open the drawer she had stuffed her father's Cloak in.

She was never going to sleep now. Her brain just wouldn't shut off. Getting up Harry pulled the Cloak over her, creeping down to the common room. No one was around, at least Percy wouldn't question why she was still up. Then a thought occurred to her if the Cloak made her invisible, then she could sneak into the restricted section of the library.

Well, no time like the present so they say. Time to take her dad's Cloak for a test drive. Opening the portrait door Harry slipped out of the common room into the dimly lit halls of Hogwarts. Slowly making her way through the castle with the hallways being empty the would be sure to make the sound of footsteps echo alerting the Professors to her presence. Living with the Dursleys had taught Harry a thing or two about creeping around in the dark.

The Library was also empty, Harry made her way through easing her way through the restricted section. The trouble was, she had no idea where to look. Books were Hermione's thing, not that Harry didn't like them. It just wasn't the same love as Hermione had for them. Knowing her friend, she would have been able to narrow down the search quickly. A lot quicker than she herself could ever do.

Harry walked through looking at the spines of the books. Not that was any help to her how was she meant to know what the book contained if the spins of the books didn't even have their titles? Harry had heard tales from the twins about the books in the restricted section. Like how some would vanish while you were in the middle of reading it. But if rule number two existed for a reason, then what's to say that rule number one was any different. Never listen to what the twins tell you. Pulling out the nearest book Harry opened it quickly. Relaxing slightly then suddenly the book screeched making her jump. Harry closed the book just as quickly placing it back on its shelf.

Upon hearing footsteps approaching Harry crept back out of the Library a lot with a faster pace than she had used to break into the Restricted section at night. Making a mental note to herself she was never going to try that again. Nope better to make noise in the day when more people were around and when Hermione was back. Heading down the corridor she almost collided into Professors Snape and Quirrell.

'You do not want to make an enemy out of me Quirrell,' Snape snarled towards Harry's other Professor, 'Now let's try again. Do you know how to get past that beast of Hagrid's?'

If they needed any further proof that Professor Snape was after what the Fluffy was guarding Harry had just received it. A shout down the corridor alerted the other Professors of company.

'STUDENT OF BED.'

Harry didn't need to guess who the voice belonged to. However, Filch had made a clearing for Harry. As soon they had heard the shout they had made a gap wide enough for Harry to creep through. Heading down the corridor in the opposite direction to herself. Well, at least she knew that the Cloak was working now. They hadn't seen her. Walking towards the common room she stops as something glittering caught the corner of her eye. Turning towards the slightly open door in question. Why would something shiny be in an empty room?

Opening the door Harry questionably looks around the room. What she had thought was empty room had not been the case. The large mirror in the middle room stated over wise. So that is what had caused the glistering light. It had reflected off the mirror.

Stepping towards the mirror Harry could see from the dim light it's golden frame. The words _Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi_ inscribed in it.

Shaking her head slightly as she steps in front of it. Her eyes immediately widen in surprise. Biting her lip. Harry reached out touching the glass lightly. A silly gesture after all they weren't even there with her. She just couldn't help herself. She knew instantly who it was she was seeing in the mirror, even if she had never seen photographs of them before. Hagrid had told her how much she looked like her dad but her eyes had been her mothers.

He had been right, because before stood her parents. The same messy black hair as her father. Even though her own was much longer. While his stuck up in a ruffled sort of way. She had her mother's nose despite having her father's facial roundness and chin.

How had the mirror known? Harry didn't know that mirrors could even hold a magic like this. Now that would be something worth reading about. Stepping back, she let out a yawn, she was more tired than she had realised. She'd figure out how the mirror had known in the morning. Glancing at her parents one last time she turned towards the exit closing the door behind her.


	11. Chapter 11

Once again Harry was sitting in front of the mirror. Three times she had been down now the wonder of the magic behind the mirror had intrigued her completely.

'I see like many before you that you've discovered the wonders of the mirror of Erised Harianna,' a voice said.

Harry turned around coming face to face with Professor Dumbledore.

'Professor, I didn't see you there.'

'One doesn't just need an invisibility cloak to be unseen Harianna.'

'Harry, Professor, I prefer Harry.'

'So I have heard. Now about the mirror.'

'It shows your desire, your heart's desire.'

It had taken Harry a little time to work that out during her second trip down. When she realised that like a mirror you had to read the inscription backwards. At least it had answered her own question as into how the mirror showed her parents.

'Indeed, it does.' He said, 'It doesn't do well to dwell on what is unreachable Harry.'

'I know - I just couldn't help myself.'

She had never known a thing about her parents so to see them before her.

'I understand, truly I do.'

Harry remained quiet, unsure of what to say.

'You should know that the mirror is getting a new home. I would advise you against going to look for it Harry.'

'I won't Professor, I'm sorry I disappointed you.'

'Harry, curiosity is not a bad thing. Sometimes though it can lead to the better of us. Somethings in life are just not worth being solved. The greatest part of a mystery is just that a mystery.'

Feeling slightly better though slightly confused by her Professor she walked over to the door pulling it open.

'Professor?'

'Yes, Harry.'

'What do you see in the mirror?'

'I-I see myself holding a pair of socks. One can never have too many pairs of socks. Yet another Christmas and everyone insists on sending me books.'

Harry laughed lightly a small smile on her face. 'Good night Professor.'

'Good night.'

...

Harry got a rather early wake-up call. Something or someone was shaking her opening an eye, she caught a glimpse of her best friend standing over her bed.

'The holidays can't be over already surely?'

'No I came back early turns out camping and I don't exactly get along,' Hermione said.

'You just missed the books and learning spells.'

'That too. So you getting up? The boys are waiting for us.'

'Give me a minute and I'll be down.'

Walking down ten minutes later, the common room had only Ron and Hermione waiting for her.

'The others run off? I didn't mean to be so long.'

'Told them we'd catch up to them.'

'Well let's get moving then.'

'Actually, first, do you mind telling us where you've been sneaking off to in the middle of the night?'

'I haven't been sneaking off.'

'Harry I saw you the last couple of nights heading out of the portrait door. It's sort of hard to follow an invisible person you know,' Ron replied.

'I haven't done any sneaking well apart from the first night. I got into the restricted section of the library.'

Hermione's eyes lit up, 'Really did you find anything?'

'Nope had no clue what I was even looking for.'

'Shame but you kept trying?' Hermione asked.

'Not exactly I may have found an enchanted mirror that showed you your heart's desire.'

'You found what?' Ron asked.

'The Mirror of Erised that's where I was the last couple of nights.'

'Are you mental, you could have got into so much trouble.'

'Wait a minute ago when I told you I snuck into the restricted section of the library you were all for it.'

'Sorry but Harry's correct there 'Mione.'

'Besides I didn't exactly get into trouble,' Harry said. 'Professor Dumbledore caught me,' she explained upon seeing their baffled expressions.

'It's fine he just asked me not to go looking for the mirror again,' Harry added noticing Hermione was about to say something.

'Well I guess now I'm back we could always do some more digging in the library.'

'After breakfast, though yeah?' Ron asked stepping making a loud crunch sound. 'Oh dear, sorry, Harry, hope I haven't ruined it.' he said handing her the Chocolate Frog box.

'My fault I shouldn't have left the box down here,' Harry picked out the Chocolate Frog card from the mess. 'We don't need to go digging in the library after breakfast.'

'Really brilliant. Don't get me wrong but it was starting to get on my nerves spending all that time in there.'

'Why not?' Hermione asked.

'Look who I just found.'

'Albus Dumbledore,' Ron exclaimed.

'How exactly is a Chocolate Frog card going to help us?' Hermione asked.

'Well, it seems Professor Dumbledore has just given us what we need to find Flamel. Along with what the dog is guarding.'

Harry held out the card in Hermione's direction for her to take the card. Harry watched her friend read the card.

'Oh, of course, I'm so stupid. Be right back.'

'Did I just hear her right?'

'There's a first time for everything Ron.'

Hermione came back down with a rather large book in her hands.

'The reason we couldn't find the right book is because I took it out a while ago. Read this,' Hermione said opening the book up to the page showing it to them both.

 _The ancient study of alchemy is concerned with making the Philosopher's Stone. A legendary substance with astonishing powers. The Stone will transform any metal into pure Gold. It also produces the Elixir of Life which will make the drinker immortal. The only Stone currently in existence belongs to Mr Nicholas Flamel._

'Do you think?' Ron asked.

'It's got to be the stone Fluffy's guarding.'

'Most likely no wonder Professor Dumbledore has put such measures in place to protect it,' Hermione added.

'Seems like we owe George a thank you.'

'Why?'

'That's who gave me the Chocolate Frogs, to begin with. Christmas present remember,' Harry reminded Ron.


	12. Chapter 12

Potions as their last class at the end of the week had been a nightmare. Thanks to Malfoy throwing an ingredient into her potion last minute. Ruining it completely and just to make matters worse she landed up failing the lesson. There is only so much a person can do when they are against a clock. Packing up her things Harry slid out with the rest of the class. Watching as Malfoy waltzed down the corridor with a smug look plastered over his face.

Harry followed Hermione and Ron along the dungeon corridor. Heading towards the doors leading towards the courtyard. They had agreed to pop in and see Hagrid.

'Man, Snape's in a foul mood.'

'It's more than usual too.'

'That's because he obviously hasn't found a way past Fluffy yet.'

Hermione came to a complete standstill stopping both Ron and Harry in their tracks.

'So, he is trying to get passed?' Hermione whispered.

'Yeah, I ran into him having a "chat" with Professor Quirrell. He has no clue how to get past Fluffy.'

'Well as long as he doesn't the Stone is safe right. After all, we barely made it out last time,' Ron said.

'And I doubt that Fluffy is the only thing guarding the Stone either,' Harry added.

'Oh-oh Professor Dumbledore would have asked the other members of staff to help,' Hermione said.

'Yeah I think so but guessing as a Professor he would have knowledge of how to get past the other Professors' defences.'

'Hence why he was only asking about Fluffy,' Ron said.

'That puts the Stone at such a disadvantage. Relying on one obstacle,' Hermione pointed out.

'Two. You are forgetting Professor Dumbledore's.'

'But he would have told the other Professors' surely,' Ron said.

'No I don't think so,' Harry told them both. 'I'm pretty positive that whatever Professor Dumbledore's defence is he hasn't told, anyone. Trust me.'

Ron and Hermione looked at her confusingly but let the matter drop. Harry though just had a feeling, an instinct that her Professor wouldn't have. She had not forgotten their conversation. Harry had thought it over after learning about the Stone. Thinking back, she somehow didn't think her Professor had been truthful with her.

…..

Ron knocked on the door to Hagrid's hut. Their friend answering the door.

'Oh, it's you lot.'

'Hello to you too Hagrid. Could we come in?' Harry asked.

'Come on then,' Hagrid said opening the door wider for them. 'You know you lot should go back to the castle. It will be getting dark soon.'

'We just got here,' Ron mentioned.

'He has a point we didn't come all this way just to go back,' Hermione pointed out.

Harry though was in the middle of figuring out Hagrid's behaviour. He had never thrown them out quickly before. Neither had he been impolite. They way her friend was standing there over the fire place covering it was also slightly odd. It was like he was trying to keep it from their view.

'Hagrid are you trying to hide something from us?'

'No.'

'Then pray tell why are you protecting the fire place like it's a matter between life and death?'

Instead of answering Hagrid rolled his eyes moving over. Nesting near the fire in a pot was an egg.

'I know what that is. It's a dragon egg,' Ron said.

'Hagrid I thought you said that owning a dragon was illegal?'

'I might have mentioned that.'

No wonder he had been so reluctant to let them see it.

'Then how did you get it?' Hermione quizzed.

'I won it in a card game.'

'You can't keep it. You do realise this? You will get into so much trouble,' Harry pointed out.

'I could manage it,' Hagrid said proudly.

'Hagrid I don't doubt your abilities but you will not be able to keep it hidden in the hut for forever. It will get bigger. It will need to eat. What are you going to do when it's a fully grown adult?' Hermione pointed out.

'Hadn't thought of that.'

Harry re-framed from rolling her eyes.

'Charlie,' Ron suddenly said looking at them.

'What?' Harry enquired.

'My brother Charlie. Works in Romania with Dragons. I could write to him and see if he could take it. Without asking to many questions.'

'He'd do that?'

'Worth a try isn't it.'

The sound of cracking got their attention. The egg making movements until a spike could be seen.

'It's hatching,' Hermione stated.

Harry watches as a head nudges its way through. The egg shell cracks completely revelling the baby dragon.

'Well hello Norbert,' Hagrid said to it.

'Norbert?' Harry asked.

'It's got to have a name don't it.'

'Still, think Charlie will take it?' Hermione asked.

'Dunno but I'll ask.'

'No, I'm not sending Norbert all that way away from me. He needs me,' Hagrid insisted.

'Hagrid this is a dragon we are talking about. Like Hermione indicated to you earlier it's not going to stay this size,' Harry said a little exasperated.

'Think about it this way if Charlie can take Norbert he'll be with his own kind,' Ron added.

'I suppose being with his own kind would be better than being here. He'll make lots of friends.'

'I'm sure that the other dragons will love him,' Hermione said.

'Of course, they will just look at him. Who wouldn't love him.'

'Right then that settles it.' Harry said. Then she whispered lowly into Ron's ear while Hagrid was distracted with Norbert, 'The sooner you write to Charlie the better. Or Hagrid may change his mind.'


	13. Chapter 13

It had taken over a week before Hedwig landed upon the Gryffindor table with a letter attached to her for Ron.

'It's from Charlie,' Ron stated the obvious. 'They can take Norbert.'

'Brilliant.'

'Yeah but the thing is he needs us to sneak it up to the North tower. They can't be seen with an illegal dragon.'

'Next time tell me that before I say something's brilliant would you.'

'Sure mate.'

'So, when and what time?'

'Saturday midnight.'

'Great, just great,' Harry said the sarcasm unmissable from her voice.

'Charlie is doing us a big favour here.'

'I know but pray tell Ron just how do we sneak a dragon across the castle to the North tower?'

'We use your dad's Cloak.'

'Have you seen the size of Norbert recently? It's not going to cover all of us and a dragon.'

'Then we will just have to be careful,' Hermione said.

Harry unquestionably had doubts.

The day had not gotten any better. They had just walked back from the Library due to Hermione needing to return her mountain of books she had checked out. When they had bumped into Snape on their way up to the Gryffindor tower. Harry's mood had not improved by the time they strolled into the common room.

'It's official, I dislike Snape,' Harry exclaimed to no one in particular. Sinking down in an air chair in their usual corner.

'Why's it now official?' George asked her.

'Snape took points off for being out after curfew,' Ron explained.

'But it's nowhere near curfew,' Fred mentioned.

'We know,' Hermione said.

'At least it was only points it's not that bad.'

'Did we forget to mention that it was fifty points each,' Ron added.

'Git,' Fred said.

'Plus, we also gained a detention,' Harry concluded.

'How did that happen?'

'I might have mentioned that it wasn't past curfew. It didn't go down well,' Hermione said.

'Hermione never add.'

'Fuel to the fire.'

'Not when it.'

'Comes to Snape.'

'Duly noted,' Hermione snarled.

...

Saturday had come to fast for Harry's liking. She still didn't like this plan. There was so much that could go wrong. Considering there wasn't much of a plan about from getting an invisible dragon to the North tower as quick they possibly could. After they had lost one hundred and fifty points thanks to Snape. Harry didn't feel like upsetting her house mates even more. If they got caught this time they would actually be in so much trouble.

Professor McGonagall had not been impressed by the sheer point loss even if Snape had been unfair in taking them. She had relaxed slightly when they explained that they hadn't been out after curfew and there had been a dozen of witnesses in the common room to back them up.

How they had managed to sneak a dragon around a castle in the dead of night Harry would never being to understand. But they had. It had gone too well because the next morning Professor McGonagall gave her one hell of a fright when she stalked over to them while they were eating breakfast.

'Professor we-'

'The points and detention still stand,' her Professor interrupted her. 'I just came to inform you that you will be severing your detention with Hagrid,' Professor McGonagall said.

This caused Ron to groan.

'It's being held in the Forbidden forest. Hagrid has been trying to discover what's been happening to the poor unicorns. You will be helping him.' Professor McGonagall added ignoring Ron's groan.

'Oh, and Mr Malfoy will be joining you. Do be on your best behaviour.' she mentioned as though she had forgotten something important.

'How did Malfoy get a detention? I didn't think he could do anything wrong?' Harry asked rhetorically.

'Didn't you hear? McGonagall caught Malfoy out past curfew last night,' George said answering her.

'Was muttering something about an illegal dragon,' Fred concluded.

'Was he?' Hermione asked her voice sounding as natural as possible.

'That's some excuse for wandering around the castle at night,' Ron added.

Harry sent a grin towards Hermione and Ron. If Malfoy had told Professor McGonagall about them sneaking around with a dragon. Then he deserved getting the detention for listening in on their conversation, to begin with.

'Slytherin are not happy with him at the moment,' Fred told them.

'McGonagall took fifty house points off him too,' George said.

The day just got better. Rather sneaky of her Professor though, at least Malfoy had actually been caught out after curfew. Rather than Snape just taking the points away just for the heck of it. Harry was beaming by the time she had finished her breakfast.


	14. Chapter 14

'Well, that was nice of the twins. Such words of encouragement,' Harry muttered to Ron and Hermione as they headed towards Hagrid's hut for their detention.

'What words? You talking about when George told us what types of creatures are in the forest,' Hermione said.

'Or when Fred told us that they would have our coffins ready for us.'

'I was being sarcastic. Besides, I think you'll find it was the other way around.'

'What but George always sits next to you.'

'Trust me. Fred sat next to me George had sat next to you Ron.'

'How do you do that?'

'Do what?'

'I had been meaning to ask for ages now. How are able to tell them apart so easily. Even mum gets them confused at times.'

'Oh, that's easy George has flecks of brown in his eyes.'

Ron raised his eyebrows her, 'I have no idea what you're talking about Harry.'

'Can't say that I do either,' Hermione shrugged.

'So, neither of you have noticed that?'

'No can't say I have,' Ron told her.

'Even if their eyes were different you can still tell them apart from a distance,' Hermione pointed out.

'You didn't hear this from me. I don't want to be their next prank victim,' Harry said.

'George's hair a bit spikier than Fred's. They have other differences too. Like Fred is right handed while George is left. So, when they sit down together on the same table Fred will always sit on the right George on the left. Well unless they are planning pranks then it's the other way around.'

'Come to think of it. I've never noticed that either,' Ron said.

…..

Harry really disliked Snape right now. The Forbidden Forest should really have remained that. She was going to curse the twins for their unusual help. Every sound had her turning from the direction she had heard it come from. She had been fine until the trail of blood had separated into two paths. Hagrid, Hermione and Ron had gone one way which had left her of course with Malfoy and Fang.

Following the trail deeper into the forest, they had eventually reached a body of something bright white and gleaming on the ground. A dead Unicorn. It was not alone. A hooded figure had been hunched over the body of the dead Unicorn. The hooded figure looked up at them sending Malfoy had run off screaming while Harry clutched at her head. Her scar felt like it was on fire she sank down to her knees. Her vision blurring before her. She could just make out the hooded figure approaching her.

The next thing Harry had been aware of had been the sound of hooves. The pain of her scar subsided her vision clearing. Facing her rescuer for the first time she gulped at the sight. A centaur had saved her.

'What were you doing in the forest by yourself. Do you not understand the dangers?' the centaur snapped at her

'I- I was with Hagrid we got split up.'

The centaur approached her searchingly. 'Harianna Potter.'

'You know my name?'

'Even amongst us centaurs, you are well known Harianna.'

'Harry please I prefer Harry.'

'My name is Firenze,' he introduced himself, 'the forest is not safe for you. Come we'll find Hagrid.'

'I'm sure he heard Malfoy's scream and is on his way here,' Harry stated.

'Do you know what that thing was that attacked me? It hurt my scar like hell.'

'Tell me do you know what unicorn blood is used for?' Firenze asked looking at the dead Unicorn.

'No we've only used the horn or tail-hair in Potions.'

'That is because it is a monstrous thing to slay a unicorn. The blood from a Unicorn will keep you alive, even if you're an inch away from death. To slay something as pure and defenceless to save yourself. You would have half a life a cursed life the moment the blood touched your lips.'

'Death sounds like a better option to me.'

'It is. But can you think of no one who would be willing to go to such lengths.'

There was one that Harry could think of, 'Voldemort.'

If it was Voldemort that caused her scar to hurt that meant, he wasn't dead after all.

'Do you know what is currently hidden within castle?'

'Yes, the Philosopher's Stone.'

Oh, of course, the Elixir of life. It had the ability to make the drinker immortal.

'HARRY,' came a booming voice.

'Over here Hagrid.'

'This is where I leave you. You are safe now,' Firenze told her. 'Good luck Harry Potter.'

'Thank you,' she shouted after him, as Hagrid appeared around the corner.

….

'But I'm fine,' Harry protested.

She was sitting on a not so comfortable bed in the Hospital Wing. Not that she was going to tell the matron that.

'I'll be the judge of that Miss Potter,' Madam Pomfrey reminded her.

Harry had regretted telling Hagrid that she had almost passed out. She honestly did feel fine now even if she had slight tremors. Then the door burst open making her jump out of her skin. Madam Pomfrey looked a little smug at being proven correct. Harry couldn't even glare at the panicked faces of her best friends, accompanied by the twins'. Madame Pomfrey had done the job of glaring at her friends for her instead.

'You lot should be up in your dorm,' she scolded them.

'Sorry, Madam Pomfrey.'

'You've got five minutes,' she told them hurrying off.

'How are you feeling Harry?'

'I'm fine, there isn't anything wrong with me. Madam Pomfrey wants to keep me in overnight though.'

'Are you sure?' George asked her, concern etched in eyes.

As per usual, she could see the flecks of brown in his blue eyes. Harry must have been trying to figure out the reason behind the flecks of Georges' eyes, well the reason why only she had noticed that about them. She must have been looking at them which such a period of time with an intensity that she hadn't realised she had been staring at him, so that had made him uncomfortable. Because his eyes left her own rather quickly.

'What?' George asked leaning away creating some space between them.

'Huh oh, nothing. I must have spaced out.' Harry replied. She couldn't help noticing that his eye had returned to their usual blue colour.

'Everyone out. Miss Potter needs her rest.'

'Night Harry, see you in the morning.'

'Yeah.'

'Good night Harry,' George mumbled to her. The flecks in his eye present again.

'Night.'

Harry definitely wasn't imagining things. She waved them all out while Madame Pomfrey muttered to herself. Then a thought occurred to her.

'Madam Pomfrey?'

'Yes, Miss Potter.'

'Do you know much about the human eye?'

'In regards to what exactly. If you need your eyesight checked, I can do that.'

'No thank you. I was wondering if it was at all possible for someone's eyes to change colour. I've never heard of it before.'

'It's known as Cat's eyes. It's from the reflection of light reflecting off a surface causing the eye colour to change.'

'Does it cause speckled eyes?'

'It can do but mostly if someone has flecks in their eyes it can only be seen if you happen to close enough.'

So, the reason she could see the difference between the twins' eye colour was because she had been close enough to them to be able to do so. But then why had no one else noticed?


	15. Chapter 15

Harry had not had a chance to inform Ron and Hermione of the events of the forest until the exams had begun. Fred and George had been around them a lot. By them, Harry meant George had refused to leave Harry alone outside of class hours. Harry had the feeling he was feeling slightly guilty for the words of encouragement the two of twins had given them before their detention. The three of them had agreed to escape the walls of the castle after the exams as it had been a nice day. So, Harry filled Hermione and Ron in as they sat or in her case lay on the grass.

'So, Snape wants to the Stone for You Know Who?'

'That's my theory, why would he want it for himself? What use would it give him apart from a long life? No, it's someone who is more desperate.'

'But You Know Who is dead Harry,' Hermione reminded her.

'No Hagrid told me that day we went shopping for my school things in Diagon Alley. They never found a body don't you think that's rather odd. My parents were there I was there but no Voldemort.' They both flinched at the name.

'Don't say the name but since you put it like that,' Ron said. 'It is rather odd.'

Harry sat up pulling herself up rather quickly. Walking off down the hill.

'Where are you going, Harry?' Hermione asked after her.

'Hagrid's,' she shouted back.

'Why?'

'Information,' she called back.

'What information?'

'Tell you when we get there.' she smirked at them as they rushed to follow after her.

Hagrid was sitting outside his house in an armchair when they arrived.

'Hullo,' he said to them. 'finished your exams?'

'Yeah,' Ron said.

'You lot want a drink?'

'Yes please.'

Harry waited to drink her tea with the utmost patience she could fathom while her best friends well Hermione told Hagrid how the exams had gone. While Ron had grumbled at the sheer mention of them again.

'I was wondering Hagrid.' Harry said when Hermione had finished. 'would you mind telling us the tale of how you got Norbert?'

'Not much to tell ya. I was in the Hog's Head, drinking. Then I start playing cards and chatting to this fellow.'

'About Hogwarts?'

'Might have come up.'

'This stranger you were playing cards with. What did he look like?'

'Dunno he wouldn't take his cloak off. Not unusual you get all sorts of funny folk in the Hog's Head. Though he was a dragon dealer. Why else would he have an egg?'

'Sorry carry on. So you were playing cards and chatting to this dealer,' Harry reminded Hagrid of where he was.

'Oh yeah. Now I think of it he did ask me what I did. So I told him I was gamekeeper here. He asked me what sort of creature I looked after. So I told him and I told him that I'd always wanted a dragon. That after Fluffy a dragon would be easy to handle.'

'Did he at all seem interested in Fluffy?'

'Well yeah, how many three-headed dogs do you come across? So I told him Fluffy's a piece of cake if you know who to handle him. You just have to play him a bit of music and he'll fall straight to sleep.'

'Anything else?'

'No that I can think of.'

'Well, we best be going. It's getting late. See you later Hagrid,' Harry nudged Ron and Hermione out before they could protest.

'Mate mind telling us what that was all about. I didn't even get to finish my tea.'

'Ron don't you think that it's odd that the one thing Hagrid wants most in this world is a dragon. Then some stranger comes along that just happens to have a dragon egg?'

'You think that person was You-Know-Who?' Hermione said.

'Or Snape yeah. We need to see Professor Dumbledore and now.'

'Why?' Ron asked.

'Because Ron Hagrid just told us the same thing he told Snape or Voldemort while he was playing cards,' Harry explained. 'He told us how to get past Fluffy or was you not listening.'

'Then that means -' Ron broke off.

'The Stone is in danger.'

They ran until they reached the castle.

'So any idea where the head masters office is?' Hermione asked.

'No we'll just have-' Harry's voice trailed off as they came face to face with Professor McGonagall.

'What have you three been up to now?' she asked them.

'We were looking for Professor Dumbledore.'

'Professor Dumbledore left ten minutes ago. He received an urgent Owl from the Ministry of Magic.'

'He's gone to London? Now?'

'Yes, is there a problem?'

'No, it can wait. Thank you,' Harry said walking off in the direction of the Gryffindor Tower.

'Why didn't you tell her mate?' Ron asked.

'I doubt she would believe us. Remember students aren't meant to know about the stone. She is less likely to believe that a member of staff is after the Stone for Voldemort.'

'So, what do we do?' Hermione asked.

'The stone is vulnerable now. Hagrid told me that the only person Voldemort was scared of it was Dumbledore. With the Professor of school grounds.'

'He's going to after the Stone.'

'Me too. I'll go tonight I'll use my dad's Cloak. Voldemort isn't getting that Stone.'

'Do you reckon it will cover all three of us?' Ron asked.

'All three of us?'

'You didn't think we'd let you do this alone now did you?' Hermione said.

'Yeah, I think so. Tonight then?'

'Tonight,' they agreed.


	16. Chapter 16

Harry thought that she had a lot of patience but waiting for everyone to go to bed was making her nervous. It all came down to the fact the longer they waited, the more time Snape had to get to the Stone first. The only thing keeping her calm was that she believed that Professor Dumbledore hadn't mentioned how to get past his defence for the Stone. Which brought the other defences to mind, just what had their Professors added in the way of protection?

'That's everyone now,' Ron whispered as the last person went up.

'Right,' Harry confirmed pulling out her Cloak from underneath her. She had sneaked up earlier to get it. The girls had thought that this was a better idea than having to rummage around in the dark for it.

'We'd better put the Cloak on here to make sure it covers all of us,' Hermione pointed out, 'We don't want to get caught'.

'Yeah, we got lucky with the dragon.'

'We were worried about the Cloak covering the three of us on the way back down where we. So why are we exactly worried about it now,' Harry argued. 'Come on let's go.'

'What you doing?' said a voice from the stairway.

'Neville mate we were just discussing going to bed,' Ron lied.

'No, you weren't. You three were going to sneak out. I won't let you. You'll get Gryffindor into trouble again.'

'Oh, come on, Snape unfairly took those points.'

'I'll stop you. I will,' Neville told them nervously.

Hermione stepped forward. 'I'm really sorry about this Neville. _Petrificus Totalus!_ '

'Full body-bind nice one. Sorry, Neville but this time it's important. Come on let's go,' Harry said.

Harry pulled the cloak over them and silently they crept into the corridors. Harry did feel rather guilty for leaving Neville there stuck and unable to do anything. But they just didn't have time to explain the situation to him. On the way to the third floor, they only had to stop once so they could creep past Peeves. The other time that had to remain silent had been when they had come across Mrs Norris. They approached the door which held Fluffy behind it with caution.

'Ready?' Harry muttered at her friends nods she raised her wand to the door. ' _Alohomora!_ '

The door clicked open.

The room was quiet apart from the snores which could be heard from Fluffy. Harry noticed the harp in the corner of the room. Pulling the Cloak off them all she looked at Hermione and indicated towards the harp. Snape had already gone through if Fluffy was asleep. Nudging Ron she pointed out the trapped door under one of Fluffy's paws. Slowly and with the most extreme care, they could manage they move his paw out of the way. Once they had opened the door Harry could feel heavy breathing down her neck. She didn't need to look up to know what it was. Or what had just woken up from its nap. She heard Ron gulp beside her. Fluffy snarled at them.

'Jump quickly,' Hermione shouted jumping down in the trap door.

Harry pushed Ron in afterwards as he seemed to freeze upon the spot he had been in as she tumbled down after him. The landing had been soft. They had landed on some kind of plant. As she tried to remove herself from it the plant wrapped its vines tightly against her. The more she struggled the tighter it became.

'Hermione, do you happen to remember what a Devil's Snare is vulnerable too?' Harry asked.

'Don't move, the more you move the tighter it will get.'

'Great such a big help knowing what the damn thing is that's trying to kill us,' Ron snarled.

'Ron please let me think. Professor Sprout mentioned that they like dark and damp places.'

'So, we need to light a fire then,' Harry said.

'Oh of course. There's no wood though.'

'Hermione, have you gone mad. Are you a witch or not?' Ron shouted.

Harry noticed Hermione flush red and her mutter a spell which allowed them to struggle free of the grip the plant had held them with. Noticing a stone passage way ahead once they had wriggled free Harry turned to them.

'This is the only way on by the looks of it,' Harry stated.

'Brilliant let's hope we don't lose our heads in another crisis that involves needing wood,' Ron said shaking his head. 'Honestly.'

'Sorry I may have panicked,' Hermione muttered.

'You got us out that's all that matters.'

Harry led the way through the stone passage way until they reached a brilliantly lit chamber before them.

'I hear the sound of fluttering- you know like the sound of wings,' Ron mentioned.

Entering the chamber Harry saw that Ron had indeed been correct. they had been greeted by dozens of small like birds flying above them.

'Doors locked - the unlocking charm doesn't work,' Hermione's voice said from the door.

Then Harry noticed the brooms, she had been wrong it wasn't birds fluttering above. It was keys.

'I guess it's time to test out the theory,' Harry told them grabbing a broom.

'What test?'

'The test of whether the was a reason I become the youngest Seeker in a century or whether it was just pure luck.'

'There was no luck about that mate. But there are hundreds of keys up there,' Ron told her.

'Now you doubt my talents,' Harry said looking up around at the keys after she mounted the broom. 'Thanks, mate.' It took her a few seconds before she felt herself grinning she had caught sight of a key with a damaged wing.

'Spotted it. I'll be right back.' Harry called out to them as she raced off after it. Within moments of chasing after it, she had caught the key firmly in her grip. Landing near the door where Ron and Hermione were waiting.

'Brilliant bloody brilliant,' Ron told her as he opened the door up.

'And you doubted me,' Harry teased as they looked at the next challenge in the room ahead of them.

They were standing on the edge of a huge chessboard with the white pieces opposite them.

'So, what do we do now?'

'It's obvious isn't we play our way across.'

'Right, Ron, no pressure but this one is all yours,' Harry told him. 'Just tell us what to do.'

'OK so Hermione if you tak the castle. Harry, you can be the bishop and I'll be a knight.'

'Ron, do you think this is going to be exactly like wizarding chess?' Hermione asked as the white pieces moved.

'Pawn to D4,' Ron called and the watched as the white piece that was out on the board slay the pawn.

Ron gulped, 'Yes I think it's going to be exactly like wizarding chess, Hermione.'

So, they followed Ron's orders taking as many white pieces as what had been taken from them. It had been brutal twice Harry or Hermione had nearly been taken. It wasn't until the white Queen turned facing towards the direction of Ron that Harry had spotted Ron's plan.

'Ron, you can't.'

'It's the only way. I have to be taken that way you are free to checkmate the King, Harry.'

'No Ron. There must be another way,' Hermione said.

'Not if you want to catch up to Snape mate. So you ready?'

Harry nodded closing her eyes until she heard the crushing down of Ron's chess piece. Harry stepped forward checkmating the King.

'Is he alright?' Harry asked Hermione who was checking Ron over.

'Just knocked out. His ok.'

Pushing the door open a disgusting smell filled the air. In front of the them was a Troll that was out cold. Harry had been glad that they hadn't had to fight that one. Stepping through the next door a fire sprang up behind them with blue purple flames and before them with black flames. They were trapped and the only thing in the room to help them had been a table with seven different shaped bottles standing in a line. This was definitely Snape's task. There was a piece of parchment lying next to the bottles.

 _Danger lies before you, while safety lies behind,  
_ _Two of us will help you, whichever you would find,  
_ _One among us seven will let you move ahead  
_ _Another will transport you back instead,  
_ _Two among our number hold only nettle wine  
_ _Three of us are killers, waiting in line.  
_ _Choose unless you wish to stay here evermore,  
_ _To help you in your choice, we give you these clues four:  
_ _First however slyly the poison tries to hide  
_ _You will find_ _by nettles wine's left side;  
_ _Second, different are those who stand either end,  
_ _But if you would move onwards, neither is your friend;  
_ _Third as you see clearly all are different size,  
_ _Neither dwarf nor giant hold death in their insides;  
_ _Fourth, the second left and the second on the right  
_ _Are twins once you taste them, though different at first sight._

'Figures Snape would leave a logic puzzle,' Harry muttered, 'Any ideas?'

'I think so. You?'

'A few none of them has anything to do with Snape's puzzle though. Ok so let's figure this out.'

'I think the rounded bottle at the end of line will get you back.'

'The smallest will let you step ahead,' Hermione added.

'There's only enough for one person,' Harry said holding it up.

'I'll go back and help Ron. Send a note to Dumbledore just in case,' Hermione said.

'Good plan. Good luck.'

'You too, be careful.'

Harry drank out of the bottle. 'I will.' She said stepping through the flames. The last chamber in front of her. There was somebody already there. It wasn't Snape though, it wasn't even Voldemort.


	17. Chapter 17

It was Quirrell.

'You?' Harry said a little too loudly.

Quirrell smiled at her, 'Me,' he said calmly, 'I wondered if I'd be meeting you here Potter.'

Realisation hit her the night she had snuck into the library Snape had been warning him. He had been trying to protect the Stone. But then the day of the Quidditch match it didn't make sense unless ...

'You tried to kill me,' Harry exclaimed.

'Yes, and if it hadn't been for your friend Miss Granger knocking me over as she rushed to set fire to Professor Snape. I would have got you off that broom after a few more seconds. I would have done it before then if Snape hadn't been muttering his counter curse, trying to save you.'

'So, it was you that let the troll in at Halloween.'

'Most certainly. Now be quiet I need to examine this mirror.'

Harry blinked, she hadn't noticed the mirror of Erised behind Quirrell until he mentioned it. She almost let out a laugh. Dumbledore was using a mirror that showed you your heart desires as his protection. Funny new home he had given the mirror. Just how was the heart's desire meant to protect the Stone? Quirrell muttering to himself snapped her out of her own thoughts.

'I see the Stone ... I'm presenting it to my master ... but where is it?'

Harry's mind was racing. Quirrell couldn't reach the Stone.

'I don't understand ... is the Stone in the mirror? Should I break it? Master what should I do?'

Harry thought Quirrell had lost it, she looked behind her for the exit but nothing was behind her. The chamber had been completely closed off. Then she heard a voice speaking back to Quirrell which had come from the same direction.

'Use the girl.'

Harry turned around to face Quirrell.

'Come here Potter,' Quirrell ordered her. 'Look in the mirror and tell me what you see.'

Slowly she made her way towards the mirror. Harry knew that whatever she saw that she had to lie. She stepped in front of the mirror.

Her reflection had the same messy short bobbed hair. Her scar hidden under her fringe thanks to the hair band she always wore. Harry blinked for a moment, she thought she had done something wrong. If the mirror showed a person's heart's desire than to have nothing besides her meant that she was completely happy. Then her reflection winked at her, pulling out a red stone from her pocket of her trousers. She raised a single finger to lips then put the stone back into the same pocket. Having done so Harry felt something drop into her trouser pocket. She had got the Stone.

'Well ... what do you see?'

'I see my parents,' Harry smiled. It had been an easy lie, after all, she had actually seen her parents before.

'Useless,' Quirrell snapped at her, 'Get out of the way.'

Harry slowly backed away. She had to find a way out of this stupid chamber.

'She lies,' the voice said although Quirrell hadn't moved his lips.

Harry stared at him. Where had, the voice come from?

'Potter come here. Tell me what did you just see?' Quirrell snarled.

'Let me speak to her face to face,' the voice said.

'Master you are not strong enough.'

'I have strength enough for this.'

Harry froze on the spot as Quirrell unwrapped his turban. Then as it fell she saw a face where it should have been the back of Quirrell head. It was chalk white with glaring red eyes and slits for nostrils much like a snake'. She didn't need to guess who it was. The night in the forest had confirmed it enough for her.

'Harianna Potter.'

'Haven't you heard the news Voldemort,' she replied. 'I prefer Harry.'

'Do you see what I've become then Harry. A mere shadow and vapour. I have a form only when I can share another's body.'

'So, you used the Unicorns blood to keep you alive until you could get your hands on the Elixir of Life.'

'Smart but not clever enough. Now, why don't you give me that Stone in your pocket.'

'And let you come back to power,' Harry replied. 'I don't think so.'

'Seize her.'

Harry bolted towards the way she had come into the chamber. Quirrell caught her ankle knocking her to the ground. The moment Quirrell touched her she felt a sharp pain across her head. Quirrell hands wound around her neck and Harry was in agony. Quirrell was fairing no betting howling in pain.

'Master I cannot hold her - my hands.'

Harry saw that his hands had been burnt just from touching her. She looked at her hands then back at him.

'Then kill her,' Voldemort ordered.

Harry reached up grabbing a tight hold of Quirrell's face. His face blistered too. He couldn't touch her bare skin not without suffering terrible pain. Quirrell stumbled backwards from her hold his head. This time Harry grabbed his arm holding on as tight as she could. The pain in her own scar was building she was slowly losing her vision. Harry tumbled onto Quirrell knocking him to the ground, her vision blurred over. She heard his shrieks along with Voldemorts. Then she slumped down and fell into darkness.


	18. Chapter 18

The sunlight had been annoying her so Harry opened her eyes rather reluctantly. Her vision cleared after a few moments as the smiling face of Professor Dumbledore came into her view.

'Good afternoon Harry.'

'Professor the Stone. Quirrell's got it. You need-' Harry panted out in between raspy breaths trying to pull herself up.

'Calm yourself, Harry. You are a little behind the times,' Professor Dumbledore said calmly, 'Quirrell does not have the Stone.'

'Don't tell me that Vol- You Know Who got to it,' Harry rushed out in horror.

'Relax Harry or Madam Pomfrey will have me thrown out. Call him Voldemort. Always use the proper name for things. Fear of the name only increases the fear of the thing itself.'

Harry blinked and took in her surroundings. She was back in the hospital wing. Next to her was a pile what looked like half a sweet shop.

'Tokens from your friends and admirers,' Professor Dumbledore explained. 'What happened down in the chamber with Professor Quirrell is a complete secret. So naturally, the whole school knows.'

'How long have I been out?'

'Three days Misters Ronald and George Weasley along with Miss Granger will be relieved you've come around. They have been extremely worried about you. I believe that when they haven't irritated Madam Pomfrey for updates they've been sneaking in to see you ...'

Harry chuckled. 'So, what happened to the Stone?'

'Very well Harry. Quirrell did not manage to take the Stone from you. I arrived in time to prevent that. You see as I got to London it occurred to me that the place I needed to be in was the one I just left. I arrived in time to pull Quirrell off you. I feared I may have been too late.'

'Sorry I didn't mean to make you worry.'

'Yes, well as for the Stone. Nicolas and I had a nice long chat. We agreed it was best to destroy the Stone. They have enough Elixir to set their affairs in order.'

'Voldemort's going to try other ways of returning, isn't he. After all his not gone.'

'I believe he will try but for now, you put a stop into his attempt.'

'Professor, why Quirrell couldn't touch me?'

'Ah, now I believe that was to do with your mother. She gave her life to protect you and Voldemort cannot understand love. She evoked ancient magic. Magic as old as Merlin himself magic that only has theories written upon. I believe that it was your mothers' love that protected you. Your mothers' love left its own mark embedded in your very skin. So, Voldemort who was so full of hatred couldn't touch you.'

So it had been her mothers' love and ancient magic that had saved her as a baby.

'Why did he try to kill me in the first place.'

'Alas, that I cannot tell you. Not today, one day you will know. When you are older, when you are ready you will know.'

'So, Professor I was wondering the night I found the mirror. You knew about my dad's Cloak.'

'Yes, it was I who sent it to you. He had left it in my possession.'

'Thanks, there's something else Quirrell mention that Professor Snape saved my life. I thought he didn't like me all that much, why would he do something like that?'

'Professor Snape went school at the same time as your father. And well they did rather detest each other. However, your father did something Professor Snape couldn't forgive. James saved his life. Professor Snape couldn't bear to be in his debt. So, he worked so hard to protect you so it would repay his debt.'

That explained why Snape disliked her so much.

'Now I think I'll leave you in peace.'

'Oh Professor,' Harry called out to stop him. 'That was quite ingenious of you to use the mirror so that only a person who wanted the Stone could get to it.'

'It was one of my better ideas. I'm glad you approve.'

'So, a person's desire can change?'

'More like a person can have more than one desire,' Dumbledore explained. 'The human heart is a wondrous thing but alas Harry it remains a complete mystery.'

'I learnt the hard way Professor. Some mysteries are best left unsolved.'

'Indeed. Ah Bertie Bott's Every-Flavour Beans. I was unfortunate enough in my youth to come across a vomit flavoured one. Since then I'm afraid I've rather lost my liking for them. But I think I'll be safe with a nice toffee one, don't you?' He said smiling as he popped a golden-brown bean into his mouth. Then she heard him cough not long after.

'Alas! Earwax.'

Harry flopped back down onto her pillows enjoy the quiet, which lasted about five minutes before she could hear the telling signs of people approaching. It was no wonder that Professor Dumbledore knew of their sneaking into the hospital wing, her friends were not being so quiet about it at all. Harry shut her eyes quickly trying to not laugh as the footsteps and talking had approached the doors of the hospital wing.

'Shh we're going to get caught,' came George's voice.

'Are you sure that Madam Pomfrey is nowhere around?' Harry heard Hermione ask.

'Positive,' George muttered back.

'But how can you be sure?' this time it was Ron's voice that asked.

'Never you mind. Now Harry's bed is further up, do you want to see her before we actually do get caught,' George replied.

'What use is using an invisibility cloak if you're not going to be quiet?'

Harry waited until the footsteps stopped by her bed. She tried to keep her face as still as possible. Then she heard the rustling of her cloak dropping to the floor.

'BOO!' Harry sprang up at them making the three of them jump out of shock.

'Harry, you scared me,' Hermione scolded.

'Well that's what you get for going through my belongings without my permission,' Harry replied.

'Sorry, Harry we just wanted to see how you were,' Hermione told her.

'Yeah mate no one would tell us anything beyond that you were ok,' Ron added.

'I'm not angry besides I don't mind you guys using my Cloak.'

'Does that mean George and I can borrow it for pranks?' George asked.

'Dunno Fred I'll think about it,' Harry joined in.

'What? You swore on the Weasley honour that you were George. Weasley honour Fred,' Ron shouted ranting at him.

'Ron calm down. It's George,' Harry told him. 'And to answer your question. No, you may not you two are crafty enough as it is. Without the help of being invisible.'

'I'm glad you're awake Harry we've been ever so worried,' Hermione said.

'I know Professor Dumbledore was here not long ago. He told me all about your sneaking into to see me.'

The three of them flushed.

'You do realise that you need to be a bit subtle then talking loudly as you walk down corridors right. It's no wonder the headmaster knew.'

'Told you we weren't being quiet enough,' George said. 'You are OK, right?' his blue eyes searching hers.

'Yeah, a little stiff but I'm OK.' Harry answered.


	19. Chapter 19

Harry was standing in the dungeons corridor and she was having a mental debate with herself of whether or not this was a good idea. She had not long been out of the hospital wing. Before she had been allowed to go she had received a visit from Hagrid. He had been quite upset himself about telling Quirrell how to get past Fluffy. After she had managed to calm him down he had given her a red leather bound book which had turned out to be a photo album full of wizarding photos of her parents.

Seeing her parents in the photo album had reminded her of something she needed to do. Which is how she came to be standing outside her most hated Professor's classroom. Summing up her courage she knocked on the door waiting for a reply.

'Enter.'

Harry took a deep breath and entered the Potions classroom.

'What do you want Miss Potter?' Snape snarled at her as she stepped through. He hadn't even given her a chance.

'I came to thank you,' Harry blurted out to him before she lost her courage. 'For saving my life. I would have done it sooner but I hadn't realised that it had been you.'

'There is no need.'

'I know but still, thank you. I know you did it to settle a life debt. Professor Dumbledore explained that you went to school with my dad and that you didn't exactly like each other.'

Snape raised his eyebrows at her. 'He had no right.'

'No, he didn't. And despite disliking my father and disliking me because I look like him. You still saved my life.'

Her Professor remained quiet.

'I have no idea what it must have been like for you having to teach someone who looked like his arch enemy. I know nothing of my parents besides that I look like my father but have my mothers' eyes. I am my own person Professor but I can understand why you took a disliking to me. I hope that one day I can prove that I am not my father nor am I my mother that I'm just Harry.'

'I'm fully aware that you are not your father Miss Potter. Something that at first I oversaw.'

Harry blinked well that was as close to an apology she was going to get. Not that she had been expecting one.

'Do not think that this means I will go easy on you. If I catch you out after curfew I will not hesitate to have you expelled.'

And then he just had to turn back into the Snape that she knew rather too well.

'Noted. Have a nice summer Professor,' she said turning to leave the room.

...

The Gryffindor common room was empty when Harry appeared down stairs later. She had just finished packing her belongings back into her trunk not having the chance to do so before now. Silently she wondered why the room was empty until her stomach gave a loud rumble reminding her of the end of year feast.

The Great Hall had been decorated in the Slytherin colours of silver and green. A huge banner hung behind the Professors' table that had the Slytherin serpent on it. Harry quietly slid into her usual seat between George and Hermione. Ron sitting opposite them next to Neville. Then moments later Professor Dumbledore stood up and the hall fell into silence.

'Another year gone,' he began, 'and what a year it has been. Now as I understand it the House Cup here needs awarding and the points stand thus: in fourth place, Gryffindor, with three hundred and twelve points: in third Hufflepuff, with three hundred and fifty-two; Ravenclaw have four hundred and twenty-six and in first place Slytherin, with four hundred and seventy- two points.'

A storm of cheering broke out from the Slytherin table.

'Yes, yes, well done Slytherin.' Dumbledore said. 'However recent events must be taken into account.'

Harry was slightly startled just what was Professor Dumbledore up to?

'I have a few last-minute points to dish out. First to Mr Ronald Weasley.'

Ron had flushed completely red.

'For the best-played game of chess Hogwarts has seen in many years, I award Gryffindor fifty points.'

Harry sent Ron a grin as the table cheered.

'Secondly for the use of cool logic in the face of danger I award Miss Hermione Granger fifty points.'

'To Mr Neville Longbottom I award ten points for the sheer courage of standing up to his friends.'

Neville had gone completely pale.

'The bravery to stand up to one's friend takes a great deal which leads to my last addition of points. I award sixty points for the pure nerve and outstanding courage shown by and to Miss,' Dumbledore paused looking directly at her, 'Harry Potter.'

'Which means, a change of decoration is in order,' Dumbledore called out over the applause. He clapped his hands the green hangings became scarlet and the banner of the Slytherin serpent vanished. The Gryffindor lion taking its place.

The cheers were deafening. Harry had been grateful that the Professor hadn't used her full name as the Gryffindor table went wild. Their peers were jumping up and down, they scrambled to hug each other while congratulating Harry, Ron, Hermione and Neville on the points earned that lead them to win the House Cup.

...

They had received their exam results back and Harry was pleased she has passed with high marks. Ron had received good marks while Hermione had come top of the year. It was while the scenery passed by as Harry looked out of the window of the Hogwarts express. A thought had occurred to her.

'I need a favour,' Harry said not looking at her two best friends.

'What can we do for you?'

'Could one of you take Hedwig over the summer?' She asked.

'Sure, but why?' said Ron.

'I don't mind,' Hermione said at the same time.

Harry laughed, 'Sorry. Right well, my family don't like magic all that much. I don't want them taking it out on Hedwig.'

'But that's really-'

'I know Hermione but still.'

'That explains why you don't talk about them much,' Ron pointed out.

'Do you want to have her Hermione?' Harry asked then at the look of protest from Ron's face she quickly added, 'It will make it easier to write to us.'

Ron blinked and shut his mouth again. He had obviously not thought of Hermione not having a way to communicate with them until Harry had pointed it out.

'Oh, that's an excellent idea.'

'I'll give you her treats and some money in case you run out. Thanks, I really appreciate it.'

'It's no bother.'

The train eventually slowed down to pull into King's Cross Station. Harry took out the treats and money passing them along with Hedwig to Hermione telling her own owl to behave whilst she was with Hermione. Opening the carriage door, she came upon the sight of the twins grinning at her.

'We were just wondering if,' Fred began.

'The pretty lady needed a hand?' George asked.

'Thanks, boys,' Harry laughed. 'Yes please.'

Between them, they managed to get the trunks off the train and onto trolleys. Harry stepped through the barrier after Ron.

'You must come stay during the summer,' Ron said, 'Both of you. I'll send an owl.'

'Sure, I'll look forward to it,' Harry grinned. She turned spotting her aunt and uncle.

'I've got to go. See you all soon. Don't forget to write,' she told them.

'As long as you write back to me,' George smirked towards her.

'Umm sure.' Harry said turning towards Ron and Hermione. 'Don't get into too much trouble, well at least not without me.'

'Have a good holiday.'

'Oh, I intend to,' Harry waving a final goodbye to them speeding off if the direction of her aunt and uncle.


	20. Chapter 20

Harry was having the worst summer due to the amount of boredom she was in. The moment she had stepped foot into the house of number four Privet Drive she had been bored. Well, what did one expect when they just had the year she had gone through. Running around a school trying to find out what was hidden beneath a three-headed dog named Fluffy. Learning about Quidditch and catching the Snitch in her very first game. Discovering the secret hidden below Fluffy turned out to be the Philosopher's Stone. Then she thought that Professor Snape was after the Stone. They had transported an illegal dragon in the middle of the night. Then figured out that the Stone was in danger. Not that it had been Professor Snape like she first thought. No, it had been the stuttering Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor Quirrell, on the behalf of the darkest wizard known, Voldemort.

Harry had got herself involved and stopped him from getting hold of the Stone. So being stuck in her aunt and uncle's was definitely boring. To make matters worse her school truck had been shoved in the cupboard under the stairs and locked up. To be honest she was expecting a stunt like that. It had meant she had been unable to do any of her school homework. Not that her Aunt and Uncle cared much. Harry had just been pleased that one friend had taken her owl Hedwig for the summer. That had caused her to frown she hadn't heard one word from them so far and they had promised to write.

Harry leant on an elbow staring out of the window. It wasn't going to make the owl's come any faster. Sure Ron didn't like to study hard but he had asked her to stay over the summer surely she would have seen an owl from him by now. There had been no sign of Hedwig either and Harry was positive that Hermione wouldn't have forgotten. Adding to the fact that today was her own Birthday just made matters worse and herself feel even more miserable.

'GIRL GET DOWN HERE.'

After years of being address by everything but her name. Not that her uncle could pronounce it properly anyway she knew exactly who he was calling down. Besides her aunt she was the only girl in the house anyway and there was no way her aunt would let her uncle get away with calling her a girl. Grouchily Harry made her way down the stairs and into the living room to which she knew the Dursleys were residing in.

'Now we all know that today is a very important day. Tonight is the night the Masons are coming,' Uncle Vernon said to them once Harry closed the lounge door behind her.

Harry rolled her eyes. Of course, her uncle would want to go through his stupid dinner party plans.

'Now we all know our roles. Petunia.'

'I'll be in the lounge waiting to welcome them into our home,' aunt Petunia said promptly.

'Good Dudley?'

'I'll be waiting by the door,' Dudley pulled a wide smile, 'May I take your coats, Mr and Mrs Mason.'

'They'll love him. I'll announce dinner at eight fifteen.'

'Then I offer the guide them through to the dining room,' Dudley added.

'My perfect little gentleman. Chip off the old block,' her uncle told her cousin. 'And you, where will you be?'

Harry stopped the urge to roll her eyes. 'I'll be in my room making no noise and pretending that I don't exist.'

'Too right, the Masons know nothing about you. I intend to keep it that way. Now stay out of the way while your aunt cleans.'

Harry strolled back up the stairs. To the mess of what she called a bedroom. Not that much of the mess had been hers. It had been due to it being Dudley's old bedroom so it was still full of his broken old toys. To stop the boredom from settling in completely she had cleaned up most of it storing his things into boxes and out of her way. The other task she had given herself was altering her horrible clothing that was getting far too worn out for her. It had been of the very first things she had snuck up to her bedroom her aunts sewing kit. So far she hadn't fared too badly when she first started the stitching had been so terrible that the clothes didn't hold together. So that was her plan tonight fixing her horrible wardrobe. It just made her miss magic and Hogwarts more. Not being allowed to use magic during the school holidays sucked.

Harry had the thread between her lips and the needle in one hand when she heard the doorbell went. She quickly she stashed everything under bed. Tip-toeing to her door pressing and ear against it for signs of any of the Dursleys. Harry let out a sigh of relief they were too busy down stairs to worry about what she had been up to. Turning back to her bed she almost jumped. A creature with large bat like ears and wide green eyes were staring at her. She noticed that it was wearing what looked like an old pillow case.

'Look I have no clue what you are or who you are working for,' Harry told it. 'But I'm not going anywhere. I'm staying right here.'

'Dobby is pleased to be hearing this,' the creature told her. 'Dobby wanted to meet you for so long now.'

To her horror, the creature got off her bed and bowed lowly to her. 'Such an honour to meet you at last Harianna Potter. Such an honour.'

'Look Dobby,' Harry told the creature. 'It's nice to meet you an all but do you mind going back to where the hell it was that you came from?'

'Dobby not work for hell no Dobby is house-elf. Dobby serves Wizarding family.'

'Well won't this family of yours be worried about you,' Harry pointed out.

'But Dobby has to see you. Dobby come to tell you something important.'

'Right.'

'It's difficult for Dobby to say... Dobby has come to protect Harianna Potter.'

'OK let's get something straight. If you are going to call me anything it's Harry,' she told the elf forcefully as she sat down on the edge of her bed. If it was at all true what this elf was telling her then she was in no danger from it. 'Please sit.'

Then to her horror, the elf burst into tears very noisy.

'S-sit down!' he wailed. 'Never ...never ever ...'

'Look I'm sorry if I've offended you. I just thought but never mind.'

'Dobby heard of your greatness. Heard of your modesty and kindness. Dobby is not offended. Dobby has never been asked by a witch or wizard to sit down ... like an equal.'

'Then you've not met many decent witches or wizards,' Harry told him. 'So, care to explain why you want to protect me? What do you want to protect me from?'

'Dobby cannot say. Dobby came to warn Harry that she must not go back to Hogwarts.'

'What?' Harry raised her voice then she glanced quickly towards the door. No one had come up thankfully.

'I've got to go back to Hogwarts. You don't understand I can't stand it here.'

'But Harry tolds Dobby that you stay here.'

'Because I thought you were going to kidnap me.'

'Never, Dobby would never. No, you must promise not to return to Hogwarts.'

'No I can't.' Harry told the elf. 'I won't.'

'Then you leaves Dobby no choice,' the elf replied and in a blink of an eye he had disappeared.


	21. Chapter 21

Crazy elf. How did not returning to Hogwarts protect her? What had the elf been thinking asking her to promise something like that? Where had the elf disappeared to anyway? He said that she had left him no choice. No choice but to do what exactly? Harry suddenly got a bad feeling. The elf wouldn't ... surely not. Harry rushed down the stairs and sure enough, she found the elf in the kitchen.

'Stop please,' Harry whispered.

Dobby turned to her. 'You is not my master. You promise not to go to Hogwarts then Dobby stops.'

'Master? Can you tell me why it's so important I don't return?'

'This,' Dobby pulled at his pillow case. 'is the mark of House-elf. Dobby serves his wizarding family.'

'So, your family are your masters,' Harry confirmed trying to understand the elf nodded.

'Does your family know that you are here? Warning me?'

The elf shook his head. Then banged his head against the oven.

'What do you think you are doing?'

'Dobby almost speak ills of his family... Dobby has to punish himself. Dobby's family reminds him sometimes to set extra punishments.'

'Can't you leave? Escape?'

The elf shook his head, 'A house-elf must be set free. Family must give Dobby clothes. And family would never do it.'

'OK, I get that. Now about Hogwarts what can you tell me about why I can't return. I'd very much like to see my friends.'

'Friends that don't even write to Harry Potter?'

'How did you know that I hadn't got any letters?' Harry frowned at the elf.

'You must not be angry with Dobby. Dobby did it for the best.'

'You stopped my letters?'

'Dobby has them here,' the elf says pulling out a pile of envelopes from his pillow case. 'Harry Potter will have them if she promises not to go back to school.'

'Why is it so important I don't go back?'

'If you goes back Harry Potter will be in mortal danger. There is a plot Harry Potter. A plot to make the most terrible things happen at Hogwarts this year.'

'If it's not Voldemort I don't care. I want my letters and I will be returning to school.'

'Dobby is sorry. It is for Harry Potters own good,' the elf says clicking his fingers. The pudding her aunt made for the dinner party, float into mid-air. Her aunt and uncle were going to kill her! The pudding came crashing down noisily and Dobby once again disappeared out of sight.

Harry heard loud footsteps approaching the kitchen, she looked at the smashed cake and gulped. She was so dead.

...

Harry sighed and stared out the barred windows not that she could see much on the outside. It was her punishment, this time she had been locked in her room with no way out. They locked her in the bedroom all day only letting her out of a morning and evening. The bars had appeared on the window the day after the elf's little visit. She had been incredibly lucky that the bars hadn't gone up sooner. For the first time that summer she had received her own post without the elf stopping it. The letter had been a warning to remind her that she shouldn't use magic whilst not at school. At least she hadn't been expelled. Stupid elf. He had got her into so much trouble.

Even trying to keep herself busy had been no use. This was the worst summer ever. Harry turned over in bed. Since she had been stuck in her bedroom her sleeping pattern had not been regular. The boredom made her fall asleep at the strangest of times. Her rumbling stomach didn't help matters either. The Dursleys had installed a cat flap in the bedroom door so food could be pushed through to her. The food she was given hadn't been much just some stale bread with mouldy cheese mainly. She was lucky if she got a change and was given a cold bowl of soup instead.

Dobby may have saved her from the horrible happenings that were going to happen at Hogwarts. He hadn't saved her from being starved though. What had been the point protecting her if she was going to cooped up in her bedroom to starve to death. Harry missed Hogwarts more than anything she would be damn lucky if her aunt and uncle even let her return.

Harry had been drifting off when the rattling of bars could be heard. Thinking that the wind had made the noise she ignored it. The rattling continued though louder than the last time. Great just something else she was going to be blamed for. Harry opened her eyes, just why were the bars rattling she had watched her uncle screw them firmly into place? Turning around to face the window, the moonlight shone through the bars. Though someone: a freckle-faced, red haired, blue eyed someone was pulling at the bars. Harry had never been more glad to see the face of her friend Ron Weasley. Harry paced over to window pushing it up.

'Ron,' Harry whispered. 'How the hell-'

Harry's mouth fell wide open the answer to question that she had been about to ask in front of her. If she wasn't actually seeing it herself she would have never believed it. Ron was leaning out of the back window of an old turquoise car. Which was floating in mid-air by the side of her bedroom window. In the front seats grinning at her sat Ron's elder twin brothers Fred and George Weasley.

'Alright, Harry?' George asked.

Harry nodded dumbly.

'Good now we've come to get you out,' Ron explained.

'Tie this around the bars,' Fred told Harry throwing a rope towards her.

'If the Dursleys wake up, I'm dead.' Harry told them as she tied the rope tightly around the bars.

'Don't worry,' George said. 'and stand back.'

Harry did so hearing the car revving up. The with a crunching noise the bars pulled clean out of windows. The bars crashed to the ground. After Ron had untied the rope from them. Fred reversed as close to her bedroom window as he could.

'Get in,' Ron said opening the car door out so she could climb in.

'I can't my Hogwarts stuff ... my wand ... my Nimbus.'

'Where is it?'

'Locked in the cupboard under the stairs. My bedroom door has been locked too. I can't get it.'

'That's not a problem, you forget who I've got with me,' Ron pointed out indicating to the twins. She stepped back to let George Weasley and Ron into her bedroom.

'Right I'll deal with the door and cupboard,' George said. 'Grab everything that you want and shove it in the boot of the car.'

George pulled out a hair pin and began picking at the lock. Ron looked at her expectantly she opened up her wardrobe pulling out her Muggle clothing. She heard the door unclick then the door opened. George had been standing by it with a smug look on his face.

'Watch the bottom step, it creaks,' Harry told George who nodded at her.

'I'll go help him,' Ron said.

Harry glanced around her bedroom checking that she had gotten everything when George and Ron appeared with her trunk. Between the three of them, they managed to also get it into the boot along with her other belongings.

'Ron get in the front. I'll help Harry in,'

Ron slipped out of the window climbing into the car.

'I'll go next so I can pull you in,' George told her, 'Do you want to leave a note?'

'Nah,' Harry said, George shrugged at her climbing into the passenger seat of the car. Harry stopped at the window. Maybe a note wasn't such a bad idea. So, she ran to a desk grabbed a leaky pen and scribbled a note on an old piece of paper that had been lying around.

'Sorry,' she said climbing out so she was almost sitting on the edge of the window. George already had his hand out for her to grab.

'I changed my mind about the note.' she added slyly. Taking his outstretched hand and sliding herself into the car. Pulling the door shut behind her.

'Let's get out of here,' Ron said.

'Onwards,' Fred said pointing in front of him. Then as he glanced back to look at her in the mirror, 'Oh Happy Birthday Harry.'

'Sorry that we were late for it,' George added.

'Best belated present ever,' Harry said clapping her hands together. 'Can we do this again next year?'

'Sure, no worries, always happy to help,' Fred chuckled.

'It was my idea to come and rescue you though,' George told her.

'My hero,' Harry said putting a hand over her heart. George turned beet-red while Ron and Fred burst into fits of laughter.


	22. Chapter 22

'I'm glad you wrote the note. Even if the Muggles locked you up. Wouldn't want them to worry,' George said as they passed through the clouds in the night sky.

'Oh, they won't. But I may have said I'd been abducted and held for ransom by three red heads,' Harry joked.

'You told them what?' Ron spluttered out.

'Don't worry. I just said I'd gone to friends' and I'd see them next summer.'

'Oh,' Ron replied, 'Speaking of letters why didn't you return any?'

'Yeah, we wrote to you.'

'Asked you to stay about twelve times.'

'We were getting worried about you not replying. We thought that it was Errol fault at first. He's the family owl,' Ron said. 'But then Hedwig turned up at ours and Hermione said that she hadn't heard from you either.'

'We got really worried when dad came home a couple of nights ago,' said Fred.

'Told us you'd got an official warning for using magic in front of Muggles,' George added.

'How did your dad find that out?'

'Works for the Ministry,' they said together.

'You know we not supposed to use spells outside of school.'

'Firstly, it wasn't me and secondly, that's a bit rich coming from you lot,' Harry said. 'We are in a _flying_ car,' she pointed out.

'This doesn't count,' Ron said. 'It's our dad's. He enchanted it to fly. We can make it go invisible too.'

'So, you thought that you would just borrow it?' Harry asked.

'Well we had to come and find out what was going on,' George said sheepishly.

'Nothing much just had a crazy house-elf visit me which is how I got into trouble for using magic. It's how I landed up being locked in my room.'

'The Muggles hate magic that much?' Ron asked.

'Yeah, you can see why I left Hedwig with Hermione now.'

'Doesn't explain not receiving our letters though,' George said.

'Oh, sorry he intercepted those too. I hadn't received a thing all summer until the warning.'

'The elf had your letters? Why?'

'Told me he took them in his strange way to protect me. Said that there was a plot that involved Hogwarts and that I'd be in grave danger. I reckon he took the letters so I wouldn't want to go back to school not having heard for any of my friends.'

The boys flushed.

'It's ok don't worry.'

'It does sound a little fishy though,' Fred said.

'Y, ah why would he come to warn you to begin with?' George said.

'Have an idea of who the elf belongs too?' Ron asked.

'No.'

'Well whoever owns him will be an old wizarding family,' Fred said.

'And they'll be rich,' George added.

...

Harry must have dozed off during the car ride. She could hear muttering around her but her eyes refused to budge open. She was on a comfortable pillow and felt warm.

'You're driving too far West Fred,' she heard George say from above her.

'On it. Shouldn't be too much longer,' Fred replied.

'I can see the main road, we're about ten minutes away,' Ron said.

'Maybe you should wake up Harry, George.'

'Nah let the sleeping beauty have her rest.'

'I'm awake.' Harry mumbled stretching out.

'Oi watch it.' George scolded. 'You nearly hit me.'

That caused Harry to blink and take in her surroundings. She had been laying on George lap with a blanket covering her.

'Sorry Charming.'

'What?' George asked slightly confused.

'You know Prince Charming,' Harry explained but George gave her a blank look. Harry glanced at Ron as she sat up. Her friend was looking at her like she was weird.

'You called me Sleeping Beauty.' Harry said causing George to flush red.

'So ...' George choked out.

'You know the types of stories that involve a helpless Princess with a daring Prince.'

The boys shook their heads.

'You've never heard fairy tales?' Harry asked bemusedly.

'You mean Muggle fairy tales?' Ron confirmed. 'No never.'

'Oh well Sleeping Beauty is one of them,' Harry explained. 'and in it, the noble Prince Charming rescues his princess Sleeping Beauty and saves the day. George said that it was his idea to come rescue me so that makes him charming, Prince Charming. If I'm the princess Sleeping Beauty.'

George had turned a shade of red she never seen the boys flush before.

'We're just over the village,' Ron indicated out. Fred brought the car down lower.

A large rickety house came into view. It was several storeys high. The house was crooked and looked like extra rooms had been added to it.

'Welcome to the Burrow, Harry.'

'It feels good to be home.'

'It's-' Harry began but Ron cut across her.

'It's not much.'

'Boys.'

'It's held up by magic too.'

'Boys.'

'Place would fall apart without it.'

'BOYS.' Harry shouted at them.

'What?' they asked.

'It's lovely I really like your house. It's quirky,' she said and at the puzzled looks she received, she had obviously used a Muggle expression they had not heard before.

Fred shook his head, 'Touchdown!'

There was a slight bump as they hit the ground landing next to a tumbledown garage.

'Now here's the plan. We'll go upstairs quietly,' Fred said.

'We'll wait for mum to call us-'

Harry heard no more of their plan as they came around the front of the house, the boys went silent. Their eyes fixed on the woman wearing an apron who was marching across to them. Mrs Weasley for a short, plump, kind faced woman looked remarkably like a sabre-toothed tiger.

'Ah,' Fred said.

'Oh dear,' Said George.

Mrs Weasley came to a halt in front of them, her hands on her hips, staring from one guilty face to the next. Her sons were taller than her but they cowered as her rage broke out.

'Have you any idea how worried I've been?'

'Sorry, mum, but you see, we had to -'

 _'Had to? Beds empty! No note! Car gone ... could have crashed ...out of my mind with worry ... did you care? ... You could have died, you could have been seen ... you could have lost your father his job.'_

'But mum they lock-'

Harry gulped as Mrs Weasleys glare fixed upon the sight of her. Then her face softened.

'I'm very pleased to see you Harianna, you best come in. The boys,' Mrs Weasley turned to glare at her sons again. 'can bring your things in.'

Mrs Weasley led her into the house through to the kitchen. The kitchen was rather small and cramped. There was a scrubbed wooden table and chairs in the middle.

'I don't blame you, dear,' she assured Harry as she cluttered around. 'Sit down I'm about to make some breakfast.'

'Would you like some help, Mrs Weasley?'

Mrs Weasley stilled for a moment turning towards her. Her eyes were blinking at her.

'It's alright Harianna dear,' she said in a rather soft voice that Harry was reluctant to correct her. 'I'll manage.'

'Brilliant you've started cooking breakfast. I'm starving,' a voice said from behind her.

The glare that Mrs Weasley sent towards the doorway told Harry that boys were still in her bad books.


	23. Chapter 23

Harry thought breakfast would have been quiet what with her getting the boys in trouble. It wasn't Mrs Weasley gave her son's dirty looks though-out breakfast. Harry sank further into the chair trying to physically hide herself when the conversation had been gone back to the boys using the car.

'It was cloudy mum,' Fred protested

'Keep your mouth closed whilst you're eating!'

'They locked her in her room mum,' George said

'And you!'

The next moment there was a diversion in the form of a small, red-headed figure in a long nightdress who squealed disappearing out of the kitchen.

'Ginny,' Ron said. 'our sister. She's been talking about you all summer.'

'Yeah, she'll be wanting your autograph, Harry.'

'You don't know how weird it is for her to this shy, she never shuts up normally.'

'With you lot for brothers I'm not surprised,' Harry replied taking a bite out of a sausage.

'Hey what's that meant to mean?' Fred enquired.

'Yeah there's nothing wrong with us,' George said.

Harry swallowed. 'I didn't say that there was now did I. It's just you boys can be rather brash. You two are always off pulling some kind of prank. Ron puts his foot in his mouth when he's not thinking. The poor girl would have to be like it to be or she's wouldn't even get a word in.'

Harry heard Mrs Weasley chuckle and then green flames flared up fire place startling her. Harry watched wide eyed as a thin man who was going bald but the little hair he had was red as any of his children's.

'Dad,' the boys called out.

Mr Weasley mumbled a good morning to them. Grabbing the teapot sitting down at the end of the table, pulling a new paper out of the pocket of his robes.

'How was your night dad, find anything?' Fred said eagerly.

'Nine raids. All I found was a few shrinking door-keys and a biting kettle.'

'Dad works for the department of The Misuse of Muggle Artefacts.' Ron whispered in her ear.

'Why would anyone bother making door-keys shrink?' George asked.

'Muggle baiting, sell them a key that keeps shrinking to nothing so they can never find it ... nothing we can't sort out even with the things our lot have taken to enchanting -'

'LIKE CARS, FOR INSTANCE?'

'C-cars, Molly, dear?'

'Yes, Arthur, cars,' Mrs Weasley said. 'Imagine a wizard buying a rusty old car. Telling his wife that all he wanted to do was to see how it worked. While really, he was enchanting it to make it fly. Then imagine that his sons sneak out during the night to use said car.'

Mr Weasley blinked at his wife.

'Sorry dad but we wanted to see Harry.'

'Harry? Harry who?' He looked down at the table saw Harry and jumped. 'My word Harianna Potter, I'm very pleased to meet you. Ron's spoken so much about you.'

Harry glanced at Ron who mouthed "sorry" to her.

'Arthur, you are forgetting the fact that the boys flew the car to Harianna's and back last night.' Mrs Weasley shouted, 'What have you got to say about that?'

'Really? Did it go alright? ... What I meant to say, boys,' he said when Mrs Weasley glared at him. 'That was very wrong, boys - very wrong indeed.'

Mrs Weasley gave a disapproving sigh. 'Boys go and de-gnome the garden for me, whilst I talk with your father.'

'But mum,' chorused the boys.

'NOW!' she snapped at them, then turned to face Harry.

'Harianna dear I'll show you upstairs so you can have a sleep. You'll be sharing a room with our youngest Ginny I'm afraid.'

'That's OK, but I'm not all that tired. I fell asleep on the way here,' she could feel her face heat up. 'I'll help the boys out.'

'That's sweet of you but it's dull work,' Mrs Weasley said, 'Now let's see what Lockhart's got to say on the subject.'

'Mum we know how to de-gnome a garden.'

'I reckon mum fancies him, you should hear the way she talks about him.'

'I do not, don't be so ridiculous. If you think you know better, then what's written in his book then go do the job that's been asked of you.'

Harry followed the grumbling boys out to the garden.

'She's not all that mad really,' Fred said.

'We would be in a lot more trouble if she was,' George pointed out.

'Just disappointed in you,' Harry said. 'So why didn't you leave a note exactly after all you told me to leave one.'

'We thought we would get back in time, without being seen.'

'Yeah, besides I didn't want you to be in more trouble with the Muggles.'

'I'm always in trouble with the Muggles whether or not I leave a note wouldn't make a difference,' Harry shrugged. 'So how do you, de-gnome a garden?'

'Like this,' Ron said. He raised the gnome above his head and started to swing it in a great circle like a lasso. Upon seeing the expression of shock from Harry's face, Ron added. 'It doesn't hurt them - you've just to make them really dizzy so they can't find their way back to the gnomeholes.'

He let go of the gnome and it flew twenty feet into the air and landed with a thud in the field over the hedge.

'Pitiful,' Fred said. 'I bet I can mine beyond that stump.'

Harry learned very quickly not to feel guilty for the gnomes. The boys were egging each other one to see who could get one the furthest.

'Go on Harry, give it a try,' Fred said smirking at her. 'I bet you don't even get the gnome passed the hedge.'

Never one to back down from a challenge she grabbed the nearest gnome. When she let, it go it had landed the furthest away. Harry smiled smugly at Fred.

'Wow Harry that must have been at least fifty feet,' George said in awe.

Harry laughed. 'So, would anybody care to tell me why your mum is calling me by my full name? When you lot are using my preference.'

'That's George's fault,' Ron told her.

'Yeah, Georgie here wouldn't shut up telling mum all about what happened last year.'

'Mum wondered who the hell we were talking about. When we wrote home we always used your full name see.'

'Let me guess, for some reason when you explained to her. Your mum didn't believe you.'

'No and she hates us calling you Harry too.'

'Dad's heard us call you it once in front of them. Before it was banned.'

'Which is why he asked who Harry was? Explains a lot.'

'I'm sure mum will be fine with it if you tell her.'

'There is no way I'm telling your mum to call me Harry,' Harry shook her head at the boys in disbelief. 'She's scary.'

The boys laughed.

'Yeah, mum can come across like that.'

'She'll come around though, you wait.'


	24. Chapter 24

Life at the Burrow was very different to life with the Dursleys. Their house burst with the strange and unexpected. Small explosions from Fred and George's bedroom were considered perfectly normal. The oddest thing about staying with the Weasleys had been the fact everybody seemed to like her. Well, she wasn't sure about Ginny. Ron's sister was oddly quiet around her. Unlike her older brothers though her eyes were the same brown as her mothers. Harry had tried to talk to Ginny who mumbled small replies to her. She wasn't sure how to act or how she help Ginny come out of her shell. So, sharing a room with her had been awkward.

Mrs Weasley liked to fuss over her and tried to force her to eat a fourth helpings at every meal. Even with Mrs Weasley's lovely cooking, she would have never been able to manage it. Mr Weasley liked to have her sit next to him at the table so he could quiz on her the Muggle world. He had asked how the Muggle postal system worked and the other morning she had talked him through using a telephone. This morning he had asked her how a toaster exactly worked. Mr Weasley had given her such a blank look as she talked through it she had obviously confused him.

'Sorry, it can be a bit mind-boggling. I'll just tell you the basics. So, it runs off electricity. Which heats up the metal inside and that's what makes the bread toast.' Harry explained in the simplest terms.

'Fascinating how Muggles have found so many ways of getting along without magic,' He said to her. 'How does ecklecticity work?'

That question caused Harry to frown.

'Sorry Harry, dad's Muggle mad.' George piped up from beside her. He had taken his usual place of sitting next to her at meal times like he did at Hogwarts.

'Ha-re-an-ah,' Mrs Weasley pronounced her name out slowly scalding him. 'It's not that hard to say.'

'Harianna,' George corrected himself than looking towards his mother he said, 'Sorry, mum.'

Harry flushed but replied. 'It's, OK I don't mind, George, really I don't.'

'I'm Fred,' George told her.

'Nice try Charming, Fred's sitting next Ron,' Harry said. 'Don't try that one with me I haven't lost the ability to tell the difference.'

'We'll catch you out one day.'

'Yeah we are identical twins.'

'You two are not as identical as you think. So, I'd love to see you try.'

'They caught me out already,' Ron said. 'It makes a nice change knowing who is actually who at the first glance.'

'Harry look its Hedwig.' Fred called out then correcting himself before Mrs Weasley could. 'Harianna sorry.'

'Really?' Harry snapped her head up looking up at the window as Hedwig flew in. Her owl landed beside her nipping at her fingers.

'OK, OK. It's nice to see you too,' Harry said to her taking the letter away from her leg. 'I hope you've been behaving for Hermione. She's looked after you really well.'

 _Dear Harry (and Ron)  
_ _I hope that you're OK. I've been really worried so if you get this_ _could you send Hedwig back and let me know at once.  
Hopefully, everything went alright __and you are now at Ron's. I hope he didn't do anything illegal because that would get you into trouble too.  
_ _I'm busy finishing off our school work, which brings me to my next question.  
_ _Would you like to meet up with me in Diagon Alley and we can get our books together, once the list comes that is.  
_ _Let me know what's happening as soon as you can,  
_ _Love from Hermione._

'Here you go Ron,' Harry said handing the letter over. 'It's for you too.'

'She's been doing school work? It's the summer holiday,' Ron exclaimed.

'Are you saying that you haven't done yours?'

'I started it.'

'Ron I finished it three days ago.'

'What have you been reading then if you finished it?'

Harry blushed and ran a hand through her hair. Harry had found his older brother's books from previous years and starting reading them not that it had been what she was looking for. It was still interesting though. 'I've been trying to find out what I can about ancient magic.'

'Ancient magic? Why?'

'Professor Dumbledore mentioned that it might have been what saved me the night Vol- I lost my parents.' Harry said remembering that the Weasley's disliked hearing Voldemort's name.

'He thinks that?'

'Yeah, so I was looking for the theories he mentioned.'

'Oh, find anything?'

'No yet but I'm going to keep looking.'

Ever since Professor Dumbledore had told her about ancient magic she wanted to know everything on the subject. She just wanted to find an answer or at least a theory behind how she survived. It had been a combination of her mothers' love and the magic itself after all.

'What are you all up to today?' Mrs Weasley asked.

Ron, Fred, George, and Harry were planning to go up the hill to a small paddock the Weasleys owned. It was surrounded by trees that blocked the view of the village below, meaning they could practice Quidditch there, as long as they didn't fly too high. Harry, let the boys use her Nimbus Two Thousand which was easily the best broom. They were marching up the hill, broomsticks over their shoulders they even asked Percy if he wants to join. He told them he was too busy. The only time Harry had seen him really was at meals, he stayed shut up in his room the rest of the time.

'I wish I knew what he was up to,' Fred said frowning.

'He's been acting strange all summer,' George added.

'He received his OWLs results; twelve in total, not once has he gloated,' Ron said.

'Ordinary Wizarding Levels,' George explained seeing Harry's puzzled look. 'If we are not careful we'll have another Head Boy in the family. I don't think I could stand the shame.'

Harry had learned that Bill was the oldest brother. He worked for Gringotts as a curse breaker. She already knew that Charlie worked with dragons in Romania, thanks to their little friend Norbert.

'I don't know how mum and dad are going to afford all our school stuff this year,' George said.

'Five of us at Hogwarts this year. It's going to be a tall order,' Fred added.

'Second-hand robes it will be again. I had Charlie's last year and they were still too big for me,' Ron muttered.

'We had second-hand robes too, Ron.' the twins replied.

Harry felt guilty after all she hadn't had a problem with money due to her vault, she would happily give the Weasleys half of it but she doubted they would accept it. If only there was some other way she could help. She knew what it was like having clothes that were so run down or too big to fit her. She spent her time altering said clothes at the beginning of the summer - wait that was the answer.

'I could help, I altered all my clothes and they turned out OK. I could do the same with your school robes if you want? They would still be second hand but at least they would fit.'

'That would take a lot of mum's and dad's plate,' Fred said.

'You don't mind?' George said.

'Yeah mate. It's your summer too.'

'I don't mind honest. Give them to me tonight, along with measurements and I'll sort it,' Harry said adding with a warning. 'Just don't give me anything the night before we go back to school.'

'You're a life saver mate.'

'Yeah, Harry thanks.'

'Yes, Princess thank you.'

'Princess?' Harry asked, 'Why are you calling me that?'

'Well I can't go around calling you Sleeping Beauty, now can I? Besides it too long, Princess will have to do,' George replied.


	25. Chapter 25

The Hogwarts letters came a few days later. An owl had even turned up in the morning for Harry. But Mr Weasley told her that Professor Dumbledore didn't miss a trick. She tore open the yellow envelope reading the list. Seven books on her list were by Gilderoy Lockhart.

'You've been told to get all Lockhart's books too!' Fred said peering over to read her list. 'The new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher must be a fan.'

'This lot won't come cheap,' George said with a quick look towards his parents. 'Lockhart's books are really expensive ...'

'Well we'll manage,' Mrs Weasley said but she looked concerned. 'I expect that we'll be able to pick up a lot of Ginny's things second-hand.'

Harry sighed she had started to alter the robes for the boys so they wouldn't look so battered. There was nothing wrong with her robes. She could even still fit in them. Ginny and her were about the same size. Would Mrs Weasley take kindly to her offer or would she be insulted? How did you go about offering a hand, without insulting the family that had treated her so kindly?

'Are you looking forward to starting Hogwarts Ginny?' Harry asked her. Ginny nodded at her, blushing to the roots of her flaming hair. 'I've out grown most of my school things. You're a bit smaller than me so my old stuff should fit you. If you want it, it's no good to me. I'd only be throwing them away,' Harry shrugged. 'You'd be doing me a favour really. But that's if you want them.'

Ginny's eyes widen with surprise, turning towards her parents. She obviously didn't know what to say. Harry tried to act casual and not look in the direction of Mrs Weasley. She glanced towards Ron instead she hoped that she had done the right thing. Then a very soft voice replied.

'If you wouldn't mind dear, that would be lovely. Are you sure you won't need them?'

Harry didn't look up towards Mrs Weasley she opted for nodding instead.

'Well, we can't give you nothing for them. What do would like in return.'

'Chocolate Frogs,' Harry said meeting the eyes her best friends' parents for the first time that morning.

George, Ron and Fred and burst into fits of laughter.

'What? They asked what I wanted and I would like Chocolate Frogs.'

'Harianna that's not what we meant,' Mr Weasley explained.

'I know what you meant Mr Weasley and my price is Chocolate Frogs.'

'Dad just give the girl Chocolate Frogs and be done with it.' Fred said. 'She's not going to take anything else from you.'

'Besides Princess here has a real fondness for wizarding sweets. You should see what she's like at Hogwarts.'

'Yeah Hermione and her have them piled up between them while we're doing school work,' Ron said.

'More like Hermione and Harry sit there helping you with your homework.' George corrected.

'While you pig out on the sweets,' Harry added.

'You said I could help myself,' Ron protested.

'Yeah but not to all of them,' Harry bantered.

After breakfast, Harry sent off Hedwig with a letter for Hermione asking her when she wanted to meet up in Diagon Alley. Then she glanced towards Ron then towards the stairs hoping he'd get the hint. She received a nod in return and lead the way upstairs. Ron's room was at the very top of the house and there was a ghoul in the attic above his room. It had the room spent most of their time in if it rained. Ron still had to yet finish his homework so it had been an easy excuse to use. She entered the messy orange room sitting down on the edge of his bed. Fred and George entered a few moments later leaving the door open so they could see if anyone was coming.

'Thanks for that Harry. Offering your old robes. I've never seen mum at a loss for words before.'

'You do know that you're already doing enough as it is.'

'I just wanted to help besides I do need new robes. I'll have to sort out the nicer things for Ginny.'

'How is it coming along?' Fred asked indicating to the pile of clothes beside her.

'I managed to alter three, I'm halfway with a fourth.' Harry replied. 'So slowly. I'll get it done though. I swear if any of you ruins my hard work, I'll have your heads.'

'Wouldn't dream of it, Princess.'

The following Wednesday morning Harry yawned tiredly. It was two days before returning to Hogwarts and with going to Diagon Alley today for their school things. Along with the fact she needed to pack she knew that she wouldn't have the time to finish the alteration the boys needed for their robes. So she had stayed up all night adjusting the robes finishing them just before Mrs Weasley called them down to breakfast. She waited on the stairs to catch the boys on their way down thrusting robes into their hands.

Mrs Weasley had given them bacon sandwiches for breakfast that morning which she made such they had plenty each, they pulled on their coats. Mrs Weasley took a flowerpot off the kitchen mantelpiece.

'We'll have to get some more Arthur, we're running low. Right, guest first! After you Harianna.'

The flowerpot was offered to her, Harry glanced around they were all watching her. 'Umm what am I supposed to do?' she rambled.

'You haven't traveled by Floo powder before?' Mrs Weasley asked. Harry shook her head. 'Of course, you haven't silly me.'

'She'll be alright mum. Harr-ianna is quick to pick up on things,' Fred said. 'Watch us first. It's easy.'

He took a pinch of glittering powder out of the pot, stepped up to the fire throwing the powder into the flames. The fire turned an emerald green with a roar than Fred stepped into it shouted 'Diagon Alley' and vanished.

'You've got to speak clearly, there's a lot of wizarding fires to choose from,' George said doing the same thing as his brother. 'See you on the other side Princess. Diagon Alley.'

Mr Weasley went through next.

'Here you go Harianna, you next.'

'Don't fidget, keep your elbows tucked in.' Ron advised. 'And your eyes shut the soot-'

'Don't panic and get out too early, wait until you see Fred and George,' Mrs Weasley added.

Harry took a pinch of the powder throwing it into the fire. 'Diagonally,' she yawned disappearing into the flames.


	26. Chapter 26

Harry shot out of a dusty fireplace. She was dizzy, bruised, covered in soot and choking from the amount of soot she had breathed in. She got to her feet stumbling slightly. She was quite alone, but she was, she had no idea. Harry could tell that she was standing in a wizards' shop. It was large and dimly lit- but nothing in here was ever likely to be on a Hogwarts school list. The sooner she got out of this shop the better. Harry had just seen a glass case that held a withered hand on a cushion, a blood-stained pack of cards and a staring glass eye. evil looking masks leered down from the walls, an assortment of human bones lay upon the counter and rusty, spiked instruments hung from the ceiling.

Harry made her way towards the door, but before she had got halfway towards it, two people appeared on the other side of the glass. One of them was the last person Harry wanted to meet when she was lost and covered in soot. Draco Malfoy the Slytherin boy who was in the same year as her and had tried to get her into trouble last year. The bell clanged and a second later Malfoy stepped into the shop. Harry ducked hiding herself in between two cabinets. The man with him could only be his father, he had the same pale face, pointed face and identical cold grey eyes.

'Touch nothing Draco,' Mr Malfoy told his son.

'I thought you said you were going to buy me a present,' Malfoy moaned.

'I said I would buy you a racing broom.'

'What's the good of that if I'm not on the house team?' Malfoy replied in a sulk. 'Harianna Potter got a Nimbus Two thousand last year. Special permission from Dumbledore so she could play for Gryffindor. She's not even that good. It's just because she's famous ... famous for having a stupid scar on her head.'

'You've told me this about a dozen times already - ah Mr Borgin.'

'Mr Malfoy what a pleasure it is to see you again and young Master Malfoy too.'

Harry slipped out while the Malfoys were distracted by the man behind the counter. Opening the shop door, a jar so the bell wouldn't ring. She looked around she had emerged into a dungy alleyway that seemed to be made up entirely of shops devoted to the Dark Arts. The one she had just left, Borgin and Burkes looked like the largest. Harry set off in the hopes of finding a way out of this place. A wooden sign hanging over a shop told her she was in Knockturn Alley. Harry had never heard of such a place. Why did she stay up all night again, it was her own fault though she had yawned while speaking, which meant she hadn't said her destination clearly enough.

'HARRY! What do you think you are doing down there?'

Harry's heart leapt she recognised that booming voice. 'Hagrid!' Harry called back in relief. 'I got lost ... Floo Powder.'

'Let's get you out of here then shall we. It's a good thing I was looking for Flesh- Eating Slug Repellent,' Hagrid growled. 'You're not on your own?'

'No, I'm staying with the Weasleys but I got separated,' Harry explained.

They set off together down the street. Harry spoke about her summer explaining all about Dobby's visit before Hagrid got to ask why she hadn't replied to any of her letters. She had figured like with Ron, Fred, George and Hermione that he had sent letters to her.

'HARRY!' came a shout.

Harry looked up and saw Hermione standing at the top of the white flight of steps to Gringotts. Her friend was running down the steps to meet them, her bushy hair flying behind her. Whereas her own hair was still the short-bobbed length that met her chin, her friend was much longer falling past the length of her shoulders.

'Hello, Hagrid ... oh, it's good to see you both again?' Hermione said then a frown appeared on her face. 'Why are you covered in soot?'

'Floo Powder I came out in an unused fire place.'

'Are you coming into Gringotts?'

'As soon as I find the Weasleys.'

'You won't have long to wait,' Hagrid grinned.

Ron, Fred, George, Percy and Mr Weasley came sprinting up the crowded street.

'Harry, are you alright?' George rushed out in a worried tone.

'I'm OK. Just came out through the wrong fire place.'

'Look at the state of you mate. You're covered with soot,' Ron panted.

'Cheers Ron just what I wanted to hear. I'm aware of that fact.'

Mr Weasley who had also been trying to catch his breath, flicked his wand towards her direction making Harry jump. The soot vanished off of her. 'Sorry I didn't mean to frighten you.'

'It's OK, I'm just not used to magic being just thrown towards me. Thank you for clearing the soot.'

'You're welcome. Molly's on her way I can see her coming down the street now. She's been frantic we'd hoped you'd only gone one grate too far.'

'Where did you come out?' Ron asked.

'Knockturn Alley,' Harry said grimly.

'Brilliant!' Fred and George said together.

'We've never been allowed in.'

'I should ruddy well think not,' growled Hagrid. 'We'll I gotta be off. See you at Hogwarts.' And he strode away.

'Oh, Harianna - oh dear- you could have been anywhere.'

'I'm OK Mrs Weasley, Hagrid found me and thanks to Mr Weasley I'm no longer covered in soot.'

Mrs Weasley looked her over never the less once she was satisfied no harm had come to her she nodded. 'Well, we best get on with it then. Lots of shopping to do.'

They made their way through into the bank, where by a counter Mr and Mrs Granger stood nervously waiting for their daughter to introduce them. Mr Weasley was in his element shaking their hands rather enthusiastically. Hermione saved Ron and her introductions last.

'This is my friend Ron,' Hermione gestured then turning towards Harry. 'And this is my friend Harianna who's owl I've been looking after.'

The Grangers smiled down at her, shaking her hand.

'Nice to meet you. Thank you so much for letting Hedwig stay with you. I hope she hasn't been too much of a bother.'

'No-no not at all,' Mrs Granger replied frowning slightly. 'Ha- Hari, I'm sorry, I still haven't grasped pronouncing your given name.'

'Call me Harry, I prefer it anyway.'

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Mrs Weasley blush while awkwardly looking at her sons.

'We'll meet you back here,' Ron said to Hermione as the Weasleys and Harry were being led towards their underground vaults. Hermione nodded going to queue up with her parents to exchange Muggle money.


	27. Chapter 27

Back outside on the marble steps, they all separated. Fred and George had spotted their friend Lee Jordan. Percy and muttered something about needing a new quill. Mr Weasley had insisted taking the Grangers for a drink. Mrs Weasley and Ginny were off to find her a second-hand cauldron. Thanks to Harry giving Ginny her old, school robes.

'We'll meet you at Flourish and Blotts in an hour to buy your school books.' Mrs Weasley said setting off with Ginny.

Harry, Ron and Hermione strolled off along with winding cobbled street. While Ron was gazing longingly at a full set of the Chudley Canon robes in the window of 'Quality Quidditch Supplies'. Harry slipped into Madam Malkin's to get some new robes. She had learnt during her stay at the Burrow that the Chudley Canons were Ron's Quidditch team, which was why his bedroom was orange. Hermione dragged him away once Harry had finished buying ink and parchment next door. In the Gambol and Japes Wizarding Joke Shop, they had bumped into Fred, George and Lee Jordan.

An hour later, they headed for Flourish and Blotts. They were by no means the only ones making their way to the bookshop. The reason was proclaimed by a large banner stretched across the upper windows.

 _GILDEROY LOCKHART  
_ _will be signing copies of his autobiography  
_ MAGICAL ME  
 _today 12.30-4.30 pm._

Most of the crowd appeared to be made up of witches around Mrs Weasley's age. Harry, Ron and Hermione squeezed inside. A long queue wound right to the back of the shop. They grabbed the books they needed sneaking in line to where the rest of the Weasleys were standing with Mr and Mrs Granger.

Gilderoy Lockhart came slowly into view. He was wearing robes of forget-me-not blue which matched his eyes exactly. A short man was dancing around taking photographs with a large black camera that emitted puffs of purple smoke. He had snarled at Ron while he moved back to get a better shot.

'Out of the way there, this is for the Daily Prophet.'

'Big deal,' Ron replied rubbing his foot where it had been stepped on.

Gilderoy Lockhart heard him. He looked up. He saw Ron then he saw Harry. She had been rubbing her head due to an irritating itch. He leapt towards her. 'It can't be Harianna Potter?'

She had obviously revealed her scar due to the itch. The crowd parted around them whispering excitedly. Harry felt irritated by more than just her itch. Lockhart took her hand kissing the top of her knuckles.

'Such a nice pleasure, it is,' Lockhart said through his gleaming teeth. 'after all, it's not every day you to get to meet me.'

Harry's faced burned, as there was a flash of light from the camera. Lockhart let go of her hand after what felt like an entirety. She tried to step back towards the Weasleys so she could hide amongst them. Lockhart had been flashing his smile in the direction of the crowd around them.

'Ladies and gentlemen,' he spoke to the crowd. 'What an extraordinary moment this is! The perfect moment for me to make a little announcement I've been sitting on for some time!'

The crowd was silent listening to every word he said. It was like he had captivated them.

'When young Harianna here stepped into Flourish and Blotts today, she only wanted to buy my autobiography.'

He actually thought that, she hadn't even pick the book up. She had just picked up her school books.

'Which I shall be happy to present her now, free of charge-' the crowd applauded, Lockhart continued.

'Along with the books needed this year at Hogwarts written by me,' Lockhart paused for a moment. 'She no idea that shortly she would be getting so much more than a few books. She and her school fellows will, in fact, be getting the real, magical me. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I have great pleasure and pride in announcing that, this September, I will be taking up the post of Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.'

The crowd cheered, the blinding flash of the camera went off more times while Harry was being gifted with the entire works of Gilderoy Lockhart. Harry managed to stagger out of the limelight to the edge of the room, where Ginny was standing next to her cauldron.

' _Charming_!' Harry muttered placing the books into Ginny's cauldron. 'Here you go, Ginny, you have these. I'll buy my own.'

George who was standing beside Ginny was actually glaring in Lockhart's direction with such concentration on his face Harry wondered what Lockhart had done to upset him.

'Harry that was rather nice of Mr Lockhart to do,' Hermione scolded. Which caused Harry to blink at her friend, could she not see what the guy had been doing.

'Hermione, it would have been nice if he actually meant it. What Mr I think I'm so fascinating just did was pull a publicity stunt,' Harry said. 'Did you not hear what he was saying?'

Harry grabbed Hermione's hand pretending to kiss it, saying in the snobbiest voice she could. '" _Such a nice pleasure, after all, it isn't every day you get to meet me_."' Harry smirked at her for effect.

' _Charming_ indeed,' Harry said frustratingly.

George who was still beside them heard her replied. 'You called Princess.'

'Princess?' Hermione gave her a puzzling look.

'It's a long story,' Harry explained. 'Sorry Charming I wasn't actually calling you.'

Hermione looked between the two of them and sent Harry a look which she knew to mean as the 'you will explain this later to me' look.

'Bet you loved that, didn't you Potter?' A voice Harry also had no trouble recognising. Standing behind her was Draco Malfoy. 'Famous Harianna Potter. Can't even go into a book shop without making the front page.'

'Leave her alone, she didn't want all that!' Ginny said. It had been the very first thing she had said in front of Harry.

'Got yourself a body guard as well Potter,' Malfoy said Ginny turned scarlet. 'I suppose your family does need a way to pay for all of this. Your parents would go hungry for a month to pay for that lot otherwise.'

Ron went as red as Ginny. He dropped his books into the cauldron and started towards Malfoy. Hermione grabbed his jacket. George had also flushed red but Harry laid a hand on his arm. This was Malfoy was after trying to get them into trouble.

'What are you doing? It's mad in here, lets' go outside,' Mr Weasley said.

'Well, well, well - Arthur Weasley.'

It was Mr Malfoy. He had come over placing a hand on Draco's shoulder sneering in just the same way.

'Lucius,' Mr Weasley said just as coldly.

'Busy time at the Ministry I hear, all those raids ... I do hope they're paying you overtime?' said Mr Malfoy.

He reached into Ginny's cauldron and extracted very old, battered copies of books.

'Obviously not,' he said, 'Dear me, what's the use of being a disgrace to the name of a wizard if they don't even pay you well for it?'

Mr Wealsey flushed darker than his children.

'We have very different ideas of what disgraces the of a wizard, Malfoy,' Mr Weasley replied.

'Clearly,' said Mr Malfoy his pale eyes straying towards Mr and Mrs Granger. Mr Malfoy dropped the books back into the cauldron. 'Take your books, it's the best your father can give you.'

'Come Draco,' Mr Malfoy said steering Draco out of the shop.

Harry glanced towards the Weasleys and the direction the Malfoys had just headed off in. She couldn't help but wonder what that was all about. She shook her head and went to pay for her own set of books, Hermione joining her in the queue.

'So, care to explain why George is answering to charming and is calling you princess?'

So, Harry dived into telling Hermione of what had happened earlier in the summer.


	28. Chapter 28

Harry concluded as she stumbled out of the Floo that it definitely wasn't her favourite way to travel. George caught her saving her from falling over completely.

'At least you made it to the right fire place this time,' he teased her with a grin.

'Not funny George. Not funny,' Harry replied.

'Right best put your things away Hogwarts in two days. I don't want any last-minute packing,' Mrs Weasley told them after she came through.

'Yes, mum.'

Harry followed the boys towards the stairs. Then she froze as Mrs Weasley spoke to her.

'Oh, Harry before you go dear. I've got the Chocolate Frogs you wanted.'

Harry was sure she had been staring at Mrs Weasley as she spoke to her. It was the first-time Mrs Weasley had called her by her preference. Mrs Weasley just gave her a small smile holding out a couple of boxes for her to take. In all honesty, she hoped that they had forgotten about that.

'Thank you, Mr and Mrs Weasley,' Harry murmured.

'Well, what are you all waiting for. You know where your bedrooms are. Hopefully, you'll be finished by dinner,' Mrs Weasley directed towards them all. 'Don't forget Scabbers this year Ron.'

'I won't,' Ron shouted back as he led the way up the stairs.

'Scabbers?' Harry asked.

'Percy's old rat. Was passed down to me last year. I haven't shown you him?' Ron asked.

'No, you haven't but I'm good. Leave the rat where it is.'

'What's the matter Harry scared of a little rodent?' Fred teased.

'No, it's just growing up with Muggles you view creatures in a certain way. Rats in the Muggle world are known as vermin. Unclean and known to carry disease. So, I'm not overly fond of them.'

'Oh,' Ron replied. 'It's a good thing I haven't shown you him then. I wouldn't want to have shocked you. Talking of shock, you sure looked like it when mum called you Harry.'

'Can you blame me she's been calling me Harianna all summer until now.'

'Told you she would come around,' George said.

'I was so tempted to shout Harianna to correct mum though,' said Fred.

Harry laughed.

'So, what was with your dad and Mr Malfoy earlier?'

'There's a big feud between our families,' Fred explained.

'Malfoy thinks that because we're not rich like some pure-blooded families. We are a disgrace to the name.'

'That's ridiculous,' Harry said. 'I don't care what Malfoy think this is the best wizarding family ever.'

The boys flushed red.

'Yeah, well dad told us all sorts. Said that Mr Malfoy was a big supporter of You Know Who,' George said.

'And when You Know Who disappeared, Malfoy came back saying he'd never meant any of it. Load of dung - dad reckons he was right in You Know Who's inner circle.'

Harry had heard rumours about the Malfoy family before.

'So, that's why Mr Malfoy was eyeing Hermione's parents that way.' Harry said remembering how his eyes had glanced over towards them. The boys raised their eyebrows at her.

'Hagrid told me last year, that You Know Who wasn't fond of Muggles or those born from Muggle families. Came to think of it Malfoy said something along those lines when he introduced himself to me after a potions class.'

'He did?' Ron asked.

'Yeah said that I need not lower myself by hanging around Muggle-born's. I just thought he was being a snob at the time. Told him that he wasted his time and that missed the memo because I had been raised by Muggles. So, I said that made me as low as one as Muggle-born if he thought they were beneath him.' Harry recalled.

'Wish I'd been there to have seen that,' Ron said.

'Putting Malfoy in his place, it would have been nice to have seen,' George grinned.

'Your dad did that too,' Harry pointed out.

'Yeah but still that was dad putting older Malfoy in his place. You put younger Malfoy in his,' George indicated.

'I could imagine dad actually hitting him earlier. Thought he was going to as well,' Fred said.

'That would have been a fine example he would have set you ... brawling in public.' Harry said rolling her eyes walking into Ginny's room, to pack her trunk. The summer holidays had gone too quickly as much as she looked forward to going back to Hogwarts she was going to miss the Burrow. It had been very difficult not to feel jealous of what the boys had here in compassion to her own life with the Muggles. Harry wouldn't dwell on it though it was no good dwelling on the impossible it did make her wonder what type of response she would get when she returned to the Dursleys.

They had sat in the small sitting room that evening with the exception of Percy. Mrs Weasley sitting down in the corner in her arm chair knitting. Mr Weasley took the other arm chair reading the paper. Ron was sitting on a small two seated chair, leaning on the table trying to finish his homework. Ginny had taken the seat beside him reading through her potions book. Harry had pointed out to read ahead in potions so she wasn't caught out by Professor Snape when she had they had been packing. Which left George, Fred and herself on the floor. Fred and George were sitting with their legs stretched out playing exploding snap. Harry was next to George she had a cushion under back laying down with her knees bent towards her. Her head leaning against George's leg. Her reading glasses were out as she once again glanced through yet another one of the books that had once belonged to the elder Weasley sons.


	29. Chapter 29

The morning of September first was not quiet. Mrs Weasley was dashing around trying to find spare quills and socks. So she had been in a bad mood. Mr Weasley nearly broke his neck tripping over a stray chicken as he crossed the yard carrying Ginny's trunk. Then George was close behind his father carrying Harry's trunk. People kept colliding on the stairs as they rummaged around for their last belongings. Harry wondered how they had managed to get six trunks, an owl and a rat with eight people were going to fit all in one small car. But she climbed into the middle of the car, Ron sitting one side and George the other the answer had come to her. As soon as Percy and Fred climbed into the car the seats magical expanded. Harry grinned no doubt the boot had the same enchantments placed upon it. Ginny slid into the front seat with her mother.

Somehow, they had gone back three times after they had set off. George had forgotten something the first time. Fred was next running inside to retrieve his broomstick. Ginny had shrieked on the motorway due to forgetting her diary. So they were running very late reaching Kings cross at quarter to eleven. Mr Weasley had dashed to get trolleys while Fred and George pulled out the trunks from the boot. By the time they reached the barrier they had five minutes to make the train.

'Percy first. Quickly now,' Mrs Weasley said. Mr Weasley followed through afterwards.

'Boys you next. I'll go through with Ginny and you two follow us.'

'Together,' Ron said. 'We've only got a few minutes.'

They ran up to the barrier banging into it with a loud crash. Ron's trunk fell off with a loud thump. Harry had been knocked off her feet. People that been close by staring at them and a guard yelled. 'What in the blazes do you think you're doing?'

'Lost control of the trolley,' Harry shouted back gasping.

'Why can't we get through. We're going to miss the train,' Ron said. 'I don't understand why the gateways sealed itself.'

Ron pressed an ear to the cold barrier. 'I can't hear a thing. Maybe we should wait in the car. Harry that's it we take the car.'

'Fly the car to Hogwarts are you crazy. We'd be seen Ron even with the invisibility booster. Your dad will be in so much trouble.'

'What if they can't make it back through Harry? What do we do?'

Harry glanced at the clock, they didn't have long if they were going to make it.

'Listen to me, there is a possibility we can get the barrier to open again,' Harry rushed out.

'How?'

Harry glared at him. 'I was reading up on ancient magic remember and found nothing. However, in one of your brothers book Ancient Runes I read. It explained that magic was actually all around us that we as magical folk just had the ability to focus it.'

'Right, that helps us how?'

'I'm getting there. It said that some magic responds to other magic as long as the magic was stable enough, Well the platform has been around for years the magic would be stable enough for us to try. You see if we focus on the magical energy that is the barrier, in theory, we'll be able to open it up again as long as we focus on getting onto the platform.'

'Harry, we are not meant to use magic outside of school.'

'We can in emergency situations. I read out about it. But this time we wouldn't actually be doing any magic just making the magic that already existed - well, let us through like it's meant to.'

'So how do we do this then?'

'Place your hand on where the barrier is concentrated, so where we would run through. Just think of getting onto the platform.'

Ron copied Harry placing his hand onto the stone wall. She closed her eyes focusing on getting onto the platform.

'Harry I feel like a right prat,' Ron muttered.

'As long as you keep concentrating on the platform it will work. Our desire to get onto the platform will out rule the magic that shut the barrier off.'

'Harry it's working look-'

A swirl of what looked like a dark hole appeared them until it was big enough for them to go through.

'Grab your trunk Ron It won't last long.'

Pulling her own trunk through with both hands she stepped through the barrier. Ron following behind with Scabbers cage secured to the trunk.

They weren't on the platform, however. They were standing in the middle of a large forest.

'Harry I hate to tell you this but I don't think that this is the platform.'

'State the obvious Ron. What were you focusing on?'

'Getting to Hogwarts.'

'I said the platform, Ron. We could be anywhere,' Harry shook her head.

'Sorry.'

Harry looked through the tall trees and in the distance, she could make out flags on the tops of the towers.

'I think I can make out the castle towers. So, we must be in the Forbidden Forest. At least we didn't come out too far away.'

'Brilliant I thought being in the forest once was enough now we have wondered through it dragging our school things,' Ron huffed.

Harry flicked her wand towards the trunks making them float. 'Well we are sort of on school premises,' Harry shrugged.

'No complaints here mate,' Ron said.

'Let's get out of here before it gets dark. It will take us hours to get through to the school we're miles away.'

'Right,' Ron said heading off in the wrong direction.

'Ron,' Harry called out to him, indicating to the West of them. 'Hogwarts is this way.'

Even in the daytime, the forest had a creepy darkness about it. They chose to stick to the areas of the forest that had more light shining through the dense forest trees. They were tired, hungry and thirsty as darkness fell. Harry felt so sore as they walked out of the forest.

'Made it.' Harry puffed as they walked up the steep hill. A tree by itself at the top. The castle of Hogwarts not that much further in the distance. When they reached the top of the hill Ron was bending over beside the tree. His hands were on his knees and he was trying to catch his breath.

'Glad we haven't got far to go. I'm starving.'

Harry smiled at him slightly her faces quickly turning to shock. The tree they were standing nearby moved its branches. The branches were heading straight for them. Harry ducked tripping over rolling over on the ground. The branch of the tree landed with a thump. Grabbing for her wand she raised it towards the tree.

' _Immobilious!'_

The tree froze in its rampage.

'RON, RON,' Harry shouted looking around for him. She spotted him appearing out from under a branch nearby. 'You alright?'

'I'm fine.' Ron said holding up his own wand which had been snapped almost in two. 'Wish I could say the same about my wand though.'

'The tree didn't hit our trunks, at least.'

'Just think, we made it through a forest known to hold dark creatures without a problem yet we almost get killed by a moving tree,' Ron said as they moved away from the tree. 'That was quick thinking Harry, it's a good thing you read ahead or we would be goners.'

'Yes, you would have indeed,' A voice said in the short distance. Professor Snape was standing in front of them looking at them with a scowl on his face. 'I believe the two of you have some explaining to do in the Headmaster's office.'


	30. Chapter 30

Professor Dumbledore had actually been understanding with their explanation. Harry may have left out the fact that they had reopened the magical barrier that separated the platform of nine and three-quarters to the Muggle world. She did tell him they had trouble getting through. His eyes had pierced into hers while she explained the situation and that they had landed up in the forest. Harry felt like he knew that she was bending the truth a little. He had raised his eyebrows out of interest as she spoke. Once she concluded he had just told them.

'Magic can work in the impossible ways imaginable. In the need to get to the platform due to the rush you had been in. The barrier leads you to the castle grounds itself. Curious that. Of course with no magical way to be transported to Hogwarts itself it brought you out into the nearest place, the forest. I would not try repeating that experience, however seeing there has been no harm done. You are safe and you are here that is what matters most. Mrs Weasley will be most pleased to hear that, she has been quite worried.'

George had been waiting for them in the Gryffindor, pacing the length of the fire place only stopping once he had seen a sight of them.

'You had me so worried Princess,' George said hugging her tightly.

'Sorry, the barrier brought us out into the forest. Dumbledore reckons it was because we were so worried about making it to school.'

Hermione hugged her next just as tightly as George had. Letting Harry know she was glad that she was safe and that her owl Hedwig would be in owlery. Which she had been grateful to hear. Ron was telling his brothers all about the crazy tree that had tried to kill them. They learned that the tree was known as the Whomping Willow, the name suited it.

It was the next morning, however, that Errol the Weasleys family owl flew into the Great Hall crashing on a tray of bacon before correcting itself making its way to Ron. A red envelope attached to his leg.

'Oh no,' Ron gasped.

'Is he alright?' Hermione asked.

'It's not that Hermione,' Ron shook his head. 'It's that,' Ron pointed to the red envelope.

Ron was looking at it as though he was expecting it to explode.

'What's the matter?' Harry asked.

'She's - mum's sent me a Howler,' Ron said faintly.

'What's a Howler?'

The letter had begun to smoke from the corners Ron attention was fixed upon it.

'Open it,' George urged sliding into the seat next to Harry. 'It will all be over in a few minutes.'

With his hands shaking Ron opened the envelope, Mrs Weasley's voice ringing from it.

 _Ronald Bilius Weasley_

 _Wait until I get hold of you, young man. You had us both so worried. We didn't know where you were or what had happened to you. Then a letter came last night from Professor Dumbledore explaining how the barrier caused you and Harry problems. You should have just waited for your father and I to come back through the barrier. Instead of trying to fix it yourselves. But no you just have to use magic to transport yourselves to the school. You could have died in that forest. You could have landed up anywhere. You are in so much trouble, we raised you to use your head. You should know better. You best not put another toe out of line or we'll bring you straight back home._

A ringing silence fell, the red envelope which had dropped from Ron's hand, burst into flames and curled into ashes. Harry and Ron sat there stunned, a few people on the surrounding tables laughed until a gradual babble of talk broke out again.

Harry looked at her pale faced friend. 'I'm so sorry I got you into so much trouble. It was my idea to magically open the barrier.'

...

They were in greenhouse three for Herbology that morning with the Hufflepuff's. There had been a mummer of interest they had only worked in Greenhouse One before - Green house three held far more dangerous plants. As they slid into the greenhouse Harry caught a whiff of damp earth and fertiliser, mingling with the heavy perfume of some giant, umbrella-sized flowers dangling from the ceiling. About two pairs of different-coloured earmuff were lying on the bench. Harry took a place between Ron and Hermione.

'We'll be re-potting Mandrakes today. Now, who can tell me the properties of the Mandrake?' Professor Sprout asked.

To no one's surprise, Hermione's hand was first in the air.

'Mandrake, or Mandragora, is a powerful restorative,' Hermione answered. 'It is used to return people who have been transfigured or cursed, to their original state.'

'Excellent. Ten points to Gryffindor,' said Professor Sprout. 'The Mandrakes forms an essential part of most antidotes. It also, however, dangerous. Who can tell me why?'

Harry shot her hand up slightly before Hermione.

'The cry of the Mandrake is fatal to anyone who hears it.'

'Precisely. Another ten points to Gryffindor. Now the Mandrakes we have here are still very young. Everyone take a pair of earmuffs,' Professor Sprout said. 'When I tell you to put them on, make sure your ears are completely covered. When it is safe to remove them, I will give you a thumbs up.'

Professor Sprout grasped one of the tufty plants firmly and pulled hard. Instead of roots, a small muddy and extremely ugly baby popped out of the earth. The leaves were growing right out of its head. It was pale green, mottled skin and clearly bawling at the top of its' lungs. She took a large plant pot from under the table and plunged the Mandrake into it, burying him in dark, damp compost until only the tufted leaves were visible. Professor Sprout gave them all the thumbs up, removing her own earmuffs.

'Our Mandrakes are only seedlings; their cries won't kill you yet. However, they will knock you out for several hours. Now four to a tray- there is a large supply of pots here - compost in the sacks over there. I'll tell you when it's time to pack up.'

Harry Ron and Hermione were joined by a curly- haired Hufflepuff boy Harry knew by sigh but had never spoken to.

'Justin Finch-Fletchley,' he introduced himself brightly, shaking Harry by the hand. 'Know who you are of course Harianna ... and you're Hermione Granger -always top in everything ... and Ron Weasley.'

'Is it true that the barrier lead you both into the forest instead of the platform?'

Harry blinked at him turning towards Ron who was frowning in Justin's direction. The Howler had obviously sprung to his mind. They didn't much chance to talk, their earmuffs were back on and they needed to concentrate on the Mandrakes.


	31. Chapter 31

The rest of the morning had gone quickly. They had Transfigurations with Professor McGonagall. They were supposed to have been turning a beetle into a button. Ron was having problems, he had patched up his wand with some borrowed Spellotape, but it seemed to be damaged beyond repair. It kept crackling and sparking at odd moments. When the lunch bell rang and everyone had filed out Ron was whacking his wand furiously against the desk.

'Useless ... stupid ... thing.'

The wand let off a volley of bangs like a fire cracker.

'Why don't you write home and ask for another one,' Harry suggested.

'And get another Howler back? Mum will only tell me it was my own fault for snapping it in the first place.'

'They wouldn't have the money for another. I got Charlie's old wand as it was.'

'What have we got after lunch?' Harry asked changing the subject.

'Defence Against the Dark Arts.'

'Great, just great. Today could not get worse,' Harry said as they made their way into the Great Hall.

There was a flash of light that blinded her as she sat down at the Gryffindor table. A small mousey- haired boy had been the cause. He was staring at Harry transfixed. His hands clutching what looked like an ordinary Muggle camera. He turned bright red when Harry sent him an irritated questioning look.

'Hi - I'm Colin Creevey,' he said breathlessly. 'I'm in Gryffindor too. You don't mind do you Har-Hari-anne?'

'It's pronounced Ha-re-an-ah.' George said frustratingly his hands clenching in front of him.

Harry glanced towards him sending him a "really" look. She was used to people pronouncing her name incorrectly in the Muggle world.

'Muggle-born?' Harry asked Colin to confirm her theory.

'Yeah, dad's a milkman he couldn't believe it when I got my letter. I never knew all the odd stuff I could do was magic.'

'So, you took a picture of me because ...?'

'So, I can prove I've met you. I know all about you. Everyone's told me. About how you survived when You Know Who tried to kill you and how he disappeared and everything and how you've still got a lightning scar on your forehead,' his eyes raked Harry's fringe that usually hid her scar. 'A boy told me in my dormitory if I develop the film in the right potion, the pictures will move. So I'm taken loads of pictures to send home to my dad. I had to take one of you,' he said. 'Maybe your friend could take it and I could be standing next to you? And then could you sign it?'

Harry rubbed her hands against her forehead, she wasn't quite sure she had caught all that Colin had said. She got the gist of it though. George was sniggering beside her, she shot him a glare. She was about to answer Colin Lockhart was striding towards the Gryffindor table from the teachers' table.

'Well what's all this?' he said standing behind Harry. 'Who's giving out signed photos?'

Harry held her hands to her face shaking her head of all the people she wanted to hear that it was not her ever so irritating Professor.

'I asked Harianne-'

'Harianna,' George interjected causing Harry to groan. She wished they would just shut up.

'Shouldn't have asked!' he said. 'Come on then Mr Creevey how about a double portrait, can't say fairer than that, and we'll both sign it for you.'

Harry looked up pulling her face from her hands, as Colin fumbled for his camera and took a picture. The bell rang signalling for the start of the afternoon classes. Lockhart walked gracefully towards the Great Hall doors.

'Was my scar showing?' Harry asked as they made their way to Defence Against the Dark Arts. George came along with them as he had a class in the same direction.

'No,' George said. 'You were just pointed out by a fellow student.'

'Who?'

George shrugged. 'He's been annoying everyone with that camera of his. Taking pictures of everything - also can't even say your name correctly.'

'Oh, I'm used to that. Why do you think I go by Harry?'

'You'd better hope he doesn't meet Ginny, they'll be starting a Harry Potter fan club.'

'Shut up Ron. See you later George.'

'Bye, have fun,' George said walking off down the corridor as they queued up for their lesson.

'Go on in now,' Lockhart smiled charmingly at them all. As Harry went to follow Lockhart placed a hand on her shoulder stopping her. 'We'll be in right behind you.'

Harry watched as the classed walking into the room taking a seat. Once everyone was in the room Lockhart turned to her.

'Harianna, Harianna, Harianna. I feel this is all my fault. Gave you a taste for publicity, didn't I? Gave you the bug.'

'Professor -I-'

'A word to the wise, Harianna. I covered up for you back there with young Mr Creevey - if he were photographing me, too, your schoolfellows won't think you're setting yourself up so much ...'

'Let me just say that handing out signed pictures at this stage of your career isn't sensible - looks a tad bigheaded, Harianna, to be frank. There may well come a time when, like me, you'll need to keep a stack handy wherever you go, but,' he gave Harry a little chortle, 'I don't think you're quite there yet.'

'Shall we,' Lockhart gestured to the classroom. Harry followed her Professor into the room sitting down beside Ron.

'What was all that about?' Ron whispered.

'Our Professor here just fancied annoying me is all,' Harry whispered back.

Lockhart cleared his throat loudly and silence fell.

'I, Gilderoy Lockhart, Order of Merlin, Third Class. Honourary Member of the Dark Force Defence League and five times winner of _Witch Weekly's_ Most-Charming-Smile Award - but I don't talk about that. I didn't get rid of the Bandon Banshee by _smiling_ at her!'

'I see you've all brought a complete set of my books - well done. I thought we'd start today with a little quiz. Nothing to worry about - just to check out how well you've read them, how much you've taken in ...'

After he handed out the test papers he returned to the front of the class. 'You have thirty minutes. Start - _now_!'

Harry looked down at the paper and huffed. The questions were about himself. The man was so vain. An hour later after he collected the papers and awarded Hermione ten points (to which Harry raised her eyebrows at her) for receiving full marks on his stupid test.

'Now - be warned! It is my job to arm you against the foulest creatures known to wizardkind! You may find yourselves facing your worst fears in this room.'

What was he going to do fear them into boredom Harry mused rolling her eyes as Lockhart spoke.

'Know only that no harm can befall you whilst I am here. All I ask is that you remain calm,' Lockhart said placing a covered cage onto his desk.

'I must ask you not to scream. It might provoke them,' he said in a low voice whipping off the cover.

'Yes,' he said dramatically. _'Freshly caught Cornish pixies.'_

Harry coughed to cover up her laugh. Seamus Finnigan, however, couldn't control himself, he had let out a snort of laughter.

'Well, they're not all that _dangerous_ are they,' Seamus choked when Lockhart smiled at him.

'Don't be so sure! Devilish tricky little blighters they can be!' Lockhart said waggling his finger.

'Right then, let's see what you make of them!'

The cage door opened. The pixies shot in every direction like rockets. It was pandemonium. Two pixies seized Neville by the ears lifting him into the air. Ink bottles were sprayed across the room. Several of the shot straight through the window, showering the back row with glass. Neville was swinging from the candelabra in the ceiling.

'Come on now, round them up, round them up they're only pixies,' Lockhart told them.

Most of the class had ducked under the desk due to the pixies throwing books at them. Lockhart rolled his sleeves up, brandished his wand and bellowed.

 _'Peskipiksi Pesternomi!'_

It had no effect, the pixies seized Lockhart's wand throwing it out of the window too. Harry turned to Hermione while they were also hiding under a desk.

'I'll deal with the pixies; can you get Neville down?'

'Sure,' Hermione nodded.

Harry shot up from under the desk wand in her hand pointing upwards towards the pixies. ' _Immobilious_!' The pixies froze in the air. Hermione darted out moments later using the levitation charm to lift Neville down.

'Excellent use of the Immobilisation charm Miss Potter. Ten points to Gryffindor,' Lockhart said as the bell rang. 'Would have cast it myself, but wanted to give you all a chance to try, now didn't I.'

'Load of tosh if you ask me,' Ron muttered as they walked out of the classroom. 'Can you _believe_ him?'

'He just wanted us to have some hands-on experience.'

' _Hands on?'_ Harry said. 'Hermione, he didn't have a clue into what he was doing.'

'Rubbish! You've read his books- look at all those amazing things he's done,' Hermione said.

'He _says_ he's done,' Ron muttered.


	32. Chapter 32

When they returned to the common room that evening the Gryffindor's had gathered around in a large circle. Fred and George Weasley were standing in the middle.

'Gather round that's it,' Fred gestured with his hands. 'Just like that.'

'Now we know that there is a high demand.'

'For pictures of our great and famous.'

'Wonderful and beautiful Harianna Potter.'

'Which we, of course, we'll be happy to provide you with.'

'Get your signed photographs for just ten Sickles, my dear ladies and gentleman.'

'For a limited time only, discounts will be given to those joining the Harry Potter fan club.'

'Don't all rush at once.'

'Plenty to go around.'

Harry was going to kill them and Ron while she was at it. Putting ideas in their heads. How could they do this to her? How could they go around charging people for photos of her? Where had they got signed photographs to begin with? Harry made her way through the crowd approaching the twins. Crossing her arms, she glanced between the two of them as she tapped her foot.

'Harry. Just doing a little business.'

'It's going rather smoothly I must say.'

Harry glared at them.

'Ah doesn't look too happy does she, Fred?'

'No, my dear brother I would say she doesn't look happy at all.'

'Just what were you two thinking?' Harry shouted.

'Now Princess there is no need to be like that.'

'Don't Princess me,' Harry snapped at George.

'We were just trying to give these fine people what they wanted,' Fred said.

'Give them what they _wanted,_ funny I don't see them queuing up now, do you?'

'That would be because,'

'You happen to be in the way.'

'You think you're so clever, don't you boys. Starting a Harry Potter fan club, selling signed photos of me,' Harry said. 'I wouldn't be surprised if it had been the two of you who were actually bragging about me.'

Harry got the answer from their guilty looking faces.

'Seemed like a good,'

'Idea at the time.'

Harry shook her head. 'A good idea, a _good idea!'_ raising her wand, she flicked it in their direction, turning their hair a lovely snot green. The common room burst into fits of laughter. Harry walked back through the crowd heading towards the girl's dorm.

'Hay Princess wait up.'

'Yeah, Harry what did you?'

Ignoring them Harry rushed up the stairs, pushing the door open.

'Switching spell?' Hermione asked Harry coming into the girls' dorm behind her.

Harry nodded. 'Just what were they _thinking_ Hermione?'

'You know what the twins are like,' Hermione shrugged. 'They don't.'

...

Harry spent the next few days dodging out of sight whenever she saw Gilderoy Lockhart approaching. Harder to avoid was Colin Creevey who had somehow managed to memorise Harry's timetable. Fred and George wore their green hair with pride, they had strolled in the Great Hall the next morning like it hadn't even happened or they had meant to look like it. Ron's wand was still malfunctioning during classes causing her friend to lose his temper. So, Harry had been glad when the weekend arrived. Ron, Harry and Hermione had planned to visit Hagrid on Saturday morning. Harry, however, was shaken awake by her teammate Angelina Johnson.

'Whassamatter?'

'Quidditch practice, Oliver wants us all up. Come on!'

Harry squinted at the window.

'Ange, it's the crack of dawn,' she protested.

'Don't look at me, it wasn't my bright idea. Take it up with Oliver.'

Harry rolled out of her bed scribbling a note for Hermione grabbed her broom making her way down the Quidditch pitch. The rest of the team were already in the changing room. Wood was the only person who looked truly awake. Fred and George were sitting, puffed eyed and tousle-haired having gone back to the original colour of red. Alicia seemed to be nodding off against the wall behind her. Katie and Angelina were yawning their heads off. Oliver drove right into his new tactics, Fred's head dropped onto Alicia's shoulder and he began to snore. Oliver finished explaining his never-ending charts of tactics, grabbing his broom leading the way onto the Quidditch pitch. As soon as the cold air hit Harry, it woke her up as she mounted her broom. She soared right around the stadium at full speed, racing Fred and George.

'What's that funny clicking noise?' called Fred as they hurtled around the corner. Harry looked into the stands Colin Creevey must have learned of their practice. He was sitting in one of the highest seats, his camera raised, taking picture after picture, the sound strangely magnified in the deserted stadium.

'What's going on?' Wood asked 'Why's that first-year taking pictures? I don't like it. He could be a Slytherin spy, trying to find out about our new training programme.'

'He's in Gryffindor,' Harry said quickly.

'And the Slytherin's don't need a spy, Oliver,' said George.

'What makes you say that?' Oliver said testily.

'Because they're here in person,' Fred said pointing.

Several people in green robes were walking onto the pitch, broomsticks in their hands.

'I don't believe it! I booked the pitch for today! we'll see about this!' Oliver hissed.

Oliver shot towards the ground, Harry, Fred and George followed. Dismounting when landed on the ground. Angelina, Alicia and Katie had come over too.

'Flint!' Wood bellowed, 'I booked the pitch this is our practice time. You can clear off now.'

Marcus Flint was larger than Oliver, he had a trollish cunning looking on his face as he replied,' Plenty of room for all of us, Wood.' The Slytherin team stood shoulder to shoulder facing the Gryffindor's sneering at them.

'But I booked the pitch!'

'Ah but I've got a specially signed note here from Professor Snape.' Flint said. ' _I, Professor S. Snape, give the Slytherin team permission to practice today on the Quidditch pitch, owing to the need to train their new Seeker.'_

'You've got a new Seeker? Where?' Oliver asked and from behind the six large figures came a seventh, smaller boy, smirking all over his pale, pointed face. Draco Malfoy. Harry saw Hermione and Ron heading towards the team.

'Aren't you Lucius Malfoy's son?' Wood said.

'Funny you should mention Draco's father, let me show you the generous gift he's made to the Slytherin team,' Flint said and all seven of them held out their broomsticks. The words 'Nimbus Two Thousand and One' gleaming from the highly polished, brand new handles. It was the newest broomstick on the market Harry remembered seeing it in a Quidditch store while in Diagon Alley.

'What's going on Harry? Why aren't you practicing?' Ron whispered into her ear.

'Slytherin invasion, permission from Snape,' Harry muttered back.

'Good, aren't they? It's the newest broom available. Perhaps the Gryffindor team will be able to raise some gold and get news brooms too,' Malfoy said, 'You could raffle off those Cleansweep Fives, I expect a museum would bid for them.'

The Cleansweep fives were the brand of broom the Weasley twins possessed.

'At least no one on the Gryffindor team had to _buy_ their way in, _they've_ got pure talent,' Hermione said sharply.

'No one asked your opinion, you filthy little Mudblood,' Malfoy spat.

Harry knew instantly that Malfoy had said something bad because uproar going on all around her. Flint had to drive in front of Malfoy to stop Fred and George jumping him.

'You'll pay for that one Malfoy!' Ron said pointing his wand towards him. 'Eat slugs.'

A loud bang echoed through the stadium and a jet of green light shot out of Ron's wand, hitting him in the stomach sending reeling backward onto the grass.

'Ron, are you alright?' Hermione squealed.

Ron opened his mouth to speak, instead of words he gave an almighty belch and several slugs dribbled out. The Slytherin team were paralyzed with laughter. Oliver was leading them all off the pitch.

'We'd better get him to Hagrid's, it's the nearest,' Hermione muttered, Harry nodded in agreement.

'See you for the first game Wood,' Flint shouted towards them. 'Or you could make it even easier for us by not showing up at all.'

Fed up of the Slytherins thinking that had got better of them. Harry almost froze but Hermione pulled her arm moving her along. So what if the Slytherin's had better brooms, it didn't make them unbeatable.

'You know Malfoy, it's too bad daddy can't buy winning the game for you,' Harry said turning around calling back in the direction of the Slytherin team. 'Daddy won't be too impressed wasting all his money when an older version of your brand-new broom, beats you to the Snitch.'

Harry turned back towards her own team who were staring at her wide-mouthed.

'What?' Harry asked exasperatedly.

Wood chuckled, 'We're just wondering where the shy Harry, we're so used to has disappeared off to, that's all.'


	33. Chapter 33

As Hagrid's cabin came into view; Gilderoy Lockhart emerged from the open front door of Hagrid's house. Harry dragged Ron behind a nearby bush. Hermione followed rather reluctantly.

'It's a simple matter if you know what you're doing!' Lockhart was saying loudly to Hagrid. 'If you need help, you know where I am! I'll let you have a copy of my book - I'm surprised you haven't already got one. I'll sign one tonight and send it over. Well, goodbye.'

Harry waited until Lockhart was out of sight.

'You're still avoiding Professor Lockhart. Honestly, Harry, it can't be that bad.' Hermione said as they knocked on Hagrid's front door. Hagrid appeared at once, looking very grumpy, but his expression brightened when he saw who it was.

'Been wondering when you'd come to see me - come in, come in- thought you might have been Professor Lockhart.'

Harry who was helping Hermione support Ron over the threshold, mouthed to her female friend 'see I'm not the only one'. That earned Harry an eye roll.

They lowered Ron into a chair, Harry explained Ron's slug problem, which Hagrid didn't seem perturbed by.

'I don't think there's anything to do except wait for it to stop,' Hermione said watching Ron anxiously. Who was bent over a basin.

'What did Lockhart want?' Harry asked.

'Giving me advice on getting Kelpies out of a well,' Hagrid growled making them some tea. 'Like I don't know. And banging on about some Banshee he banished. If one word of it was true, I'll eat my kettle.'

'I think that's a bit unfair. Professor Dumbledore obviously thought he was the best man for the job-'

'Hermione, he was the only man for the job and I mean the _only_ one. Getting difficult to find anyone for the Dark Art job, people aren't too keen to take it on, see. They're starting to think it's jinxed. No one's lasted long for a while now,' Hagrid said jerking his head at Ron. Ron's head was currently in the basin. 'Who was he trying to curse?'

'Draco Malfoy,' Harry muttered.

'Why?'

'He called Hermione something, everyone went mad afterwards,' Harry explained.

'It was bad,' Ron said emerging from the basin looking pale and sweaty. 'Malfoy called her "Mudblood", Hagrid-' he said then he drove back into the basin. Hagrid looked outraged.

'He didn't,' Hagrid growled.

'He did,' Harry said. 'I could tell it was really rude.'

'Me too, I don't know what it means though,' Hermione murmured.

'It's about the most insulting thing he could think of,' Ron gasped. 'Mudblood's a really foul name for someone who was Muggle-born. There are some wizards - like Malfoys family - who think that Muggle-borns -'

Harry was angry, very angry. She was glad that she had turned Malfoy's offer of friendship down last year. Looking down on people just because of blood.

'Shouldn't learn magic.' Harry finished for him figuring out what Ron had been going to say. 'I was right he's a snob.'

Ron looked up at them and nodded. 'The rest of us know it doesn't make any difference at all. Look at Neville Longbottom - he's pure-blood and he can hardly stand a cauldron the right way up.'

'That's not Neville, that's Snape terrorising him,' Harry interjected. She was fond of their follow shy Gryffindor, even if she didn't know him all that well.

'Besides they haven't invented a spell our Hermione can't do,' Hagrid mentioned proudly, making Hermione flush pink slightly.

'It's a disgusting thing to call someone. It means dirty blood. Common blood, it's mad. Most wizards these days are half-blood anyway. If we hadn't married Muggles we would have died out.'

'I don't blame you for trying to curse him, Ron. Maybe it was a good thing your wand backfired. I suspect Lucius Malfoy would have come marching up to school if you cursed his son. Least you're not in trouble.'

It was dark by the time they had returned to the castle. Ron had stopped throwing up slugs a short while ago. Harry and Hermione hadn't been so keen to move him until it had completely stopped. Hagrid didn't seem to mind, just enjoyed having their company.

'Thanks for sticking up for me,' Hermione told Ron in a small voice as they made their way up the flight of stairs towards the Gryffindor tower. 'It was really sweet of you to do.'

Ron turned red stuttering out. 'I couldn't just let him get away with it.'

Harry smiled if she didn't know any better she would say that Ron had a crush.

 _'Come ... come to me ... let me rip you ... let me tear you ... let me tear you apart'_

Harry froze on the steps, looking around to where it had come from, neither Ron or Hermione had spoken.

'Harry?' Hermione asked her noticing she had stopped.

'Did you hear - a voice- I thought I heard a voice.'

'I didn't hear anything,' Ron said.

Harry looked up at their concerned faces. She ran a hand through her hair. 'Must have been my imagination, I have been up since the crack of dawn. No thanks to Oliver.'

Harry let out a yawn. Well, that proved her own point she was so tired that she had heard voices. Hermione frowned at her while Harry smiled sleepily. Hermione seemed satisfied enough with her explanation. Ron just shrugged towards her.

Ron and Hermione headed for their usual area of the Gryffindor common room. Harry, however, headed for the dorms instead.

'You alright there Princess?' George asked.

Harry nodded yawning. 'Just tired, Charming.'

'How's Hermione holding up? She OK?' he said concernedly.

Harry looked in the direction of the fire place. Ron had pulled out his unfinished homework, Hermione was sitting beside him talking him through it.

'She's fine. Our Hermione's a tough cookie,' Harry told George. 'She's a lot tougher than people give her credit for.'

'Just like someone else I know,' George said.

'Right I'm off to bed,' Harry said rubbing her eyes. 'I can't seem to keep my eyes open.'

'Someone best warn Oliver,' Harry yawned as she stretched out. 'If he wakes me up at the crack of dawn again, he's going to receive one nasty hex. Night.'

'I'll pass on the message Princess.'

'OK. On second thought, get Ange to do it. No offence George but Oliver is not going to believe you.'


	34. Chapter 34

Oliver had been more determined than ever to win their next Quidditch game. His enthusiasm for regular training sessions was not dampened even by the wet weather, which is why Harry was found to be, late one stormy Saturday afternoon returning to Gryffindor Tower a few days before Halloween, drenched to the skin. Oliver had tried a few times to wake them up at the crack of dawn again, he soon learned his lesson that Harry had meant business and after receiving a few hexes, he relaxed and choose wisely not to wake them so early. The compromise had been they would wake at seven and at least have breakfast first before heading out. Fred and George had sneaked around spying on the Slytherin team while they had practised. Reporting that they just been no more than seven greenish blurs, shooting through the air.

Halloween arrived and Harry was looking forward to the feast. She had just changed from her Quidditch gear after yet another training session. On her way, down Nearly Headless Nick, the ghost of Gryffindor caught her.

'Ah Harianna, how are you this fine evening?' He asked.

'Harry's fine Nick. I've told you this before and I'm good. You seem in a pleasant- umm mood.'

'Today is my five hundredths deathday.'

'Oh, umm wow that's-'

'Isn't it just. I'm holding a party in one of the roomier dungeons. Party starts soon come to think of it.'

'Oh.'

'Would you like to join us, it would be an honour to have you attend. Mr Weasley and Miss Granger would be most welcome to come.'

'I'll ask, I'm sure they wouldn't mind. They're in the Great Hall right now, let me have something to eat first. If I can get Ron to not help himself to a fifth helping of pudding, we should be down in about an hour or so.'

'Excellent, no rush. See you in a while.'

Harry shook her head as she opened the Great Hall doors. The hall had been decorated with the usual live bats, Hagrid's vast pumpkins had been carved into lanterns. Dumbledore had booked a troupe of dancing skeletons for entertainment. A deathday party Harry mused. How did she manage to get herself into these situations? Harry sighed as she slid in the gap between George and Hermione.

'What took you so long?' Ron asked from the opposite side of the table.

'Was held up by Nick asked me to go to his deathday party,' Harry explained helping herself to some shepherd's pie.

'Really. I reckon there aren't many living people who can say they've been to one of those - it'll be fascinating,' Hermione said.

'You and Ron can come with me if you like. Nick said you'd be welcome too.'

So an hour after pulling a grumbling Ron away from helping himself to another bowl full of desert, they made their way down the dungeons. The passage way to Nick's party had been lined with candles. The temperature dropped with every step they took. When they reached the room, the sight was incredible. The dungeon was full of hundreds of pearly-white, translucent people. A chandelier overhead blazed midnight blue with a thousand more black candles.

They had met the Fat Friar, a cheerful Hufflepuff ghost. They had passed a group of gloomy nuns and a ragged man wearing chains. The ghost of Slytherin the Bloody Baron that was covered in silver bloodstains was given wide berth by all the other ghosts.

'Oh no,' Hermione suddenly said. 'Turn back, turn back, I don't want to talk to Moaning Myrtle.'

'Who?' Ron asked.

'She haunts the girls' toilet on the first floor,' Harry explained.

'Yeah, it's been out of order all year because she keeps flooding it,' Hermione added.

They managed to sneak out of the party not long after, a group of headless horseman each riding ghost horses burst into through the dungeon walls. Harry was shivering as they left, it had been so cold in the dungeon room.

'Let's get to the tower,' Hermione said her own her were shattering. 'We can warm up by the fire.'

They were walking back up the steps towards the Entrance Hall. And then Harry heard it.

' _...rip ... tear ... kill ...'_

It was the same cold murderous voice she had heard on the night of the Gryffindor teams disastrous Quidditch practice.

'Harry - what are you-'

'The voice I heard it again. Listen,' Harry said to them urgently.

 _' ... so, hungry ... for so long ...'_

'Harry?'

'It's getting fainter ... I'm sure it's moving.'

' _... kill ... time to kill ...'_

Harry began to run up the stairs. A mixture of fear and excitement gripped her. She passed the Great Hall quickly, the loud noises from inside would only block the sound of the voice she was hearing. Harry wondered who or what this mysterious phantom could be. She sprinted up the marble staircase to the first floor.

'Harry what are we -'

'Shh …' Harry said straining her ears. Distantly, from the floor above she heard the voice. '... _I smell blood ... I SMELL BLOOD!'_

'It's going to kill someone,' Harry shouted ignoring Ron and Hermione's bewildered faces.

Harry hurtled around the second floor, Hermione and Ron panting behind her.

'Mate, what was that all about? I couldn't hear anything,' Ron puffed out.

Hermione gave a sudden gasp, pointing down the corridor. ' _Look!'_

There were words on the wall ahead, lit up by the light provided by the flaming torches nearby.

THE CHAMBERS OF SECRETS HAS BEEN OPENED.  
ENEMIES OF THE HEIR, BEWARE.

Ron with a slight quiver in his voice said. 'What is that thing - hanging underneath?'

Harry took a few steps forward almost slipping on the wet floor: there was a large puddle of water on the floor. Mrs Norris Filch's cat was hanging by her tail from the torch bracket. She was a stiff as a board, her eyes wide and staring.

'Let's get out of here. Trust me we don't want to be found here.'

The noise of a distant thunder of clapping told them it was too late. For either end of the corridor came the sounds of hundreds of feet climbing the stairs. The chatter, the bustle, the noise died suddenly died as people in front spotted the hanging cat. Hermione, Ron and Harry stood alone, in the middle of the corridor, as the mass of students were pressing forward to see the grisly sight. Then Draco Malfoy pushed his way to the front of the crowd shouted through the quiet.

'Enemies of the heir, beware! You'll be next, Mudbloods!'

Attracted no doubt by Malfoy's shout, the caretaker Argus Filch came shoulder his way through the crowd.

'What's going on here? What's going on?'

Then he saw Mrs Norris and fell back clutching his face in horror.

'My cat! My cat! What happened?' he shrieked his eyes fell upon Harry who had been standing closest to the hanging cat.

'You! You murdered my cat! You killed her! I'll kill you!'

'Enough Argus.'

Dumbledore had arrived on the scene. He detached the cat from the torch within seconds.

'Come with me Argus,' he addressed Filch. 'You too, Miss Potter, Mr Weasley and Miss Granger.'


	35. Chapter 35

To Harry's annoyance, Professor Lockhart's office had been the closest. Professor McGonagall and Snape had followed Professor Dumbledore to Lockhart's office. Dumbledore placed Mrs Norris onto Lockhart's desk and began to examine her. Lockhart was hovering around making all sort of suggestions. Dumbledore ignored him however his fingers poking and prodding Mrs Norris. After a few moments, he began tapping his wand on Mrs Norris muttering strange words under his breath.

'She's not dead Argus,' Dumbledore said straightening up. 'She has been Petrified, but how I cannot say.'

'Ask her! She was standing right next-'

'Argus no mere second-year, no offence Harry, could have done this. It would take the most advanced Dark Magic.'

'Oh.'

'If I may suggest Headmaster, perhaps Potter and her friends were just in the wrong place at the wrong time,' Snape said. 'But in the circumstances, one does wonder why they were in the corridor at all? Why they weren't they at Halloween feast like their fellow students.'

'We were at a deathday party for Nick, the ghosts will be able to tell you we were there,' Harry said.

'Why not join the feast afterwards? Why go up to that corridor?'

'We were heading up to the tower, we were cold and wanted to warm up. When I asked to visit the library first,' Hermione explained speaking before Harry got a chance to. 'That corridor was the quickest way through from the dungeons.'

Harry was ever so grateful that her friend was such a quick thinker under pressure. The excuse had been a good one too, Hermione had been indeed correct about the corridor being the quickest route. And the Professors wouldn't blink twice about her saying she wanted to go to the library Hermione practically lived in it.

'A cure will be provided, I believe Professor Sprout recently manages to procure some Mandrakes. As soon as they have reached their full size I'm sure Argus that Severus wouldn't mind brewing the potion to revive, Mrs Norris.'

'You may go,' Professor McGonagall said to them.

As they reached the portrait Harry turned to Ron and Hermione.

'You believe me, right? That I could hear - hear a voice?'

'Of course, I do,' Ron exclaimed.

'So, we should have mentioned it then.'

'Harry even in the wizarding world hearing voices is considered weird.'

'Yeah, the whole thing is weird if you ask me. What do you reckon the writing on the wall was about? The Chamber has been opened ... what's that supposed to mean.'

'You know it rings a bell. I think Bill told me a story about a secret chamber at Hogwarts once.'

...

The attack on Mrs Norris and the secret chamber within the castle walls. Ginny had seemed rather disturbed by Mr Norris's fate. Hermione had been rather rattled. Having spent most of her time reading through books, not unusual however she was almost doing nothing else. She had emerged for breakfast having from the library in a sulky mood.

'Just as I thought all the copies of _Hogwarts: A History_ have been taken out.'

'You've been trying to read up on the legend of the Chamber of Secrets?' Harry surmised.

'Yeah, and I can't remember if it's in it. I can't find the story anywhere else-'

The bell rang.

'Wonder how quickly we'll fall asleep in History of Magic today,' Harry said heading towards the hall doors.

'Harry, you should be - Harry you're brilliant, just brilliant.'

'Reckon she's going to clue us in,' Ron said to Harry.

Harry shrugged. 'No idea, just go with it. Best thing to do sometimes. I just take the compliments as they come.'

Ron sniggered as they slid into their seat for the lesson.

It was as boring as ever, Professor Binns. Nearly everyone in the class had fallen asleep due to his voice droning on. While he had been talking about International Warlock Convention. Hermione did something no one had go so before in their class. She raised her hand.

'Miss Granger?'

'Professor, I was wondering if you could tell us anything about the Chamber of Secrets?'

'I deal with facts, not legends.'

'But don't legends always have a basics in fact sir,' Harry pointed out.

'Well, one could argue that. The legend of the chamber is a very ludicrous tale.'

The class was very much awake now, hanging onto every word their Professor was saying.

'Very well as you know Hogwarts had four founders. The four houses were named after them: Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw and Salazar Slytherin. The castle was built long before the founders decided to turn it into a school. And for years the founders worked together educating those with signs of magic. A rift between Slytherin and the other houses broke out. For he believed that only those that learnt the art of magic should be kept with-in all magic families. Slytherin left the school after a serious argument broke out between himself and Gryffindor.'

'The story goes that Slytherin had built a hidden chamber in the castle, one, of which the other founders knew nothing. He sealed the Chamber of Secrets according to the legend until his own true heir arrived at the school. The heir would be able to unseal the Chamber of Secrets, unleashing the horror within. The horror is meant to be that of a monster, which only the heir could control. Nonsense, of course, it doesn't exist and there is no monster.'

'Now where was I.'

Five minutes later the class had begun to fall asleep again.

'So, you think that the chamber exists?' Ron yawned on their way out of History of Magic. 'That's why you asked right?'

'Well didn't you want to know if it was more than just rumours,' Hermione said irritatingly.

'OK let's think about this for a moment. If we want to find out if it is more than just rumours, we need to talk to someone who isn't running around trying to find out about the chamber. I just don't know how to do it.'

'I hate it when you two are like this. Care to share?' Ron said.

'OK, look while everyone else is running around the castle trying to find out about the chamber. There is someone that may already know if it does actually exist.'

'So, they wouldn't be looking for the information. But just who do we need to talk to?' Ron asked.

'Isn't it obvious who else walks around like they know everything about the school,' Hermione said.

Ron sent them both a glare.

'Well let's say you're not going to like it.'

'Harry, who is it?'

'We need to speak with Draco Malfoy.'

Ron's mouth gaped like he had just heard something unbelievable.

'Just how do you expect us to do that? Go up to him and say hi Malfoy have you opened the chamber and let a beast roam around the castle unaided? It's not going to work.'

'That's not going to work, we're going to have to do something a bit subtly. I just don't know what,' Harry said looking out of the nearest window pane. There were spiders scuttling and what appeared like fighting to get through a small crack in the glass. 'I've never seen spiders act that like.'

Ron shivered. 'Spiders give me the creeps. Don't like them at all. If Fred turned your teddy bear into a spider suddenly one day, you wouldn't either.'

'I didn't know that.'

'I've got an idea,' Hermione exclaimed excitedly.

'To cure my fear of spiders, loved to hear one.'

'No Ron, I've got an idea into how we speak to Malfoy. There are a few glitches though.'

'I'm listening.'

'We'd be breaking a lot of school rules.'

'Like we haven't done that already. Next.'

'Getting hold of the ingredients, I would need to get hold of the recipe for it as well and it will be in the restricted section.'

Harry shut her eyes taking a deep breath, there was no way Snape was going to let them just take ingredients.

'Professor Lockhart loves signing things without really looking just ask for his autograph. We would need a distraction during potions well away from where they are kept.'

'That's easy talk to the twins, they're masters at distractions,' Ron said. 'What else?'

'Somewhere we could brew it without being seen and where the smell won't attract anyone's attention.'

'What kind of potion are you- we going to brew?'

'Polyjuice, it allows you to turn into another person for a limited time.'

'Oh, I remember Snape telling us about that potion. It's complicated and takes a month until it's ready.'

'That's why we can't be seen while brewing it. I'm not doing it alone.'

'Hermione I can think of one place no one will dare to enter not even the teachers.'

'Really?' Ron said.

'Yeah and trust me when I say this, you are really not going to like it.'


	36. Chapter 36

Lockhart didn't even blink when they passed him a note for a restricted section book. He didn't even look at the book they wanted. Which made Harry feel satisfied after her Professor tried to give her tips for playing as a seeker.

'I was Seeker too Harianna. If you need any tips or you feel the need for a little private training don't hesitate to ask,' Harry mimicked as they walked down to the library. 'I'd rather take tips from Scabbers then listen to anything he has to say about flying. Bet he doesn't even know how to and you wondered why I've avoided him, Hermione.'

Hermione rolled her eyes unable to reply as they entered the library. Harry noticed that she handed over the note rather hesitatingly to Madam Prince. Five minutes later after Hermione placed a mouldy looking book in her bag, Harry lead them towards the first floor.

'Harry remind me again why I'm in a girl's toilet.'

'Because it is the last place anyone in their right minds would go.'

'She has a point,' Hermione said pulling out the potions book, flicking through the open pages. 'Here we go Polyjuice potion, we'll need lacewing flies, leeches, fluxweed and knotgrass.'

'Student cupboard that's easy enough to help ourselves to,' Harry said.

'Umm, we'll also need powered Bicorn, shredded skin of Boomslang and of course a bit of whoever we want to change into.'

'What do you mean a bit of whoever we're changing into? I'm not drinking anything with toenails in it.'

'We could use a piece of their hair though,' Hermione pointed out.

'That doesn't sound any better,' Ron grimaced.

'It's better than toenails, is it not?' Harry said.

Ron frowned while a hand scratch at his head as though he was weighing up the options.

'You could always knock Malfoy off his broom tomorrow.'

'RON.'

'It was only a suggestion.'

...

The match against Slytherin had approached rather too quickly for Harry's liking. She was a nervous wreck, what if the team lost? The humiliation they would receive from the Slytherins. Why hadn't she just kept her mouth shut? It was Ron's fault his bad habit of opening his mouth without thinking was rubbing off on her. That was it. Come to think of it she had never done anything like that until she had stayed with the Weasleys during the summer. Yes, Harry concluded it was all their fault. But as eleven o'clock drew nearer Harry couldn't bring herself to even tell them off. Harry had been sitting at the breakfast table staring at it with such intensity she hadn't realised it was time to head down to the pitch until George had nudged her.

Oliver was pacing the changing rooms when they had arrived, his own scarlet Gryffindor robes on. He went into his pre-match talk while the team changed into their own.

'OK so Slytherin have better brooms than us, no point in denying that,' Wood told them. 'We have the better players on ours, we've trained harder than they have.'

'Too right, we've been out in all weathers,' Fred said.

'We're going to make them rue the day they let someone like Malfoy but their way onto their team,' Oliver spat. 'It'll be down to you Harry, you'll have to show them what a real Seeker is made off, not just someone with a rich father.'

'You think I'm going to back down, no chance Oliver. I'll get that Snitch or I'll die trying,' Harry said.

'Right then team, let's give Slytherin a taste of their own medicine.'

The roar of the noise that greeted them was due to the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs were anxious to Slytherin beaten. The Slytherins in the crowd made their own boos and hisses. Once the captains shook hands, Madam Hooch blew her whistle and the players rose towards the sky. Harry flew higher than any of the other players squinting around in signs for the Snitch. Malfoy had just shot past underneath her as though he was making a statement. But Harry wasn't going to fall for it, if there was one thing that she knew she could do well it was fly. Her broom had never let her down before, the only time she had let the team down had been due to her being unconscious in the hospital wing. Harry went back to her search when she got a feeling something was nearing her. Harry had always been keen with her senses. She had to be or going up with Dudley and his gang would have been a lot worse. Harry turned noticing a grey ball heading in her direction, dodging the Bludger narrowly.

'Alright there Princess,' George called out when he sped past her, his club was in his hand. George gave the Bludger a powerful whack in the direction of a Slytherin player named Adrian Pucey. The Bludger changed direction in mid-air and shot straight for Harry again. George hit it hard towards Malfoy after Harry dodged it for a second time. The Bludger swerved like a boomerang and shot straight towards her.

Annoyed Harry sped off into a dive, the Bludger flowing closely behind her. Harry didn't understand what was going on, a Bludger never concentrated on one player, they tried to unseat as many people as possible. Harry pulled out of the dive missing the ground by inches. The Bludger landed like a thump, at least it couldn't fly like her. Harry's eyes widen as the ball rises into the air heading straight for her again. Harry headed towards Fred who seemed to be waiting of her approach. She ducked as Fred swung at the Bludger, knocking it off course.

'That's done it,' Fred yelled. The Bludger had other ideas and pelted towards Harry once more. It was like it was magnetically attracted towards her. Then it started to rain, heavy drops fell onto her face rain, Harry blinked the splattered drops off her eyelashes. She had no clue what was going on with the rest of the game as she was flying off at full speed. Lee Jordan who was commentating must have heard her thoughts because he just announced Slytherin were leading sixty points to zero. The new brooms the Slytherins' possessed were clearly doing their jobs, Harry, however, was too busy dodging a mad Bludger that was determined to knock her off her broom. Fred and George were flying close by her as well now which didn't help her vision all that much. All she could see were their arms waving around. How was she meant to see the Snitch like this let alone catch it?

'I can't work like this,' Harry shouted at the boys.

'Tell that to whoever tampered with the Bludger,' Fred grunted out swinging his bat at the Bludger as it launched, a new attack.

A whistle blew in the distance. 'We've got a time out.' George called out. They dived to the ground still trying to avoid the mad Bludger.

'What's going on? We're being flattened out there-where were you two when that Bludger stopped Ange from scoring?' Oliver said as the team huddled around.

'Stopping the other one from killing Harry. It's fixed Oliver.'

'Can't be they were fine during our last practice. Besides they've been locked up in Hooch's office since then.'

'So, what do we do?'

'We'll have to ask for an inquiry,' Wood said disappointingly.

'That means we'll land up forfeiting to the Slytherins,' Harry pointed out. 'We're just going to let them win? Because of some rogue Bludger?'

'Well what do we suppose we do then?' Oliver directly asked her.

'Well I can't see with both of the boys flying around me all the time. How am I meant to catch the Snitch with you two in my way, I need space.'

'There's no way I'm letting you deal with the rogue Bludger alone,' George said firmly.

'Try to keep up with me then Weasley. Besides I wasn't asking you to, if Fred concentrates on the rest of the team and you give me space to breath, we'll still be in with a chance of winning this,' Harry smirked.

'Harry just what are you thinking of doing?'

'Nothing illegal Wood. I'm just going to fly on my broom that's all.'

'Right back in the air on Hooch's whistle,' Oliver said signalling to Madam Hooch.

'Remember to keep up Charming.'

'You're on Princess.'

Harry kicked off flying just over the other players. The heavy rain hadn't stopped but Harry was unable to focus on that fact as the tell-tale whoosh told her a Bludger was following her. Harry dived towards the nearest Slytherin on the pitch who just happened to be Flint.

'Let's see how well you fly on a broken broom,' Harry muttered as she swerved pasted him.

The Bludger wasn't able to pull off the narrow turns as well as her hit Flint with a all mighty crack. Even knocking Flint clean off his now broken broom hadn't detoured the Bludger as it raced towards her. Harry smirked dodging with ease, George hit it in the opposite direction of her. Giving her a few moments of space to search for the Snitch. There was no sight. And so it went on for a while Harry weaved in and out of the Slytherin players evening up the odds were it was possible, George then gave her a bit of breathing space.

'Training for the ballet Potter?' Malfoy taunted as Harry had just been forced to do a stupid kind of twirl in mid-air to dodge the Bludger. Harry glared towards Malfoy when she saw the familiar glint of gold. She had seen the golden Snitch hovering inches above Malfoys ear. Malfoy had been too busy laughing at her hadn't seen it.

WHAM! Harry had stayed still of too long the Bludger had hit her, smashing into her elbow. Her arm was searing with pain, she was pretty sure it was broken. The Bludger came pelting back this time aiming for her face. Well if it wanted to take her out she was going to take Malfoy with her. Harry swerved out of the way dodging the Bludger speeding towards Malfoy seconds later. Harry saw Malfoys eyes widen with fear he actually though that she was going to attack him. Malfoy had ducked right out of her way and away from the Snitch. Harry reached out with her remaining hand snatching at the Snitch. She was only gripping the broom with her legs now, the trouble was she was heading for the ground while she was also trying not to pass out. Harry hit the mud with a thud and rolled off her broom. The Snitch still clutched in her good hand as she fainted.


	37. Chapter 37

Harry groaned as she came around, the rain falling on her face. She was still lying on the pitch, with someone leaning over her. The glitter of white teeth that she saw told her exactly who it was.

'Oh no, not you,' Harry moaned.

'Doesn't know what she's saying,' Lockhart said loudly to the anxious crowd of Gryffindors. 'Not to worry, Harianna. I'm about to fix your arm.'

'NO don't touch me,' Harry said 'I'd rather keep it like this.'

Harry tried to sit up, but the pain stopped her in her tracks.

'Lie down and relax Harianna,' Lockhart tried to soothe her. 'It's a simple charm I've used countless times.'

'Can't I just go to the hospital wing,' Harry said frustratingly.

Lockhart ignored her rolling up his sleeves, Harry's eyes widened when Lockhart twirled his wand.

'Don't.' Harry said. A second later Lockhart's wand was directed at Harry's arm. A strange and unpleasant sensation spread from her shoulder to her finger tips. Her arm didn't hurt anymore but it didn't feel like an arm either. She managed to pull herself up somehow to inspect the damage Lockhart had done. Harry tried moving her fingers and nothing happened, her arm was all floppy.

'Yes, well that can happen sometimes. The bones are no longer brok-'

Lockhart was unable to say much more as Harry let out a high pitch scream. 'AHHHH!'

He hadn't mended her bones Lockhart had removed them. When she opened her eyes, Lockhart was standing a fair distance from her ... It was George that had approached her. He had crouched down beside her.

'Feel better now?' Harry had been frowning but nodded at him. 'Good, let's get you up to the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey will be able to fix you right up.'

'She'll be able to, right?' Harry asked desperately.

'Never known her not be able to fix things. Come on up you get,' George helped her to her feet. 'Lean on me if you have to.'

...

Madam Pomfrey was not pleased.

'Should have been sent straight here,' she raged. 'Mending bones I do within seconds- growing them back.'

Harry sighed, looking down towards the bed covers.

'It can do done. It will be extremely painful. You'll be in overnight,' Madam Pomfrey told her handing her a pair of pyjamas. 'Just who tried to heal you anyway. I'll have their head.'

'Professor Lockhart.' Harry replied causing the matron to pause her movements, Harry also heard a rather deep sigh. Madam Pomfrey returned to helping Harry into the pyjamas, pulling the curtain open once she was dressed. George had been waiting on the other side, along with Ron and Hermione. Her best friends looked rather flushed suggesting that they had just run there. Madam Pomfrey helped Harry onto the bed dashing off to her cabinet.

'Mate I never knew you could fly like that. You were twisting and twirling - it was amazing.'

'And Harry is to never do it again, nearly gave me a heart attack,' George added firmly.

'Malfoy wasn't impressed that you caught the Snitch. Malfoy looked ready to kill,' Ron said.

Harry laughed. 'Too bad I missed it.'

'I'd like to know how that Bludger was fixed though,' Hermione said.

'So, what did Lockhart do to your arm?'

'Our Professor thought it would be a good idea to remove Harry's bones without asking her if that's what she wanted him to do,' George said angrily.

'Anybody can make a mistake,' Hermione said.

Madam Pomfrey choose that moment to return with a large bottle of something labelled 'Skele-Gro'. She handed Harry a beakerful of it. It was disgusting.

'That's foul,' Harry said reaching for some water to wash the taste away.

The rest of the Gryffindor team burst open the hospital wing doors the next moment.

'Great flying Harry you were unbelievable.' Fred said.

'Told you,' Ron smirked.

'Next time you tell me that you are just going to fly on your broom. I am going to have to ask you what you are thinking. Harry that was crazy thinking using a rogue Bludger against Slytherin like that,' Oliver said.

'Don't worry Wood. I've already told Harry she can't do anything like that again.'

'It worked though didn't it. Flint needs a new broom now thanks to it,' Harry said.

'Speaking of Flint, he was yelling at Malfoy about not seeing the Snitch right on top of his head and he hadn't noticed it,' Ange said.

'Malfoy didn't look happy at all,' Katie added.

Madam Pomfrey came storming back over. 'What are you lot doing here. Miss Potter needs her rest, she's got thirty-three bones to regrow. OUT! OUT!'

So, Harry was left alone, with nothing to distract her from the pain. If she got her hands on Lockhart after this, well she wasn't sure what the consequences would be. It would be so worth it though.

Hours later Harry woke up quite suddenly, it was pitch black. She thought the pain in her arm had woken her until she noticed the elf on her bed.

'Dobby?'

'Harry Potter came back to school,' he whispered miserably. 'Dobby warned Harry Potter. Why didn't yous listen to Dobby? Why didn't Harry Potter return home when she missed the train?'

Harry pulled herself up. 'That was you, you closed the barrier? Did you interfere with the magic too?'

'Dobby only closed the barrier. Dobby thought Harry Potter was safe, never did Dobby dream Harry Potter would get to school another way.'

'At least it was us that messed up then not anything else,' Harry mumbled slumping back onto the pillows.

'Harry Potter must go home!' Dobby told her. 'Dobby thought the Bludger he sent after her would be enough to make-'

'Your Bludger? What were you trying to do kill me?' Harry said angrily.

'Not kill you. Dobby wants to save Harry Potters life! Better sent home injured than here. Dobby only wanted Harry Potter to be sent home!'

'Kindly tell me how sending me home in pieces saves my life Dobby. I fail to see it.'

'Dobby cannot let Harry Potter stay here, terrible things bes happening. Now that the Chamber of Secrets is open once more.'

Harry was wide awake now. 'So, there is a Chamber. What do you mean it's been opened before?'

'Ask no more, ask no more of Dobby. Dark deeds are planned in this place. Harry Potter must not be here when they happen. Harry Potter must return home.'

'I'm not going anywhere. One of my friends is Muggle-born I'm not leaving her.'

Harry heard footsteps coming down the passageway outside.

'Dobby must go!' and the elf vanished with a crack.

Harry pretended to be asleep as the doors opened. She peered her head just out of the covers squinting to see. Dumbledore, McGonagall and Pomfrey were with what looked like a statue.

'Another attack,' Madam Pomfrey said. 'What was he doing out?'

'We believe he sneaked out to visit Miss Potter. we found a bunch of grapes beside him. No clues to the attacker though.'

Harry raised herself a few inches slowly so she could figure out who had been attacked. This time it had been Colin Creevey. His eyes were wide and his hands were stuck in front of him, holding his camera. Dumbledore took it from his hands prising it open. A jet of steam hissed out of the camera. Harry could smell the burnt plastic.

'Melted, all melted,' Madam Pomfrey said.

'What does it mean Albus?' Professor McGonagall asked urgently.

'It means that the Chamber of Secrets is indeed open.'

'But Albus ... surely... who?'

'The question is not who,' Dumbledore said. 'The question is how ...'


	38. Chapter 38

The news of Colin Creevey being attacked had spread through the school by Monday morning. First-years were moving around the castle in tight-knit groups. Ginny Weasley who sat next to Colin in Charms had been rather distraught. Harry had filled Ron and Hermione in on her little visitor and the information she had gathered from both Dobby and Dumbledore. Ron and Hermione had filled her in on the fact they had started on the Polyjuice Potion after they had heard about the attack on Colin. Hiding it exactly where Harry had suggested to.

In the second week of December Professor McGonagall came around as usual, collecting names of those who would be staying at school for Christmas. Harry had signed up along with Hermione and the Weasleys. They had heard that Malfoy was staying as well. It was the perfect opportunity to use their potion, the problem it was half-finished. They still needed to get into Snape's store. Hermione concluded that it was best if she stole the ingredients, they could use a firework that the twins had as a diversion. Harry was opted as the distraction while Ron sneaked up the stairs into their dorm room to borrow one they could set off. So during their potions lesson on Thursday Harry waited for Hermione signing before setting off the Filibuster firework aiming it for Goyle's cauldron. Which exploded causing Snape to snap at the room. Hermione had slide back into the room giving her a small thumbs up. Once they added the ingredients they needed it they knew the potion would be ready in a fortnight.

A week later a small knot of people were gathered around a notice board. Harry, Ron and Hermione walked across to the others to read it. It had a piece of parchment announcing that they were holding a duelling club.

'Could be useful,' Ron pointed out. 'Shall we go? First meetings tonight.'

Harry and Hermione agreed but when they turned up at eight o'clock that evening Harry sure wished she hadn't bothered. the dining tables had vanished and a golden stage had appeared along one wall. It was who the Professor was Harry had a problem with. Lockhart walked onto the stage accompanied by Snape.

'Gather around, can everyone see me? Can you all hear me? Excellent! Now, Professor Dumbledore has granted me permission to start this little Duelling Club, to train you all up in case you ever need to defend yourselves. Let me introduce my assistant Professor Snape,' Lockhart said. 'He tells me he knows a tiny little bit about duelling himself and has sportingly agreed to help me with a short demonstration before we begin. Don't worry you'll still have your Potions master when I'm through with him.'

Harry was watching Snape with interest, his upper lip was curling while Lockhart spoke. It seemed like Snape planned on leaving Professor Lockhart alive rather then the other way around. Lockhart and Snape faced each other on the stage and bowed. Well Snape jerked his head irritably. Their wand raised in front of themselves at the next moment.

'As you can see, we are holding our wands in the accepted combative positive. On the count of three, we will cast our first spells. Neither of us will be aiming to kill, of course.'

'One - two - three-'

Both of them had raised their wands but Snape had been quicker to cast. He had cried: ' _Expelliarmus!'_ Lockhart was blasted off his feet and flew backwards off the stage. Lockhart got to his feet unsteadily. Harry was so going to have to remember that spell.

'You know how I said I disliked Snape,' Harry whispered to Ron and Hermione while the Slytherins cheered. 'I take it back.'

'That was a Disarming Charm, it's very useful as you see, I've lost my wand- ah thank you, Miss Brown. It's one way to avoiding being hit by a rather nasty spell.' Lockhart said. 'A very good idea to show that Professor Snape. Now enough demonstrating let's call two volunteers up to assist us this time. Why don't you pick a student Professor Snape and I'll pick the other one. I think that would be fair.'

Many of the students had raised their hands up including Hermione. Snape had already called Malfoy up onto the stage figures Snape would choose someone from his own house. Harry however groaned when Lockhart picked her out of the crowd.

'Professor I hardly think that's fair my hand wasn't even raised,' Harry pointed out after hearing the disappointed sighs around her.

'Come on now Harianna no need to shy. Don't forget I'll be here to help you.'

Malfoy looked too smug on the stage. Smirking at her like he thought he was better. Then Malfoy took the decision from her hands as he mouthed at her. 'Scared Potter.' Harry pulled herself onto the stage, well Malfoy did want a duel the year before. She wondered if he would run off to Filch this time as well.

'That's it. Excellent now as Miss Potter has kindly joined us we'll begin. Face your partners and bow,' Lockhart called out.

Harry barely took her eyes off Malfoy and inclined her head. Malfoy had nodded in the same way watching her also.

'Wands at the ready! On the count of three, cast your charms to disarm your opponent only - we don't want any accidents. One - two-'

Malfoy launched a spell at her and it wasn't the flash of scarlet that Snape has produced when he had cast the Disarming Charm. Harry had been ready for Malfoy to use tactics like this dodging the spell with ease. Disarming Malfoy in the next moment. Harry cringed as she heard a loud thud hit the fall.

'Excellent well done Miss Potter at least you listened to me when I asked you to disarm your opponent,' Lockhart said. 'As you see Harianna demonstrated the other way of dealing with nasty spells. If you don't know or recognise the spell dodge it.'

Malfoy brought himself up onto the stage. He was glaring at her rather angrily Harry almost, _almost_ felt sorry for him.

'Let's begin again, you may use other spells this time nothing harmful though Mr Malfoy. On three. One - two - three-'

Malfoy send a trip jinx her way and like before Harry dodged with ease. It was all to easy to wind Malfoy up, the more she dodged the angrier Malfoy got. Harry was surprised herself she took to duelling like she had to flying.

' _Rictusempra_!' Harry shouted her wand pointed straight at Malfoy. Malfoy seemed to be really bad at this duelling thing because this time a jet of silver light hit him in the stomach, Malfoy doubled up, wheezing.

' _Tarantallegra!'_ Harry called out next. Harry had to fight laughing with the rest of the students as Malfoy began dancing a weird quickstep on the stage out of control. Snape chose that moment to take charge.

' _Finite Incantatem!'_ Snape shouted and Malfoy's feet stopped dancing. What Harry couldn't believe was that Snape had actually smirked lacking its usual menace in her direction. It had only been for a few seconds but Harry had seen it. It was when Malfoy smirked after Snape checked him over that Harry worried. Snape had obviously said something to him.

'Again three - two - one-'

Malfoy raised his wand quickly and bellowed, ' _Serpensortia!'_

The end of his wand exploded and instead of a spell aimed at her. A black snack shot out of it, as it hit the fall it raised itself up ready to strike. Lockhart brandished his wand at the snake but instead of making the snake vanish, it flew ten feet into the air. The snake was enraged it hissing loudly once it hit the floor again, fangs exposed. It slithered across the stage towards Justin Finch-Fletchley.

'Don't move, I'll get rid of it ...'

The snake was poised and ready to strike. Harry moved forward without thinking. _'Leave him.'_ Harry shouted at the snake and miraculously - the snake had listened to her slumping back on the floor. Harry looked towards Justin his face was angry and scared as he looked back at her. Harry didn't understand what she had done to cause that surely not having a snake attack you was a good thing.

'What do you think you're playing at?' Justin shouted at her and before she could reply, Justin stormed out of the hall.

Snape banished the snake in a flash beside her looking at her in an unexpected way. It was a shrewd and calculating look. Harry was very aware of the mutterings going on around her. Then she felt someone tugging on the sleeve of her robe. Ron included his head towards the exit. Not a word was said as she followed him, Hermione hurrying alongside them. As they walked through doors, people drew away from them as though they were frightened of catching something.

Harry was pushed down into an armchair when they reached the Gryffindor Common room.

'Why didn't you tell us you were a Parselmouth?'

'A what?' Harry asked confusingly.

'You can talk to snakes Harry,' Hermione explained.

'Oh, yeah I know. It's only the second time I've done it though.'

'The point is Harry it's a really rare gift. Very rare.'

'All I did was tell the snake to stop. Does it really matter how I did it?'

'It matters Harry because being able to talk to snakes is what Salazar Slytherin was famous for. That's why the symbol of Slytherin is a serpent.'

'So, the whole school is going to think I'm his decent when we have no way to prove that,' Harry said.


	39. Chapter 39

The next morning the snow that had been falling had turned into a blizzard. It was so thick that the last Herbology lesson was cancelled. Harry thought that this was a good time to try and find Justin to explain what happened with the snake. If he believed her. She didn't know believe it herself how could she speak another language and not know. Deciding her best bet was the library Harry wondered along the cold halls. The library had been a good bet a group of Hufflepuffs who should have been in Herbology were sitting at the back of the library. Harry walked towards them noticing that Justin wasn't amongst them. She sure could hear their voices though.

'So, I told Justin to hide up in our dormitory. I mean if Potter's got him down as her next victim. It's better he keeps a low profile. Justin's been waiting for something like this to happen of course being a Muggle-born.'

'So, you definitely think it is Potter then, Ernie?' A girl said.

'Hannah she's a Parselmouth. Ever heard of a decent one who could talk to snakes? Everyone knows that's the mark of a dark wizard. Remember the writing on the wall? _Enemies of the heir. Beware._ No one needs an excuse to attack Filch and that first year. Creevey was annoying Potter with that camera of his and then he was attacked.'

'She always seems so nice though. Down to earth and well you're forgetting that she's the one who made You Know Who disappear. She can't be bad, can she?'

'But no one knows how she did that, she was a baby. Only a powerful Dark Wizard or Witch could survive a curse like that. Probably why You Know Who wanted to kill her in the first place. Didn't want the competition. I wonder what other powers Potter's hiding?'

Harry stepped out of the bookshelves, clearing her throat.

'Hi. I was wondering if I could speak with Justin Filch-Fletchley. I just wanted to explain that I told that snake to stop.'

'We were there, we saw what happened with our own eyes. You spoke Parseltongue and a snake almost attacked Justin.'

Harry shook her head. 'I tried.'

'Before you get any ideas though my blood's-'

'I don't care what blood you've got!' Harry said angrily. 'I'm a half-blood my mother was a Muggle-born witch so explain to me what reason I have to attack them.'

'I heard you don't talk about those Muggles you live with.'

'You try living with the Dursleys,' Harry said. 'You might understand why I don't.'

Harry stormed off she wasn't in the mood to explain herself if they weren't willing to listen. Harry hid under her Invisibility Cloak for the rest of the afternoon in the Gryffindor tower. She hadn't gone down for lunch and had missed her favourite class this year which happened to be Charms. Would things have been this bad if she just been sorted into Slytherin like the hat wanted her to? It would probably be so much worse. Just another sign that she was a Dark Witch. Harry stared out of the window of the common room watching the snow fall.

'There you are Princess,' George said pulling off her cloak.

Harry turned her face away so he couldn't look at her. She was sure George wouldn't miss the obvious signs that she had been crying. 'Go away George I'm not in the mood.'

'You've had us worried you know,' she heard him say from behind her.

'Sorry I made you worry for the safety of others.'

'Harry I never said that and I don't believe it either. You wouldn't harm a fly.'

'But the other students think I'm a Dark decent of Slytherins. A freak who can speak to snakes.'

'Harry look at me _please,_ ' George asked.

Reluctantly Harry turned her head around, looking up towards his blue speckled eyes. George reached out wiping a tear from her cheek that had fallen with his thumb. 'Oh Princess, don't let what the other students are saying get to you. Your friends know you didn't do it. I know you didn't do it. That's all that matters not what other people think.'

'Doesn't help though George the rumours will still spread and they'll get pretty hard to ignore soon,' Harry pointed out.

'And we'll help you through it or my name isn't Fred Fabian Weasley.'

'It's not yours is George Gideon Weasley.'

'How did you find that out?' George asked surprised.

'George, you have other brothers you know, and they like to talk _a lot.'_

'I'm so going to get Ronniekins for that.'

Harry smiled laughing slightly.

'That's much better, a smile suits you best Princess. You fancy coming down for dinner.'

Harry's stomach gave a loud grumble. 'Sure, I'll be down in a moment but I think I'll wash my face first. I bet a look like a right mess.'

'You never do to me.'

'How did you find me anyway?' Harry asked him as she walked towards the dorms. The thought had only occurred to her.

'I'm allowed to have some secrets, Princess. Let's just say, I'm not likely to get lost and I'd be able to _always_ find you.'

Harry walked down to dinner in a much better mood thanks to George. She was grateful the joker had found her however he had managed to do so. Harry headed along the corridor heading towards the entrance hall. She may have taken a bit of a detour to avoid the whispers of her fellow students. Harry might be unable to hide from them but she could prolong how long she had to listen to them. Harry came to an abrupt halt as she saw a body lying on the floor in front of her. Justin Finch-Fletchley's body was rigid and cold, a look of shock frozen on his face, his eyes staring blankly at the ceiling. Nearly Headless Nick was next to him, no longer pearly-white and transparent, but black and smoky. His head was half off and his face wore an expression of shock identical to Justin's.

Peeves the annoying poltergeist came bounding around the corner, stopping halfway through mid-air somersault. He spotted Justin and Nearly Headless Nick while he was upside down. He was screaming at the top of his lungs before Harry could stop him.

'ATTACK! ATTACK! ANOTHER ATTACK! NO MORTAL LIVES OR GHOST IS SAFE! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!'

The corridor was filled out with people moments later. For several long minutes, there was a scene of such confusion that Justin was in danger of being squashed. Harry found herself pinned against the wall as teachers shouted for quiet. McGonagall came running forward, clearing the students out of the way. Justin's and Nearly Headless Nick were moved to the hospital wing by Professor Flitwick and Madam Pomfrey. Which left Harry alone with Professor McGonagall

'This way, Potter,' she said.

'Professor I swear I didn't-' Harry said at once.

'I'm afraid this is out of my hands.'

Harry followed her Professor silently. She recognised the ugly stone gargoyle that revealed a spiral staircase.

'Sherbet lemon,' Professor McGonagall said to it and the gargoyle sprang into life. They stepped on stairs waiting until a gleaming oak door was ahead. Professor McGonagall rapped on the door. Opened it silently and they entered the headmaster's office. Harry was told to wait, and left her there, alone.


	40. Chapter 40

One thing was for sure Dumbledore's office was rather interesting. It was a large and beautiful circular room. Which was full of funny little noises and curious looking ornaments. The walls were covered with portraits of old headmasters and headmistresses. Behind Dumbledore's large claw-footed desk was a shelf. A shabby, tattered hat was sitting on it- the Sorting Hat. Harry walked over she was about to pick it up but hesitated she had talked the hat out of putting her in Slytherin, it had been her choice. She was going to stand by that choice. It didn't matter that the Hat wanted to place her in Slytherin. So she had some tendencies of a Slytherin that didn't matter. Harry had done brave things too. It didn't make who she was.

The strange, gagging noise behind her caught her attention. She wasn't alone after all, standing on a golden perch behind the door was a decrepit-looking bird. It resembled a half-plucked turkey, it looked very ill and a few of its feathers fell out of its tail. The bird suddenly burst into flames, that was all she needed for Dumbledore's pet bird to die. The door opened and Dumbledore came in, looking very sombre.

'Professor your bird - I couldn't do anything- it just caught fire,' Harry gasped out.

Dumbledore smiled at her. 'It was about time. He was looking dreadful these last couple of days.'

Harry stared at her Professor in shock which caused him to chuckle. 'Fawkes is a Phoenix, Harry. They burst into flames when it is time for them to die and are reborn from the flames.'

Then out of the ashes, a tiny bird poked its head out. It looked as ugly as the old one.

'Such a shame you had to see him on a Burning Day. He's really quite handsome most of the time: wonderful red and gold plumage,' he said. 'Fascinating creatures, phoenixes. They can carry heavy loads, their tears have healing powers. They also make highly faithful pets.'

The door burst open the next moment and Hagrid barged in covered in rooster feathers.

'It wasn't Harry Professor. You've got the wrong person. Harry would never-'

'Hagrid,' Dumbledore said loudly. 'I do not think Harry attacked those people.'

'Oh,' said Hagrid, 'I'll wait outside then, Headmaster.'

Hagrid looked rather embarrassed as he closed the door.

'I must ask you, Harry, whether there is anything you wish to tell me, however.' Dumbledore said.

Harry wasn't sure what to say to that. Did she tell him what they were planning in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom? Tell him that she was hearing voices? That didn't sound like a good idea at all.

'No there isn't anything I can think of Professor.'

...

The double attack had unsettled the students so much that there was almost a stampede, to book seats on the Hogwarts Express. Harry was glad that most people were going home for the holidays. She was growing tired of people skirting around her in corridors like she was going to poison them or something. At least the castle would be clear for a few weeks giving her at least some peace. After all Malfoy and his two goons, Crabbe and Goyle were staying also. Fred and George found it rather funny that people cleared right out of Harry's way. They went out of their way marching in front of Harry shouting to make way for the heir of Slytherin. Harry wasn't sure half the time if the students were actually getting out of the way of her, or if it was due to the dungbomb that had been set off in the Hufflepuffs' common room. No evidence led to where it had come from but Harry had her suspicions.

The peace after the last day of the term had been worth it. Well, as quiet as you could be while playing Exploding Snap with the twins. It was sheer bliss being able to relax again. When Christmas morning came, she found herself being woken by Hermione a little too early. It had been her turn to help Hermione with the Polyjuice potion by adding more lacewings to it. Hermione seemed happy enough to declare it apart from a bit of hair they needed to change into someone else. Harry thought it looked like muddy slush. However, wasting no time as it was Christmas morning and Harry was feeling wide awake the choose to wake up the boys. Hermione went into Ron's dorm while Harry sneaked into twins.

'MERRY CHRISTMAS,' Harry shouted. 'It's time to get up.'

Fred and George both groaned and a pillow was thrown in her direction.

'I'll take that as I'll see you downstairs. I'm going to get Ginny up now. See you both in a bit.'

The thumping footsteps that were heard as the boys headed down made Harry think they didn't appreciate being woken up so early. Ginny was sleepily rubbing at her eyes trying to wake herself up. Harry had been too excited to care though, last year may have been the first year she had ever received gifts, it just made her look forward to seeing what she had received from her friends this year. Not that she had expected anything but she had been excited at the thought. Fred and George had got a book with spells in it, mainly for pranking but never the less spells. Hagrid had sent her some toffee which she softened by the fire. Ron had given her a book called ' _Flying with the Cannons'_ which was filled with interesting facts about his favourite Quidditch team. Mrs Weasley had sent her another jumper and a large plum cake. Hermione had also been given a Weasley jumper too. Not even the knowledge of taking Polyjuice Potion later dampened Harry's spirit. Harry and Ron had barely finished their third helpings of dessert when Hermione ushered them out of the hall.

This was the part of the plan Harry disliked most. As Crabbe and Goyle were Malfoy's friends he would be most likely to tell them anything. Ron had not so delicately told Harry she had more chance of pulling off being boy as she acted like one. Ron shut up rather quickly after that turning red in the face. Harry and Hermione had filled two plumb chocolate cakes with a simple Sleeping Draught. They just needed to make sure Crabbe and Goyle found them. Hermione had already got a hair from a girl in Slytherin named Millicent Bulstrode while they had been at the duelling club. So Harry and Ron waited in the deserted Entrance Hall waiting for the two boys to appear. The two greedy boys saw the cakes by the bannister where Harry had put them, waiting until they both felt the effects of the Sleeping Draught. When the boys passed out Ron and Harry levitated them to the nearest cupboard. They grabbed their shoes and a few hairs leaving the boys behind shutting the cupboard door firmly. Hermione had already gathered some spare robes out of laundry. They knew that they would need larger clothes once they changed into Crabbe and Goyle. Hermione handed them each a glass as they walked back into the bathroom directing them into cubicles so they could change.

Harry hoped she never had to taste Polyjuice Potion again. Hermione had told them to go on without her which used a few minutes of their time. Confused Ron and Harry made their way to the dungeons, trouble was the had no clue as into where the Slytherin Common Room was, Malfoy had saved them though as they walked through the dungeons. Turned out Malfoy had been looking for them. Malfoy took the straight to the common room, opening up a copy of the Daily Prophet.

'I'm surprised there have been no reports of the attacks yet. I suppose Dumbledore's trying to hush it all up. He'll be sacked if it doesn't stop soon. Father said Dumbledore's the worst thing that happened to this school. A decent Headmaster would never let Muggle-born scum like that Creevey in.'

Malfoy started to make impressions of Colin holding up his camera. 'Potter, can I have your picture? Potter can I have your autograph? Can I lick your shoes Potter? Saint Potter and her Mudblood friends. And People think she is the heir of Slytherin. Wish I knew who it was. I could help them.'

Harry turned to Ron in shock they hadn't been expecting that. 'You must have an idea though...'

'No Goyle I told you that I haven't. Father won't tell me much about the last time the chamber was opened either. Of course, it was fifty years ago, so it was before his time. I do know that the last time the Chamber of Secrets was opened, a Mudblood died... it's only a matter of time before one of them gets killed this time...'

Harry, however, was only half listening as Ron's hair was beginning to turn back to normal. It must have taken them longer to find Malfoy than they had thought. Though Ron put a really good act on about having an upset stomach so they could make their excuses and leave. By the time, they reached the girls' bathroom they returned back to normal with the spare robes falling off of them.

'Hermione, open up,' Harry said banging on the cubicle door. 'We've got lots to tell you.'

'Go away,' Hermione squeaked.

Moaning Myrtle looked a bit too gleeful. 'Wait until you see her. It's awful.'

The door slide open and Hermione stepped out. she was covered in black fur. Her eyes had gone yellow and long ears poked through her hair.

'It was a c-cat hair!' she howled. 'Millicent must have a cat and the Potion isn't supposed to be used for animal transformations.'


	41. Chapter 41

Once they had managed to coax Hermione out of the girl's bathroom, they had taken her to the hospital wing. Where she had remained for several weeks. So, when terms had started Harry had taken notes for her friend knowing that Hermione wouldn't want to miss out on any lessons. It was a tall order staying awake in History of Magic though. Ron and Harry had been making their way back to the tower after dropping off that day's homework. When they heard Filch in hysterics down the corridor in front of them.

' _...even more, work for me! Mopping all night, like I haven't got enough to do! No this is the final straw, I'm going to Dumbledore...'_

His footsteps receded in the opposite direction. Harry glanced at Ron and they both wondered down the corridor to find out what caused Filch to go off in a strop. A great flood of water stretched over half the corridor. They could hear Myrtle's wails echoing off the bathroom walls.

'Now what's up with her?' Ron said.

Harry shrugged stepping through the water to the girl's bathroom ignoring the 'Out of Order' sign. Moaning Myrtle was crying, if possible, louder and harder than before.

'What's the matter, Myrtle?' Harry asked kindly.

'Who's that? Come to throw something else at me?' Myrtle glugged miserably.

'Why would I throw something at you?' Harry asked.

'Don't ask me. Here I am minding my own business, and someone thinks it's funny to throw a book at me. Must be a new game, let's all throw books at Myrtle, ten points if you can get it through her stomach! Fifty if it goes through her head.'

'Did you see who threw it at you?'

'No, the book is over there.'

Harry looked under the sink, where Myrtle was pointing. A small thin book lay there. It had a shabby black cover and was as wet as everything else in the bathroom. At once she realised it was a diary and the faded year on the cover told her it was fifty years old. Harry opened it she could just make out the name: 'T. M. Riddle' on the first page. The other wet pages were completely blank. Why would someone want to throw away an empty diary? The only other thing in the book had been the name of the newsagent's in Vauxhall Road, London. A Muggle-born perhaps. It wasn't much use to her but Harry placed it in her bag anyway.

Hermione left the hospital wing at the beginning of February. Harry had filled Hermione in on the mystery of the empty diary on her first evening back. Harry had been quite determined to find out all she could about this Riddle character. What she had learnt so far was that he had been a Prefect and Head Boy in his time and that he earned an award for special services to the school fifty years ago. Harry wondered if this diary might have clues into the Chamber of Secrets. What if Riddle had got an award for catching the heir of Slytherin. This diary could lead them to all sorts of answers if she could only figure out why he left it blank.

The morning of February fourteenth Lockhart had decided that the school needed a morale boost. Harry thought she had walked into the wrong Great Hall after waking up slightly late that morning. The walls were all covered with large, lurid pink flowers. Heart-shaped confetti was falling from the ceiling. Harry sat down at the Gryffindor table, Ron opposite her looked sickened and Hermione was giggling beside her. It wasn't until she looked at the teachers' table to see Lockhart wearing pink robes that Harry realised what caused her friends reactions. Harry had just heard Lockhart's announcement, however, about his card-carrying cupids and just about seen the bunch of dwarfs dressed as cupids. She had burst out into uncontrollable fits of giggling laughter, that caused Hermione and Ron to give her puzzling looks as Harry had never laughed like so before. Harry couldn't help herself though every time she had caught sight of the pink robes on Lockhart an image from her childhood popped up.

Petunia had wanted a lovely nice dinner with her handsome men dressed nicely. The faces her uncle and cousin had pulled when she had given them pink shirts to wear. Protests were made because they would look 'girly'. Petunia had pouted but gave up letting them wear different skirts but the memory had stuck with her. Harry took a bite of toast trying to not laugh or look at theteachers's table or look her puzzled friends exchanging looks with each other at her unusual antics. However, the temptation was too much, Harry glanced and burst into giggles once more. Lockhart in his pink robes, brushing his fingers through his hair and with his ever so beaming smile made Harry think her uncle had been right. Lockhart did indeed look like a girl. Her breakfast was forgotten as her head had fallen to the table, her hands burying her face and her fits of uncontrollable laughter.

All day long and quite irritably the dwarfs had kept barging into their classes to deliver Valentines. It had been lunchtime when one of the dwarfs had caught up with Harry. She had been caught between trying to eat and not laugh at the same time. Lockhart painted a pretty picture.

'Harianna Potter?' The dwarf near her besides the Gryffindor Table asked. Harry looked up she was sure her face was flushed from her laughter.

'Yes?' Harry managed to mumble out before she laughed again.

'I've got a musical message to deliver to you in person.'

Harry stopped laughing instantly who in their right minds would send her a Valentine. 'Not here,' she whispered. The dwarf however ignored her request carrying on.

' _Her eyes are green as fresh pickled toad,_ _  
 _Her hair is a dark as a blackboard._  
 _I wish she was mine, she's really divine,_  
 _The hero who conquered the Dark Lord.'__

The hall had burst into laughter. How embarrassing, eyes like toads? Who? Why? Harry felt flushed for a different reason all together. Not even looking at Lockhart was going to make her feel better. Strangely though George had been edging away from her rather slowly. As though he was trying to not be caught for something. He wouldn't have surely not. George was pulling an all to innocent face however, while trying not looking Harry in the eye. When his eyes did reach, hers they sparkled with mischief and he was wearing a cheeky smile. He winked at her, then dashed off out of the hall. Harry grabbed her bag and chased after him shouting.

'WEASLEY, YOU BEST HOPE I DON'T GET HOLD OF YOU. COULDN'T HAVE YOU COME UP WITH SOMETHING BETTER.'

Harry lost George somewhere on the second floor, he had just turned the corridor in front of her but Harry had got there he had vanished. No classrooms and nowhere to hide in sight, stumped how he had managed to do so. Harry felt something drip onto her fingers. She had ink on her fingers, she caught signs of an ink stain on her bag. In her haste to catch George she must have caused an ink bottle to lodge loose. Luckily, she didn't have to hand in any of her homework today. Harry pulled the useless contents of parchment and the ink bottle out. Throwing it away. The rest of her contents appeared to be ok a few stains but nothing that couldn't be fixed and Riddle's diary was completely clean - Harry paused if the other books had gotten ink on them why hadn't the diary?

Harry went to bed before everyone else that night, partly due to Fred singing the Valentines at her again and because she wanted to examine the diary. Not a trace of ink on the pages at all. Taking a quill, she pressed ink onto the page. The ink vanished. Harry scratched onto the page for a second-time writing. 'My name is Harianna Potter.'

The words vanished to, this time words that she hadn't written appeared. ' _Hello Harianna Potter. My name is Tom Riddle. How did you come by my diary?'_

The words after a few moments faded too.

'Someone tried to flush it down a toilet,' Harry wrote back.

' _Lucky that I recorded my memories in some more lasting way than ink. But I always knew that there would be those who wouldn't want this diary read. This diary holds memories of terrible things. Things which were covered up. Things which happened at Hogwarts of Witchcraft and Wizardry.'_

'The Chambers of Secrets? Is that what you mean? What happened?'

' _I caught the person who opened the chamber in my fifth year. The monster inside had attacked several people finally killing someone. The monster lived on, and the one who had the power to release it was not imprisoned. He was just expelled. The Headmaster, Professor Dippet was ashamed that such a thing had happened. I was never allowed to tell the truth and the girl that died. A story was given about it being a freak accident.'_

'Who was it? The attacks are happening again. I must know they need to be stopped.'

' _I cannot tell you but I can show you ...'_

The diary pages began to blow as though caught in a high wind, stopping halfway through the month of June. Harry tilted towards, her body leaving her bed. Her feet hit solid ground. Harry was in a corridor somewhere along the third floor she guessed. A boy of about sixteen stood in front of her walking down the corridor towards her. A silver Prefect badge was glinting on his chest. He was much taller than Harry, but he too had jet-black hair. Even though he looked straight ahead and saw her he walked right passed her. That didn't make sense at all. _Show you ..._ of course this boy was Riddle himself she was in his memory. Harry realised the meaning of his words, so she followed Riddle down the corridor. He led her towards the dungeons. Ahead of them were footsteps coming from a room. Then she heard a familiar voice.

'Got to get you out of here... come on now... in the box.'

Riddle opened the door widely. 'Evening, Rubeus,' he said sharply.

Hagrid closed the cupboard behind him, turning blocking the view of the cupboard behind him. He was hiding something.

'It's all over. I'm going to have to turn you in, Rubeus. They're talking about closing Hogwarts if the attacks don't stop,' Riddle said.

'It never killed no one.'

'The dead girl's parents will be here tomorrow. The least Hogwarts can do is make sure that the thing that killed their daughter is slaughtered ...'

'It wasn't him. He would never!' He wouldn't!'

'Stand aside.'

Riddle hit the cupboard with a spell, the doors opened. A vast, low-slung, hairy body and tangle of black legs; a gleam of many eyes and a pair of razor-sharp pincers. Riddle raised his wand again but he was too late. The thing had scuttled up the wall and out of an open window. It vanished out of sight.

The scene whirled and Harry felt herself falling back onto her bed.

 _'You do not have to believe me, I didn't want an award. I wanted to stop the attacks. I only went after the monster in concern. I myself was a half-blood. Muggle father, witch mother. With a student dead, the monster on the castle grounds ready to attack again ... I couldn't in good conscious let that happen...'_

Harry couldn't believe it. It wasn't possible Hagrid, he wasn't ... no he wouldn't have. Hagrid had told her last year that he had been expelled from Hogwarts but never told her the reason why. Was it even possible that this is what he was hiding?


	42. Chapter 42

Harry informed Ron and Hermione the next morning in very hushed tones during breakfast. They had always known that Hagrid had an unfortunate liking for large and monstrous creatures. How could they forget their run in with Fluffy last year or the fact that Hagrid had tried to raise a dragon. So, if Hagrid as a boy heard that a monster was hidden somewhere in the castle, Harry was sure he would have gone to any lengths to see it. Their conclusion that they had come to was that maybe Riddle had caught the wrong person and Hagrid had been in the wrong place at the wrong time.

They figured that they would ask Hagrid if another attack happened. And as the culprit had stayed quiet for the last four months, they hoped that they wouldn't have to. Professor Sprout as the holidays drew near she had informed them that the Mandrakes were almost fully mature. She was just waiting until they started moving into each other's pots. Easter, however, came with a surprise the second-years. They had been given something new to think about. Hermione had signed up for everything. To Harry's disappointment, they couldn't drop any of their old subjects or she would have dropped History of Magic. People were giving all kinds of advice, to play to their strengths. Somehow Harry doubted Quidditch counted. Ron just said that she could sign up for the same classes as him and if she was rubbish at them then they could be rubbish together. Harry had been about to do that when she remembered the Ancient Runes book she had read during the summer. And Arithmancy didn't seem all that bad either. The magic of numbers sounded interesting enough. And Harry had always been a whizz at mathematics during Primary School. She did add Care of Magical Creatures though so at least Ron wouldn't feel alone in that subject.

'Ancient Runes and Arithmancy really? Are you mental?' Ron exclaimed when he saw what she had chosen.

'Well, it interested me, Ron, besides we wouldn't have got to school without reading that Ancient Runes book of your brothers. And well I like numbers,' Harry shrugged.

Gryffindor's next match was against Hufflepuff. Wood had scheduled in their team practices after dinner. Although the training sessions were getting better. The weather was much nicer now. The evening before Saturday's match, she walked into the common room after practice to meet a frantic looking Hermione. Her friend wasn't making much sense at all rambling about a mess and not sure who. When Harry walked into their dorm though she had made sense of Hermione's rambles. The contents of her trunk were on the floor, her drawer of her bedside cabinet had been pulled out. Harry checked her belongings and one thing was missing: Riddle's diary. Only a Gryffindor would have been able to steal it but why and who it was Harry had no clue.

The next morning the weather was perfect for Quidditch which made Oliver extremely happy. Though on her way out of the Great Hall, as she had been making her way down to the pitch. Harry stopped because she had heard the voice again. The crowd of students heading to the pitch for the made it hard to work out where it had come from. Hermione had disappeared from beside her, Ron who was still next to Harry just shrugged. The teams were getting ready to kick off when Professor McGonagall came half-marching, half running across the pitch carrying an enormous megaphone.

'This match has been cancelled,' she called. 'All students are to make their way back to the house common rooms, where their Heads of houses will give them further information. As quickly as you can please!'

Once she had lowered the megaphone she beckoned Harry over to her.

'Potter, I think you better come with me.'

Ron had come running over as they set off towards the castle. To Harry's surprise, Professor McGonagall didn't object. 'Yes, Weasley, perhaps you'd better come too.'

Professor McGonagall didn't lead them to an office but to the hospital wing.

'This may be a bit of a shock. There has been another attack ... another double attack,' she said softly opening the door.

Madam Pomfrey was bending over a fifth-year girl with curly hair from Ravenclaw. And on the bed next to her was-

' _Hermione!'_ Ron said in a trembling voice.

Hermione was utterly still, her eyes open and glassy.

'They were found near the library. Can either of you explain this?' Professor McGonagall asked holding up a small mirror. 'It was found next to them.

'No Professor we didn't even know where Hermione had wondered off to.'

'Should have figured it'd be the library,' Ron muttered.

'I will escort you back to the tower. I need to address the students.'

The Gryffindors were packed inside the common room listening to Professor McGonagall explain the new rules that applied. Harry was leaning on George her head resting on his shoulder, he had an arm loosely wrapped around her while their Professor spoke.

'All students will return to their house common rooms by six o'clock in the evening. No student is to leave the dormitories after that time. You will be escorted to each lesson by a teacher. No student is to use the bathroom unaccompanied. All further Quidditch training and matches are to be postponed. There will be no more evening activities.'

Their Professor rolled up the parchment and in a somewhat choked voice said. 'I need hardly add that I have rarely been so distressed. It is likely that the school will close unless the culprit behind these attacks is caught. I would urge anyone who thinks they might know anything about them to come forward.'

Once she left the Gryffindors began talking.

'That's two Gryffindors down, not counting a Gryffindor ghost, one Ravenclaw and one Hufflepuff,' Lee Jordan spoke out. 'Hasn't anyone noticed that the Slytherins are all safe? Isn't it obvious all this stuff's coming from Slytherin? The heir of Slytherin, the monster of Slytherin - here's an idea why don't they just chuck all the Slytherins out.'

'Because like us they don't know who it is either,' Harry said without thinking. Several heads had turned in her direction.

'We overheard Malfoy speaking to Crabbe and Goyle. Doesn't have a clue and if one Slytherin knew-' Harry concluded telling them a half truth, they didn't need to know that Ron and her had been Malfoy's friends finding out this information.

'They would all know and be bragging about it,' Ron added. 'We wouldn't hear the end of it actually considering most of them think they're better than the rest of us.'

Percy was sitting in a chair behind Lee, but for once he didn't seem keen to make his views heard. He was looking rather pale and stunned.

'I think he's in shock,' George whispered to Harry noticing where she had been looking. 'That Ravenclaw girl - Penelope Clearwater - she's a Prefect. I don't think he thought the monster would dare attack a Prefect.'

Harry, however, was looking at Ron. The three of them had already decided to speak to Hagrid if another attack happened. And Harry wasn't going to let Hermione down a promise was a promise. Ron nodded towards her he had obviously been thinking the same thing. Well if they couldn't be seen wandering the halls maybe it was time to get her dad's old Cloak out.


	43. Chapter 43

Harry's dad's old Cloak had been the only thing she had possessed which belonged to her parents. Harry sneaked into Ron's dorm later that night. Her friend had been dressed and ready to go. Having an Invisibility Cloak sure had its advantages if one didn't want to be seen. It was the only chance they had of sneaking out to see Hagrid.

They only took the Cloak off the moment they reached Hagrid hut. Seconds after they knocked, Hagrid flung the door open. They found themselves face to face with a crossbow.

'Oh, what are you two doing here?' he said, lowing the weapon.

'What's that for?' Ron asked pointing at crossbow as they stepped inside.

'Nothing ... I've been expecting... doesn't matter I'll make you some tea.'

'Hagrid, are you OK? Did you hear about Hermione?' Harry asked.

'Oh, I heard alright,' he answered with a slight break in his voice.

There was a loud knock on the door. Hagrid had an anxious look on his face. Harry and Ron threw the cloak back over themselves. It wouldn't be good to be seen outside their dorms when they were meant to be in bed sleeping. And not out at all in the first place.

It was Dumbledore, followed by a second man. The stranger was a short, portly man with rumpled grey hair. He was wearing a strange mixture of clothes: a pin-striped suit, a scarlet tie, a long black cloak and purple pointed boots. Under his arm, he carried a lime-green bowler.

'That's Cornelius Fudge the Minister for Magic. He's dad's boss!' Ron whispered beside her.

Hagrid looked rather pale as they both stepped through.

'Bad business, Hagrid. Had to come four attacks on Muggle-borns. Things have gone far enough. Ministry's got to act.'

'I want it understood Cornelius, that Hagrid has my full confidence.'

'Albus, Hagrid's record is against him. We've got to do something - the school governors have been in touch.'

'Taking Hagrid away will not help in the slightest.'

'I'm under a lot of pressure. If it turns out it wasn't Hagrid, he'll be back and no more need be said. But I've got to take him, got to.'

'Take me? Take me where?' Hagrid asked then with a croaky voice asked. 'Not Azkaban?'

Ron nudged Harry's elbow to get her attention whispering once he had it. 'Wizard prison.'

Another knocked on the door brought their attention back towards the other people in the room this time Dumbledore opened it. Malfoy's father strode into Hagrid's hut, swathed in a long black travelling cloak, smiling a cold and satisfied smile.

'Ah, Dumbledore I was informed that the Headmaster was here.'

'What exactly did you want with me, Lucius?'

' _Dreadful_ thing Dumbledore, but the governors feel it's time for you step aside.' Mr Malfoy said pulling out a long roll of parchment. 'This is an Oder of Suspension - you'll find all twelve signatures on it.'

'You can't take Dumbledore!' Hagrid yelled. 'The Muggle-born's won't stand a chance there'll be killings next!'

'Calm yourself Hagrid, if the governors want my removal, Lucius I shall, of course, step aside,' Dumbledore said sharply, then turned his gaze to where Harry and Ron were hiding. 'However, you will find that I will only _truly_ have left this school when none here are loyal to me. Help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it.'

Malfoy strode to the cabin door, opening it and followed Dumbledore out. Fudge looked at Hagrid expectantly.

'All right I'm coming.' Hagrid said pulling on his moleskin coat. 'If anyone wanted to find out stuff, all they would have to do would be to follow the spiders. That would lead them straight.'

Fudge looked bewildered. But as Hagrid followed Fudge to the door he stopped at the opened door and said loudly, 'And someone will have to feed Fang while I'm away.'

The door slammed shut. Leaving Harry and Ron alone with Fang.

...

After a rather long night and not much sleep, Harry was grateful that it was still the weekend. The last thing she had expected though had been a scream waking her up rather too early in her opinion on a Sunday morning.

'RAT...RAT...RRRAAATTT...'

Groaning Harry woke to the squeals from her fellow dorm member Lavender Brown.

'KILL IT ... there it is...'

Harry pulled herself up and sure enough, Scabbers had run underneath her bed. The clock on her side told it was eight thirty causing her to let out another groan.

'Lavender it's ok, it's only Scabbers,' Harry explained falling back onto her bed not looking at the other girls standing on their own beds, as though they were frightened Scabbers could jump up at them.

'Harry I don't like rats ... I despise them...'

'What Lavender means is that she's scared of them,' Parvati explained.

'Why are you standing on your bed then?' Harry pointed out.

'I don't want to touch it either ... just want to get rid of it.'

'Give me two seconds ...' Harry yawned, climbing out of the bed.

Getting in a hold of Scabbers who was hiding in the corner of her bedpost and the wall had been tricky. After a few attempts she caught him and he squirmed in her grip.

'You know I don't like rats either,' Harry spoke softly to it walking down the stairs. The other girls had followed her rather distantly. 'You're just lucky Ron is my friend or you would one dead rat.'

Ron, Fred and George were already up and sitting by the fire place. Harry walked over ignoring their stunned faces as she passed Scabbers over. Harry knew she didn't look odd because she had caught sight of herself in the dorm mirror. Harry couldn't work out why the boys looked stunned. Looking down at herself to check once more but nope she was still in her old baggy t-shirt and old leggings. The only difference was that the other girls had covered themselves up with dressing gowns. Harry had been lucky enough to not be bothered by doing the same. Since she was quite small anyway and unlike her fellow dorms mates, she had nothing to hide. Lavender started shouting at Ron the next moment which snapped Harry out of her musing as into what was wrong with her.

'THINK IT'S FUNNY DON'T YOU! SCARING US OUT OF OUR WITS!'

'Speak for yourselves,' Harry mumbled yawning. 'I was sleeping quite nicely until all of you woke me.'

Ron looked quite stunned and gave Harry a questioning look.

'Scabbers was in the girls' dorm,' Harry explained.

'Oh well I didn't put him there now did I.' Ron said. 'Boys can't get up the stairs, it turns into a slide if we step on it.'

Harry raised an eyebrow at her friend.

'I learned the hard way. I tried to get you and Hermione back for waking us up early on Christmas morning.'

'YOU'LL WANT TO WATCH YOUR RAT FROM NOW ON THE NEXT TIME IT LANDS UP IN THE GIRLS DORM... IT WON'T COME OUT AGAIN ALIVE,' Lavender shouted stropping off in the direction of the girls' dorm.

Ron just looked completely puzzled, looking between his rat and the leaving girls. The twins sniggering besides him.

'I think I'll go put him back in his cage. Don't know how he got out in the first place,' Ron said ruffling a hand through his hair walking off towards the boys' dorms.

Harry turned towards the mischievous boys giving them both a calculating look. If Ron hadn't done it and thought Scabbers was in his cage than that meant someone else had. The twins' smiles faded and they both gulped knowing Harry had been onto them. It wasn't hard to figure out, known for their pranks and their all too innocent faces. It was a matter of two plus two.

'What is so funny about putting a rat into the girl's dorm?' Harry asked them pointing out. 'Lavender is frightened of rats.'

'It wasn't us,'

'Wouldn't dream of doing,'

'Such a thing.'

'No, of course, you wouldn't,' Harry replied sarcastically. 'I, however, know better and know you both very well. If anyone in the boys' dorms could work out a way around the stairs changing it would be you two. So, don't act innocent with me.'

'We just wanted,'

'To brightened up the mood.'

Harry shook her head at them, closing her eyes. Sometimes she couldn't believe their logic. 'I'll show you how you brighten up the mood,' Harry flicked her wand at them smirking at them when they both jumped up to their feet. Well, Oliver had learnt the hard way not to wake her, it was only fair that Fred and George did as well. 'That'll give you something to think about the next time you decide to wake me up.'

Harry strode away towards the dorms, there was no point in going back to bed now. She stopped before she reached the stairs shouting towards the twins who were still jumping up every time that sat down. 'Oh, and you may want to think about apologising.'

Laughter erupted at the Gryffindor table that morning due Fred and George who stood rather awkwardly trying to eat their breakfast, both flushing red in the face.

'What on earth did you curse them with Harry?' Parvati asked her between her giggles. The girls had been enjoying her little payback.

'Stinging hex or a version of it. Every time they sit down they will get stung quite nastily. The longer that they sit down for the worse the pain gets.'

'Oh ... clever ... deserve it even if it means they have sore bottoms,' Lavender said. 'I apologised to Ron ...'

Harry didn't hear much more because Professor McGonagall had literally forced the twins to sit down at the table causing the table to laugh again as the twins tried to get back up.

'So how long does it last for?' Parvati whispered as Professor McGonagall gave up trying to make them sit.

'Ohh I think it may last until the end of the day at least ... that's if no one removes the spell,' Harry whispered back.


	44. Chapter 44

Even with sunny Summer weather gracing the castle grounds, fear had spread as never before. With Dumbledore gone, there was barely a face to be seen that didn't look worried or tense. Hagrid's hint to follow the spiders had been harder than Harry thought - there didn't seem to be a single spider left in the castle to follow. With the teachers escorting them to their next lessons and meals they couldn't wander off either.

Lockhart was in a pleasant mood as the culprit had been 'captured'. Professor McGonagall was filling in for Professor Dumbledore and looked rather stressed out. Malfoy seemed to be the only person to be pleased strutting around the school like he was Head Boy. Ernie Macmillan the Hufflepuff who had been saying horrible things about her that day in the library Harry had gone looking for Justin. Had apologised to her during their next Herbology lesson, his friend Hannah who it had been with at the time kept telling Harry that she told him it wasn't her. It was in that lesson Harry had noticed some spiders finally heading in the direction of the Forbidden Forest.

'No, twice was enough,' Ron said later that night in common room after Harry informed him of what she saw.

'Fine I'll go by myself.'

'No, you won't, George would kill me if I'd let you go alone.'

'Then come with me.'

'Spiders though Harry,' Ron replied with a shaky voice.

'I know you're afraid of them. Do it for yourself to prove that you can do it,' Harry said. 'Hell, do it for Hermione.'

That seemed to work as Ron nodded his head in agreement. Just as before they waited until dark to sneak out once again under the cloak. On their way down they went to check on Fang. Harry placed the cloak on Hagrid's table they wouldn't need it in the forest and she didn't want to lose it either. As they approached the edge of the forest Ron had already got his wand out ready for an attack.

'I don't think that you should be casting any spells. They've all back fired so far,' Harry pointed out she took out her own wand and murmured, ' _Lumos!'_

A tiny light appeared at the end of her wand, just enough to let them watch the path for signs of spiders. Two happened to shutter away from the wand light into the shades of the trees. They followed the spiders, the deeper they went into the forest the more that spiders appeared forming a steady swarm. For about twenty minutes they walked, not speaking their spider guides were leaving the path. The trees had become thicker than ever so the stars were no longer visible. So they followed the darting spiders off the path. Hagrid had told them to stick to the path in their detention with him which is why Harry had stuck to it the last time they were in the forest. Minding the branches of trees and the tree roots they continued walking. Half an hour later Harry thought she heard a strange clicking noise in the darkness. But in this darkness, they would need - a stronger light. Professor Flitwick had been teaching them the incantation recently Harry wasn't sure why she didn't think of it at first. Harry extinguished the wand light then whispered: ' _Lumos Maxima!'_

Harry wished that she hadn't thought of the spell now as the light shone from her wand revealed what had made the strange clicking noise. They were in a hollow, surrounded by spiders - giant spiders. Ron had backed into her causing her to jump from the contact. Harry could understand his fear of spiders very much now especially if they could grow to a great size. From the middle of a misty domed web, a spider the size of a small elephant emerged. His black hairy legs were greying, each of the eyes on his ugly, pincered head was milky white. The spider was blind.

'Hagrid?' It called one of the spiders beside this one answered before Harry could.

'Strangers Aragog.'

'Kill them,' he clicked in reply.

'Wait we are friends of Hagrid's,' Harry shouted.

There was clicking from the fellow spiders besides the one in the middle. Harry figured if he had ordered an attack then this spider was in charge. Figures Hagrid would befriend such a creature.

'Hagrid has never sent people into our hollow before,' Aragog said slowly.

'He's in trouble, that is why we've come,' Harry explained.

'Why send you?'

'They think that Hagrid has been attacking students with something at the school. They've taken him to Azkaban.'

'But that was many years ago. Year and years ago,' Aragog said. 'I remember it well, they believed I was the monster that dwells in what they call the Chamber of Secrets. That is why they made Hagrid leave, they thought he opened the chamber and set me free.'

'So, you didn't come from the chamber?'

'I was not born in the castle. I came from an egg. A traveller from a distant land gave my egg to Hagrid. Hagrid was only a boy, but he cared for me, hidden in the castle. When I was discovered and blamed for the death of a girl, he protected me. I have lived here in the forest since.'

'So, you never attacked anyone?'

'Never out of respect of Hagrid it would have been my instinct - I never harmed a human because of Hagrid. The body of the girl who was killed was discovered in a bathroom.'

'So, if you didn't attack the girl what did?'

'The thing that lives in the castle is an ancient creature we spiders fear above all others.'

'What is it. Because whatever it is it's attacking people again.'

'We do not speak of it. We do not name it. I never told Hagrid the name of that dread creature, though he asked me many times.'

The spiders were pressing close now on all sides and Harry didn't fancy pressing the subject or become the spiders' dinner.

'Thank you ... umm ... we'll just go then.'

'Go I think not ... my sons and daughters do not harm Hagrid, on my command. But I cannot deny them fresh meat when it wonders so freely into our midst. Goodbye, friend of Hagrid.'

There were hundreds of them closing in surrounding them.

'What do we do now Harry?' Ron asked.

'Duck...'

'What?'

'NOW!' Harry shouted. The light dimmed from the wand. Harry sent a curse over the top of Ron's head behind them, blasting a way through the spiders. 'RUN.' she shouted grabbing Ron's hand pulling him through the tiny hole she had just created. The spiders were fast though several times they had come close to being captured.

'Harry... there's too many ...'

It was just like when the pixies had taken over their defence lesson with Lockhart - that thought gave Harry an idea.

' _Immobilious!'_ The spiders froze just like the pixies had.

'Love that spell,' Ron exclaimed from beside her.

'Run now,' Harry replied panting, she didn't think it would hold for long they were much larger than the pixies. 'Love the spell later.'

' _Lumos Maxima!'_ Harry gasped out as they ran towards the direction they came.

Harry and Ron had panicked a bit when they couldn't find the path back but when trees became less dense, it became more manageable. By the time, they reached Hagrid's hut, they both were breathing heavily and catching their breaths. Ron had shut the door with a bang leaning against it while Harry collected her cloak.

' _Follow_ the spiders, Hagrid tells us ... why couldn't have been follow the butterflies?'

'I bet Hagrid thought that it wouldn't attack his friends,' Harry said

'That's Hagrid problem, he always thinks monsters aren't as bad as they appear. What was the point of sending us there that's what I'd like to know.'

'We know that Hagrid is innocent ... Ron, Aragog ...'

'What about the giant spider that tried to eat us could you want to possibly talk about?'

'Aragog said that the girl who died was found in a bathroom ... What if - what if she never left?'

'You don't think - Moaning Myrtle?'

'That's exactly what I think.'


	45. Chapter 45

It was three days before the exams were due to start when Professor McGonagall made an announcement.

'I have great news; Professor Sprout has informed me that the Mandrakes are ready for cutting at last. Tonight, we'll be able to revive those who have been Petrified. Hopefully, they will be able to inform us of our culprit.'

There was an explosion of cheering. Ginny looked a bit tense and nervous, Harry wondered if it was due to the upcoming exams.

'Hey what's up?' Harry asked her surprisingly Ginny didn't flush red. She answered.

'I've got something to tell you.'

'What is it?'

Ginny opened her mouth but no sound came out. As she took a deep breath, Percy appeared from his Prefect rounds.

'Budge up Ginny, I'm starving.'

Ginny looked up at him, gave him a frightened look and scarpered away.

'Percy, she was about to tell us something,' Ron scolded.

'What sort of thing?'

'She was about to tell us and then you turned up,' Ron said.

'Oh ... well, Ginny walked in on me the other week when I was ... well never mind, I asked her not to say ... it's nothing really, I'd just rather ... I asked not to say anything, I must say I'm surprised she has so far.'

...

They managed to ditch Lockhart on the first-floor corridor. Harry didn't want a chance to pass up talking to Myrtle. They should have been heading towards History of Magic. Lockhart had been mumbling about unnecessary security measures. It had been too easy to talk him back to his classroom. Harry and Ron had been congratulating themselves on their little scheme when Professor McGonagall spotting them. Myrtle's bathroom had just been right around the corner. Ron had managed to make up some excuse about going to see Hermione. Which she kindly escorted them too.

It was plain that Hermione didn't have the faintest inkling that she had visitors.

'I wonder if she did see the attacker because if he sneaked up on them all, no one will ever know...' Ron said looking sadly at Hermione's face.

Harry, however, wasn't looking at her face, she was looking at her right hand. It was clenched up like she had been hiding something- taking a closer look Harry could just about see an edge to a piece of paper in Hermione's hands. Harry pulled the paper free. It was a torn page from a very old library book. Harry smoothed it out so they could both read it.

 _Of the many fearsome beasts and monsters that roam our land, there is none more deadly than the Basilisk, known as King of Serpents. This snakes may reach a gigantic size and live many hundreds of years. Its methods of killing are most wondrous, for aside from its deadly and venomous fangs, the Basilisk has a murderous stare, all who are fixed with the beam of its eye shall suffer instant death. Spiders flee before it, for it is their mortal enemy and the Basilisk flees only from the crowing rooster, which is fatal to it._

Beneath this was written a single word, in Hermione's handwriting. _Pipes._

'Ron this is it. The answer the monster is a Basilisk. It's why I've been hearing voices all over the place and no one else has. They can't understand Parseltongue. No one's died because no one looked it straight in the eye. Colin had his camera. Justin must have seen it through, Nick... Nick got the full blast of it but he can't die again. Hermione and the Ravenclaw Prefect were found with a mirror.'

'And Mrs Norris?' Ron asked.

'The water... the flood from Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. I bet she just saw the reflection.'

'Pipes though - what did Hermione mean by that?'

'Pipes - pipes,' Harry tested the word trying to figure it out. 'Ron it's been using the plumbing. I heard the voices from inside the walls. Don't you think it's rather odd that no one has seen a great snake looming around?'

'Harry the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets - what if it's a bathroom? What if it's in-'

'Moaning Myrtle's bathroom,' Harry said. 'You do realise that I can't be the only Parselmouth in the school. The heir is one too. That's how they've been controlling the Basilisk.'

'So, should we go straight to McGonagall?'

Harry nodded. 'It's ten minutes until the break. Let's go to the staff room.'

They ran down the stairs heading straight towards the castle. The bell, never came instead, echoing through the corridor came Professor McGonagall's voice magically magnified telling students to return to their dorms and teachers to return the staff room. Fearing another attack, they hid themselves in a cupboard close by. Harry thought that if they listen in to find out all the facts first then they could inform their Professor of what they knew. The teachers filtered into the room, the door left inches open.

'It has happened, a student has been taken right into the chamber by the monster itself.'

'How can you be so sure?'

'The heir of Slytherin left another message. _Her skeleton will lie in the Chamber for ever.'_

'Who- who has been taken?'

Professor McGonagall replied in a weak voice. 'Ginny Weasley.'

Ron had slid down the cupboard beside Harry, falling to the floor.

'This is the end of Hogwarts, we shall have to send all the students home tomorrow.'

Lockhart appeared at the next moment, waltzing into the staff room.

'Must have dozed off - sorry what have I missed?'

'Just the man. A girl has been snatched by the monster Lockhart. Taken into Chamber of secrets. Your moment has come at last.'

'Yes, weren't you telling us, that you knew where the Chamber of Secrets is all along?'

'And that you were sure you knew what was inside it?'

'And that you thought it was such a shame, you couldn't have had a crack at the monster before Hagrid's arrest?'

'We'll we shall leave you to it then, Gilderoy. Free roam at last. Tonight will be an excellent time to do it. we'll make sure everyone's out of your way. You'll be able to tackle the monster all by yourself.'

'Very - well,' Lockhart replied. 'I'll be in my office getting - getting ready.'

...

It was the worst evening at Hogwarts. Ron, Fred, George and Harry had sat together in silence, unable to say anything to each other. Percy had sent off an owl to their parents then shut himself in his dorm. Harry had kept thinking though If Lockhart knew then why hadn't he stopped the attacks? Why not step forward in the beginning. Lockhart was becoming shadier by the minute. The man didn't have a clue what he was doing. Yet he had done all those things- it didn't make sense. Was he going to the chamber? Harry doubted it. She nudged Ron up and they walked out of the dorm, none one even tried to stop them. Ron had been looking at Harry confused by where she was leading them. Darkness fell as they walked to his office. His door was open and he didn't seem to be preparing for hunting down a monster. He was packing.

'I knew it. I knew something was wrong about you,' Harry snarled making Lockhart jump. 'You're a phoney. What kind of heroic person who was able to defeat a Banshee or save a village from werewolves - just runs away. They don't they fight but you can't even get that right. Some Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher you are.'

'Well, I must say ... when I took the job - nothing in the job description - I didn't expect to.'

'You didn't expect that you would have to live up to, the high example that you had set yourself? What was it that you said to me about setting yourself up so much ... something about it looking ... oh big headed.'

'Books can be misleading ...'

'Oh, no I don't think the facts in the books are wrong. I just think you've been running around taking credit for what other people have done.'

'Harianna, Harianna,' Lockhart said. 'it's not as simple as that. There was work involved, I had to track those people down. Ask them how they managed to do what they did. Then I had to put a Memory Charm on them so they wouldn't remember doing it. It was a lot of work Harianna,' Lockhart said shutting the lids of his trunk.

'I'm afraid that you've left me no choice, I'm going to have to put a Memory Charm on you now. Can't have you both blabbing my secrets. I'd never sell another book...'

Harry reached for wand before Lockhart had a chance to raise his.

' _Expelliarmus!'_ Harry bellowed and she watched Lockhart blast backwards, falling over his trunk. His wand flying high into the air which Ron caught.

'Shouldn't have let Professor Snape teach us that one,' Harry said leaning over Lockhart.

'What do you want me to do? I don't even know where the Chamber of Secrets is?' Lockhart said weakly.

Harry forced Lockhart to his feet. 'You're in luck _Professor_ we think we know where it is. And what is inside it. Let's go.'

They marched down out of his office down the corridor towards Myrtle's bathroom. When Ron said in a small voice.

'Harry, remind me to never face you in a duel.'

Harry gave her friend a questioning look.

'George is completely wrong about you not being able to hurt anything. And to be honest I wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of any spells that you throw. You think my mum's scary, you should see what you look like when you cast a spell.'


	46. Chapter 46

Moaning Myrtle was sitting on the cistern of the end toilet when they reach her bathroom.

'Oh, it's you,' she said when she saw Harry and Ron. 'What do you want now?'

'To ask you how you died?'

Myrtle's whole aspect changed at once. Like she had been asked a flattering question.

'Ohhh it was dreadful. It happened right in here,' she said. 'I died in this very cubicle. I remember it so well. I'd hidden because Olive Hornby was teasing me about my glasses. The door was locked and I was crying. then I heard something funny. A different language, I think it must have been. It was a boy speaking. So, I unlocked the door to tell him to go and then- I died.'

'How?'

'No idea, I just remember seeing a pair of great yellow eyes. My whole body sort of seized up and then I floated away,' she said. 'I was determined to haunt Olive Hornby so I came back again. Oh, she was sorry she'd ever laughed at my glasses.'

'Where exactly did you see the eyes?'

'Somewhere there,' Myrtle said pointing towards the sink in front of her toilet. 'That tap's never worked.'

It looked like an ordinary sink. They examined every inch of it, including the pipes below. Scratched on the side of one of the copper taps was a tiny snake.

'Harry try saying something in Parseltongue,' Ron suggested.

The only times she had been able to speak Parseltongue were when she had been faced with a real snake.

' _Open up.'_

The tap glowed and began to spin. Next second, the sink began to move. It sank right out of sight, leaving a large pipe exposed, a pipe wide enough for a man to slide into. Harry had made up her mind what she was going to do.

'I'm going down there.' Harry said.

'Me too,' Ron agreed.

'Well you hardly need me,' Lockhart said.

'I think Professor that-' Harry said raising her wand towards him.

'You can go first,' Ron snarled doing the same.

White faced and wandless, Lockhart approached the opening. Harry jabbed him in the back with her wand and Ron pushed him in. Lockhart slid down the pipe and vanished. Harry lowered herself into the pipe and let go. It was like rushing down a filthy slide. Pipes branched off in all directions, but none as large as theirs, which twisted and turned, sloping steeply downwards. The piped levelled out, Harry shot out the end with a wet thud. Lockhart was getting to his feet a little way away, covered in slime. Ron came whizzing out of the pipe moments later.

'We're miles under the school,' Harry said.

'Under the lake, probably,' said Ron.

All three of them stared into the darkness ahead. Not wanting to be caught out this time Harry muttered.

' _Lumos Maxima!'_

'Remember any sign of movement, close your eyes straight away ... I'll try speaking to it.'

The tunnel was quiet, the floor was littered with animal bones.

'Harry there's something up there...' Ron stuttered.

They froze watching. Harry could just see the outline of something huge and curved lying across the tunnel. It wasn't moving. Harry edged forward slowly with her wand held high. The light slid over a gigantic snake skin, of a vivid, poisonous green, lying curled and empty. Harry heard a thud from behind her, turning quickly she saw that Ron had been knocked to the floor. Lockhart was straightening up, panting, Ron's wand in his hand and his gleaming smile back on his face.

'The adventure ends here, Mr Ronald Weasley and Miss Harianna Potter!' he said. 'I shall take a bit of the skin back up to the school, tell them I was too late to save the girl, and that you two tragically lost your minds at the sight of her mangled body. Say goodbye to your memories.'

'I just have one problem with that, you see, I'd very much like to be able to remember that I prefer being called Harry,' Harry replied as Lockhart raised Ron's wand. Ron looked at her as though she lost her mind.

'Like it matters now. _Obliviate!'_

The wand exploded with the force of a small bomb. Harry flung her arms over her head and ran. Next moment she was standing alone gazing at a solid wall of rock.

'RON.'

'I'm OK. Lockhart isn't though. Got blasted by the wand. Did you know that my wand was going to do that?'

'Ron, your wand's been backfiring spells all year. It was a good guess that it would do the same again,' Harry replied.

'Now what ... we can't get through. It will take ages...'

They would be wasting time if they both stayed here. Ginny had been down here for hours now. And using magic to clear up the rocks could make the cave in worse.

'Try moving the rocks, don't use any magic though we don't want to make it worse. I'll go on ahead if I'm not back in an hour ...'

'I'll see you in a bit, both of you.'

'See you in a bit,' Harry replied with a shaky voice.

And she set off alone, following the tunnel. When the tunnel ended, a solid wall ahead on which two entwined serpents were carved, their eyes set with great, glinting emeralds. Harry took a breath forcing herself to remain calm. Speaking in Parseltongue once more.

' _Open.'_

The serpents parted as the wall cracked open, the halves slid out of sight and Harry, trembling from head to foot stepped inside. Harry stood at the end of a very long, dimly lit chamber. Towering stone pillars entwined with more carved serpents rose to support a ceiling lost in darkness. As she drew level with the last of the pillars, a statue high as the chamber itself loomed into view. At the bottom of the statue lay a small, black-robed figure with flaming red hair.

'Ginny,' Harry muttered dashing to her, dropping to her knees, checking her for a pulse. It was faint but it was there.

'She won't wake,' said a soft voice.

Harry jumped and spun around on her knees. A tall, black haired boy was leaning against the nearest pillar, watching.

'Tom - Tom Riddle?'

Riddle nodded. Harry stared at him. Tom Riddle had been at Hogwarts fifty years ago, yet here he stood, a weird misty light shining about him, not a day older than sixteen.

'How? Are you some kind of ghost?'

'A memory,' Riddle said quietly. 'Preserved in a diary for fifty years.' Tom pointed at the little black diary Harry had found in Myrtle's bathroom. She wondered how it had got there for a second.

'You've got to help me, Tom. We've got to get her out of here. There's a Basilisk ... I have no clue where it is, but it could be along any moment. Please, help me...'

Riddle didn't move as Harry tried to move Ginny from the floor, she went to pick up her wand but it had gone. Harry looked up. Riddle was still watching her - twirling Harry's wand between his fingers.

'It won't come until it's called?'

'What do you mean? Look give me my wand. I'm going to need it.'

'You won't be needing it,' Riddle said with a broad smile.

'What?'

'I've waited a long time for this Harianna Potter, for a chance to see you. To speak to you.'

'Me... why?'

'Because you were all she would talk about. The reason Ginny Weasley's like this is because she poured her heart out spilling her secrets to an invisible stranger. Ginny has been writing in my diary for months now, telling me, how she had to come to school wearing second-hand robes that were once owned by you. And that she had to have second-hand books also. How her brothers tease her. How- how she didn't think the famous, good, great Harianna Potter would ever like her...'

'It was very boring having to listen to the woes of an eleven-year-old girl. But I was patient. I wrote back, I was sympathetic. Ginny loved me. I've always been able to charm the people I needed. I grew more powerful every time she wrote. Powerful enough to start feeding Miss Weasley a few secrets of my own.'

'You, you got her to open the Chamber.'

'Yes, of course, she had no idea what she was doing. Attacking those people, strangling the roosters and leaving the messages on the walls. It took a long time for Ginny to stop trusting the diary she tried to dispose of it And, that's where you come in Harianna. You found it and I couldn't have been more delighted. Of all the people to pick my diary up it had been the very person I was most anxious to meet.'

'Why me?'

'Ginny told me all about you, Harianna. Your whole fascinating history. I wanted to find out more about you. So, I showed you my capture of the great oaf, Hagrid.'

'That didn't work Hagrid's my friend. We thought you had made a mistake but you framed him, didn't you?'

'It was my word against his. I was a model student only the Transfiguration teacher Dumbledore, seemed to think Hagrid was innocent.'

'Dumbledore saw right through you, didn't he?'

'Well, he certainly kept a close watch on me. I knew it wouldn't be safe to open the Chamber again while I still at school. I left behind a diary I had spent years searching the school for the Chamber, I wasn't going to waste them. I preserved my sixteen-year-old self with the diary's pages so that one day with luck I could finish Salazar Slytherin's noble work.'

'You haven't finished it. No one has died In a few hours the Mandrake Draught will be ready.'

'That doesn't matter anymore, I've already told you. for months now my new target has been you. Imagine my disappointment the next time my diary opened, to find that it was Ginny writing to me. She thought I had spilled her secrets and panicked. It was clear to me from everything Ginny had told me about you. You would go to any lengths to solve the mystery of the Slytherin heir if a friend of yours was attacked. Ginny informed me how the whole school was buzzing because you could speak Parseltongue.'

'So, I made Ginny write her own farewell on the wall and come here to wait. She fed enough of her soul into the pages so that I could finally leave. I've been waiting for you to appear. I knew you would come. I have many questions for you Harianna Potter.'


	47. Chapter 47

Harry gulped. Questions for her, what could he possibly want to know about her?

'Like what?'

'Well, how it is that a baby with no extraordinary magical talent managed to defeat the greatest wizard of all time? How did you escape with nothing but a scar, while Lord Voldemort powers were destroyed?'

'Why do you care? Voldemort was after your time.'

'Voldemort,' Riddle said softly. 'Is my past, present and future, Harianna Potter...'

With Harry's wand, he began to trace it through the air, writing three words:

TOM MARVOLO RIDDLE.

Riddle waved the wand once more and the letters of his name rearranged themselves.

I AM LORD VOLDEMORT.

'Did you think that I was going to use my filthy Muggle father's name for ever? I, in whose veins runs the blood of Salazar Slytherin himself, through my mother's side? No, I fashioned myself a new name I knew wizards everywhere would one day fear to speak when I had become the greatest sorcerer in the world!'

'I hate to burst your bubble, but you're not,' Harry replied. 'The greatest wizard in the world is Albus Dumbledore, everyone says so. Even when you were strong, you didn't dare attack Hogwarts. Dumbledore saw through you at school and he frightens you now, wherever you're hiding these days.'

'Dumbledore has been driven out of this castle by the mere memory of me!' Riddle hissed.

'He's not as gone as you think!'

Music was coming from somewhere. It was eerie, spine-tingling, unearthly. It was soothing and heart-warming. A crimson bird the size of a swan had appeared, piping its weird music. It had a glittering gold tail. Fawkes. A second later, the Phoenix flew straight towards Harry dropping something into her lap. It was the Sorting Hat.

Riddle began to laugh so hard the chamber rang with it.

'This is what Dumbledore sends his defender! A songbird and an old hat! Do you feel brave, Harianna Potter? Do you feel safe? I think we should get back to business, twice in your past, in my future - we have met. And twice I failed to kill you. How did you survive?'

'No one knows. I don't know myself. I do know my mother died to save me and that's why you couldn't kill me. My common Muggle-born mother stopped you.'

'Yes, that's a powerful counter-curse. I did wonder - we had strange likenesses. Now, however, Harianna, I'm going to teach you a little lesson. Let's match the powers of Lord Voldemort, heir of Salazar Slytherin against famous Harianna Potter, and the best weapons Dumbledore can give her.'

Riddle hissed and the gigantic stone faced statue was moving. The mouth opened wide to make a large black hole. Something stirred from its depths. Harry shut her eyes. Something huge hit the stone floor of the chamber. She heard Riddle order the snake to kill her. The serpent was nearing her Harry could sense it. She heard mad hissing as she waiting for the snake to attack. Not being able to help herself she glanced up. Fawkes was soaring around its head, and the basilisk was snapping furiously at him with its fangs. Blood poured from its eyes, Fawkes had blinded the Basilisk. Harry would be able to look where she was going now.

But even though the Basilisk was blind it didn't mean that it couldn't use it's over senses to find her. What Harry needed now was help and lots of it. Riddle was furious snapping at the snake to leave the bird and kill her instead. Harry could really use that help right about- something glittering from the hat caught her eye. Peering into the hat she could see a handle glittering with rubies. Harry pulled it free from the hat, the handle was to the end of a long gleaming silver sword. It was heavy enough that she had to use both of her hands.

 _'Kill the girl! Leave the bird! The girl is behind you! sniff - smell her!'_

Harry was already on her feet. The Basilisk head lunged blindly towards her. Harry hit the chamber wall as she dodged, the snake lunged again, and its forked tongue lashed Harry's side. The Basilisk lunged again this time its aim was directly for her. Harry grabbed the sword in both of her hands, throwing her whole weight behind it and drove it to the hilt of the roof of the serpent's mouth. Blood drenched her arms and Harry felt a searing pain just above her elbow. One long poisonous fang was sinking deeper into her arm and it splintered as the Basilisk keeled over sideways and fell, twitching to the floor. Harry fell to the floor, she gripped the fang that was spreading poison through her body and wrenched it out her arm. White-hot pain was spread, blood soaked her robes and Harry's vision went foggy. Fawkes's head slid in and out of focus. thick pearly tears were trickling down the glossy feathers.

'You're dead Harianna Potter. Even Dumbledore's bird knows it. Do you see what he's doing? He's crying.'

Harry didn't feel like she was dying. The chamber had come back into focus. Fawkes, still resting his head-on Harry's arm. A pearly patch of tears was shining all around the wound - expect there no longer was one.

'Hay prick, Phoenix tears have healing powers,' Harry said looking towards Riddle. 'It's just you and me now.'

Riddle raised the wand. Then, in a rush of wings, Fawkes soared back overhead dropping the diary into her lap. Why would Fawkes drop this in her lap what use was the diary now that Voldemort had used it to - of course, if the diary had brought him here than destroying it would take him away. Riddle stared at the diary for a moment, wand still raised. Harry seized the Basilisk fang on the floor next to her, plunging it straight through the heart of the book. There was a long, dreadful, piercing scream. Ink spurted out of the diary, flooding the floor. Riddle was writhing and twisting.

'I think, I'll have my wand back now, you won't be needing it,' Harry said as Riddle disappeared.

Her wand fell to the floor with a clatter and there was silence. Ink was still oozing from the diary. The Basilisk venom had burned a sizzling hole right through it. Shakily Harry got to her feet gathering her wand, the diary and the Sorting Hat. Pulled the sword away from the roof of the Basilisk's mouth. Ginny stirred as Harry approached her, she pulled herself up, looking around bemused. Her eyes looked from Harry's soaked robes to the huge dead Basilisk. Ginny gasped.

'Harianna,' Ginny said concernedly.

What was it this year with everyone calling her that? Mrs Weasley, Lockhart, Colin, Ginny and Voldemort. She really was going to have to do something about that.

'I'm OK. Everything is fine, let's get out of here.'

'Harianna I tried - oh I tried but I couldn't. Riddle made me-' Ginny said tearily eyed.

'Ginny it's OK. Riddle's gone,' Harry pulled Ginny up.

'I'm going to be expelled aren't I. I'd been so looking forward to coming.'

Harry chuckled. 'Me too I broke about - well lots of rules coming down here. Want some company, we can be expelled together. It will be a laugh.'

Ginny blinked staring at her. 'I'd like that, I've never had a friend that's a girl, that I could hang with before.'

'We could have been doing it a lot sooner if you hadn't been so shy around me.'

'The boys, my brothers they spoke so highly of you, I just didn't want you to hate me. I didn't know how to be around you. You were so kind to us all and - the boys teased me so much about not being able to talk to you -' Ginny flushed unable to say anything more.

'You know George tried so hard to become my friend last year, that the first time he spoke to me was to give me a bracelet,' Harry said pulling up her sleeve to show the thin silver bracelet.

'I didn't know that.'

'Yeah well, you've got something to tease him about now. I've got loads more on the boys you could use.'

Ginny's eyes lit up. 'Thanks, Harianna.'

'If we're going to be friends, you can start by calling me, Harry.'

Fawkes was waiting for them, hovering in the Chamber entrance. As they walked back down the tunnel following the light from Harry's wand. Harry chatted to Ginny informing her of all the embarrassing things she had learnt about her older brothers. When they could hear the sound of rocks being shifted Harry called out. 'Ron! Ginny's OK, I've got her!' Ron pulled Ginny through the gap in the rock he made. Harry squeezed through the gap after Fawkes had.

'Where's Lockhart?'

'Back there, git has lost his memory completely. Hasn't got a clue who he is, where he is or who we are. I told him to wait here. He's a danger to himself,' Ron grinned sniggering.

'Ron, he was always a danger to himself,' Harry sniggered back.

'Have you thought how we are meant to get back up with all this-' Ron said gesturing to the items Harry was holding. 'I'm taking it you'll explain later.'

'You know me well,' Harry grinned. 'As for getting back up, I've got a little help for that. Ron meet Fawkes, he's Dumbledore's Phoenix I'm sure he won't mind taking us up.'

'Right ...'

'Phoenixes can lift really heavy loads. We'll have to hold each-others hands,' Harry explained.

'Oh.'

Harry tucked the sword and Sorting Hat into her belt. Harry grabbed Lockhart by the robes, once everyone was holding onto another person, Harry grabbed onto Fawkes. All four of them hit the wet floor of Moaning Myrtle's bathroom.

'Where to now?'

Fawkes swept from the bathroom.

'I guess we follow him,' Harry said leading the way pacing after Fawkes, moments later they found themselves outside Professor McGonagall's office. Harry knocked and pushed the door open. For a moment, there was silence as Harry, Ron Ginny and Lockhart stood in the doorway. Then there was a scream.

'Ginny!'

Mrs Weasley who had been sitting by the fire leapt to her feet, followed closely by Mr Weasley, both of them flung themselves on their daughter. Harry smiled, looking past them. Professor Dumbledore was beaming, standing next to Professor McGonagall by the fire place. Then Harry found herself being drawn into a crushing hug.

'You saved her! Thank you. How did you do it?'

'I think we all would like to know that,' Professor McGonagall said.

Placing the items on the desk Harry told them everything. Starting with the voices all the way to figuring out where the Chamber of Secrets was. Then she got to the diary and how it was enchanted by Riddle. How the Sorting Hat had helped her, how Fawkes had saved her. Leaving no details out.

'Miss Weasley you should go to the hospital wing, this has been a terrible ordeal for you I'm sure. There will be no punishment. Older and wiser wizards than she have been hoodwinked by Lord Voldemort.'

Ginny glanced at Harry biting her lip. 'Go I'm OK. Madam Pomfrey's lovely,' Harry told her.

'You should find her awake, she's just giving out Mandrake juice I believe.'

'Hermione's OK?' Ron said brightly.

'There has been no lasting harm done.'

'I think Professor Lockhart should go as well, a Memory Charm backfired on him,' Harry explained to Dumbledore.

'Perhaps that is best for now,' Dumbledore agreed. 'Both of you shall receive Special Awards for Services to the School and let me see - I think two hundred points apiece for Gryffindor. If you wouldn't mind leading the way, Minerva ... I would like to speak with Harry for a few more moments.'


	48. Chapter 48

'Sit down Harry,' Dumbledore said once the door closed behind them.

'Firstly, I would like to thank you. You must have shown me real loyalty, nothing else but that could have called Fawkes to you,' Dumbledore said his eyes twinkling again. 'So you met Tom Riddle, I imagine he was most interested in you.'

'He was - wanted to know how I survived. He said we had strange likenesses.'

'Did he now? And what do you think?'

'I think he's a nutter, and that I'm nothing like him,' Harry said. 'We have similarities like being able to speak Parseltongue but we are nothing alike.'

'You can speak Parseltongue, Harry because Voldemort can. I believe unless I'm very much mistaken, he transferred some of his own powers to you the night he gave you your scar. Not something he intended to do I'm sure.'

'So, Voldemort put a bit of himself in me?'

'It would seem so. It is our choices that make us different Harry, that show us what we truly are, far more than our abilities. I'm not saying that you wouldn't have done well in Slytherin.'

Harry stared wide eyed at Dumbledore.

'Even I can have a few secrets, Harry. But if you want proof, that you belong in Gryffindor. I suggest you look closely at the sword.'

Harry turned the sword in her hands, engraved into the hilt was a name: _Godric Gryffindor._

'Only a true Gryffindor would have been able to pull that out of the Hat, Harry.'

For a minute, neither of them spoke. Dumbledore pulled open one of the drawers taking out a quill and a bottle of it.

'Now, I must write to Azkaban - we'll be needing our game keeper back. And I must draft an advertisement, we'll be needing a New Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. I suggest what you need is some much-needed sleep.'

Harry got up but no sooner as she done so the door burst violently burst open. Lucius Malfoy stood there, fury in his face. and cowering under his arm, heavily wrapped in bandages, was Dobby.

'You've come back. The governors suspended you, but you still see fit to return to Hogwarts.'

'Well you see Lucius, the other eleven governors contacted me today. they heard that Arthur Weasley's daughter had been taken and wanted me here at once. They seemed to think I was the best man for the job.'

'So - have you stopped the attacks yet? The culprit has been caught.'

'We have. It was the same person as last time, Lucius. This time Lord Voldemort was acting through somebody else. By the means of this very diary.'

Dumbledore held up the small black book with the large hole through it, watching Mr Malfoy closely. Harry was watching Dobby, however. The elf kept pointing to the diary then at Mr Malfoy and then hitting himself hard on the head.

'A clever plan because if Harianna here and her friend Ron hadn't discovered the truth why - Ginny Weasley might have taken all the blame. No one would ever have been able to prove she hadn't acted of her own free will.'

'Very fortunate that it was found then,' Lucius stood for a moment staring between Dumbledore and Harry. 'We're going Dobby!'

Malfoy wretched the door open, and as the elf came hurrying up to him, he kicked Dobby right through it. They could hear Dobby squealing with pain all the way along the corridor.

'Professor, can I borrow that diary?' Harry asked.

'Well, I have no use for it.'

Harry grabbed the diary and dashed out of the office. She caught up to them at the top of the stairs.

'Mr Malfoy, you forget something,' Harry gasped out, handing him the diary. 'It's yours after all you placed it into Ginny's cauldron that day in Diagon Alley. I think you were worried about the raids Mr Weasley had been doing. It wouldn't look good owning an enchanted diary afterall.'

'You have no proof.'

'No I don't.'

'You'll meet the same sticky end as your parents one of these days,' Mr Malfoy said thrusting the diary towards Dobby. 'Get this out of my sight,' He turned to go. 'Come, Dobby. I said come.'

But Dobby didn't move. He was holding up a sock that had been in the diary staring at it.

'Master has given Dobby a sock. Dobby is free.'

'You lost me, my servant,' Mr Malfoy said lunging towards her.

But Dobby stood in front of Harry facing off against Mr Malfoy. 'You shall not harm Harry Potter.'

There was a loud bang and Mr Malfoy was thrown backwards. He got up sneering at them both.

'You shall go now. You shall not harm Harry Potter.'

Mr Malfoy had no choice, he swung his cloak around him and hurried out of sight.

'Harry Potter freed Dobby. Harry Potter is greater by far than Dobby knew!' Dobby sobbed.

'What will you do now?'

'Now Dobby's not sure. Dobby likes work. Wants to work Dobby thinks he wants paying for it.'

'Come work for me? I could use a hand,' Harry said. 'Not that you'll be able to do much at my aunt and uncles. You'll have to stay out of sight.'

'What could Dobby does for Harry Potter though?'

'Well, all things really. Like, get me the information on Ancient Magic. I really want to research it and have no clue where to start. There might be other things I'll need too. What do say?'

'Harry Potter wills pays Dobby? Dobby gets time off?'

'Sure, we'll work out the details later OK? How much to pay you and how much time off.'

'Dobby would bes honoured to work for Harry Potter.'

'It's a deal then,' Harry said shaking the small hand. 'For now, why don't you rest you so you can heal your wounds. I have one rule which is no punishments what so ever. That's it really. I'll see you at my relatives.'

'Dobby's dos that,' the elf nodded and vanished.

Harry laughed to herself it seemed like Hagrid wasn't the only one to make odd friends.

...

The rest of the Summer term passed in a haze. Hogwarts returned back to normal. A few differences were made, defence against the dark arts had been cancelled and Lucius Malfoy had been sacked as a school governor. Draco was longer strutting around like he owned the place. Harry was just glad to have her friend back. Hermione had taken a fast liking to Ginny so the three of them would often sit together giggling while they told each other little secrets, while the boys were elsewhere. Often, they would do so right in front of the boys just so it would weird them out or make them worry. It was funny to watch.

Too soon it was time for the journey home on the Hogwarts Express. Harry, Ron, Hermione, Fred, George and Ginny got a compartment all to themselves. Playing Exploding Snap, they even set off the very last of Fred and George's Filibuster Fireworks.

'Ginny I forget to ask Percy said that you saw him doing something and didn't want you to tell anyone,' Harry said.

'Oh that,' Ginny giggled. 'Percy's got a girlfriend. It's that Ravenclaw Prefect Penelope Clearwater.'

Fred and George stared at her horror stuck.

'That's why he spent so much time stuck in his room during the summer he was writing to her. I walked in on them kissing in an empty classroom. You won't tease him, will you?'

'Wouldn't dream of it,' Fred said chuckling.

'Definitely not,' George sniggered.

'Speaking of writing do you want me to take Hedwig again Harry?' Hermione asked.

'No thank you - the Dursley's will have to learn sooner or later magic is a part of me. It is not just going to be locked away,' Harry said grinning. 'So, I'll write lots this time I know a certain elf won't be able to stop them.'

'Your aunt and uncle will proud, though won't they?' Ginny asked.

'Proud? Are you mad? All those times I could've died and I didn't manage it. They'll be furious.'

'Just do me a favour Princess, no more crazy stunts,' George said his speckled eyes looking hers.

'I'm making no such promise. I never did, to begin with. Your poor heart is just going to have to put up with it Charming,' Harry replied causing George to flush red.


	49. Chapter 49

Harry was once more hating the summer holidays. This summer had brought about changes some which she liked. Her school things were in her room instead of being locked in the cupboard under the stairs. Hedwig had free roam able to fly in and out of the window which Harry had left open due to the heat. Harry had even been able to complete her homework all thanks to her little friend. Dobby. Dobby had visited her last year in the summer holidays warning her of a great plot happening at Hogwarts. Draco Malfoy's father Lucius Malfoy had planted an old diary into her friend's cauldron. The diary had belonged to a boy known as Tom Riddle. Harry knew him better as Lord Voldemort. He has possessed her friend Ginny Weasley into doing horrid things. Killing roasters, writing threatening messages on walls. Setting a giant snake out on students they were lucky no one had been killed by this creature. Harry almost would have if it hadn't been for Fawkes her Professor's phoenix. Somehow she managed to defeat Voldemort _again_ saving her most recent friend. Dobby, on the other hand, had been free due to her Quidditch sock being stuffed into the diary. Harry had tried to return the diary to its rightful owner Mr Lucius Malfoy. Which had been due to Dobby's not so subtle hints while Mr Malfoy had been talking with Professor Dumbledore So Lucius Malfoy had given the diary to Dobby to dispose of and landed up losing his servant instead. Dobby the House elf was free to do as he pleased. Which now meant working for Harry.

Her aunt and uncle were terrified of the small elf. Dobby had brought about well almost all of the changes, Harry was now getting square meals each day, due to the fact the elf didn't think what her aunt was giving her was good enough. There was no longer locks on the outside of her door nor was there sight of the cat flap and Harry had access to the Wizardry world that she had never had before. Dobby was able to collect books and things for her and she hadn't even stepped out into the magical world. It was brilliant. They would often sit researching books tearing theories apart. The problem was Harry hadn't found a single one on Ancient Magic yet. The main difference other than her school things and Hedwig being in her room was Dobby's small bed, placed in the corner of the room.

Then there were the changes Harry didn't like so much, instead of locks being on the outside of her bedroom door, she had one on the inside instead. To keep the Dursleys out, mainly to keep her uncle and cousin from barging into her room. This summer had brought about change to Harry and it wasn't just her hair style.

Harry had grown her hair out during the summer so it was now shoulder length, she had a fringe that swept to the side instead as well. Making sure it still covered her scar. None of these changes bothered Harry no it had been her physical appearance. Her whole body had changed, she was no longer flat chested and had an hour glass figure curves. It made Harry feel very awkward and self-conscious about herself. So she really didn't want anyone barging into her room what so ever. It also meant that quite embarrassingly she had to send Dobby out shopping for her until she could get to Diagon Alley herself.

Harry had been lying on her bed reading through another book by torchlight. Harry closed the book shut with a snap. Dumbledore had said the theories of ancient magic were writing but Harry was not finding any. Yet her mother had used this kind of magic to save her from a deadly curse. Why wasn't Harry finding the theories it was just _so_ frustrating. Harry rubbed her eyes nudging her reading glasses off her face. She smiled at the sight of Dobby snoozing peacefully in the corner. Harry placed the book on her bedside table, the luminous clock shone with the time. It was one o'clock in the morning. Harry had been thirteen years old without even realising it. Through the open window soared three owls, two of them holding up the third. They landed on Harry's bed with a soft flump. It seemed her friends hadn't forgotten her birthday. Harry recognised the unconscious owl at once - his name was Errol and belonged to the Weasley family. One of them, the large snowy female, was her own owl, Hedwig. The third she didn't recognise but she knew where it had come from because it was carrying a letter bearing the Hogwarts crest.

Harry placed Errol in Hedwig's cage to recuperate and the school owl flew back out of her bedroom window. Hedwig flew across the room to join Errol. Harry grabbed the largest package first. A Birthday card, some letters and a few presents inside. She tore one of the letters open. A piece of paper fell out, it was a news-paper cutting.

 _MINISTRY OF MAGIC EMPLOYEE SCOOPS GRAND PRICE  
_ _Arthur Weasley, Head of the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office at the Ministry of Magic,  
_ _has won the annual Daily Prophet Grand Prize Galleon Draw.  
_ _A delighted Mr Weasley told the Daily Prophet that they would be spending the gold on  
_ _a summer holiday in Egypt where their eldest son, Bill works as a curse breaker. The Weasley family  
_ _will be spending a month in Egypt, returning for the start of the new school year at Hogwarts,  
_ _which five of the Weasley children attend._

Attached was a moving photograph of all the nine Weasleys waving furiously at her. Ron's pet rat Scabbers had been perched on her friend's shoulder. She couldn't think of anyone better or who deserved to win the pile of gold more than the Weasleys.

Harry picked up the letter, the first was from Ron.

 _Dear Harry,  
_ _Happy Birthday! It's brilliant here in Egypt. Bill's taken us around the tombs and you wouldn't believe the curses  
_ _those old Egyptian wizards used. Hermione and you would love it.  
_ _I couldn't believe it when dad won the Daily Prophet Draw. Seven hundred galleons!  
_ _Most of it's gone on this holiday, but they're going to buy me a new wand for next year.  
_ _We'll be back about a week before term starts and we'll be going to London to get  
_ _my new wand and our new books. Any chance of meeting you there? Try and come to London,  
_ _Ron_

 _P.S. Percy's Head Boy. He got the letter last week._

Ginny's letter was next.

 _Dear Harry  
_ _Ron and George told me they were writing to you for your Birthday so I had to write too. Happy Birthday!  
_ _Hope you have a lovely day and I can't wait to see you, so we can have a girly catch up.  
_ _I love my brothers but I'm running out of things to tease them back with, I'm in urgent need of some backup.  
_ _Your friend  
_ _Ginny._

The last letter had to be from George, Harry smiled when she read the first line.

 _Dear Princess  
_ _Happy Birthday. Sorry that we couldn't keep our promise of coming to rescue you this year.  
_ _So I thought you may like your own version. It's not as good as the real one and you can't fit in it.  
_ _But I hope it brightens up your day!.  
_ _Egypt is amazing and I'm rather enjoying spending the time here. Missing you though.  
_ _Hope the Muggles aren't giving you a hard time.  
_ _Your Charming Prince.  
_ _George._

The presents were interesting Ron had sent her a Sneakoscpe. It was meant to light up and spin when there's someone untrustworthy around. Ginny has sent a handmade friendship bracelet. Harry giggled at George's present though, he had sent her a toy version of the flying car they had rescued her in last year. Harry watched it whiz around her bedroom landing onto her desk.

Harry picked up the parcel Hedwig had brought. A present and card with a letter too, this time from Hermione.

 _Dear Harry  
_ _Happy Birthday. I do hope you're alright.  
_ _I'm on holiday in France at the moment and I wasn't sure how I was going to send this to you - but the Hedwig turned up! Did you see that picture of Ron and his family a week ago? I bet he's learning loads ..._

Hermione must have been talking about a different Ron because there was no way Ron would learn anything whilst on holiday.

 _I'm really jealous - the ancient Egyptian wizards were fascinating. Ron says he's going to be in London  
_ _the last week of the holidays. Can you make it? Will your aunt and uncle let you come?  
_ _I really hope you can. If not I'll see you on September first.  
_ _Love from  
_ _Hermione._

Hermione had sent Broom Servicing Kit. Harry picked up the last parcel. she recognised the untidy scrawl on the brown paper at once. Hagrid had sent her a book called _The Monster Book of Monsters._ Before she even got a chance to open it, it went to snap her fingers. The book was thrown into her trunk with a thud. She'd rather keep her fingers. Harry reached for Hagrid's card.

 _Dear Harry  
_ _Happy Birthday!  
_ _Think you might find this useful for next year. Won't say no more here.  
_ _Tell you when I see you next.  
_ _Hope the Muggles are treating you right.  
_ _All the best  
_ _Hagrid._

Why would a biting book be useful to her? Her Hogwarts school letter had come with Hagrid's present. It was thicker than normal, the first page had the books she would be needing for her school year. The next was a piece of parchment, a permission slip so she visit the village of Hogsmeade as third years were permitted to do so. How was she going to get this signed, Harry wondered.

'Mistress should be sleepings.'

'Sorry Dobby, I was going to bed honest, until the owls came that is.'

'It is her Birthday so Dobby's let Harry off. Dobby has a present.'

The elf took out from under his bed a badly wrapped gift. It was a tatty old book but the title of it caught her attention immediately _Ancient Studies: The Lost Arts._

Dobby this is brilliant, thank you.'

'It took Dobby ages to finds it. But finds it Dobby did. Dobby thought about giving to Harry sooner but then Dobby remembers Mistresses Birthday.'

'Now if I could only get my permission slip signed - wait actually Dobby could you do something for me, without being seen?'


	50. Chapter 50

Harry walked into the kitchen to find all three Dursleys glued to Dudley's new welcome home present. They were sitting around the kitchen table watching the news on the television. The newsreader was half way through a report on an escaped convict.

'...the public is warned that Pettigrew is armed and extremely dangerous. A special hotline has been set up, and any sittings of Pettigrew should be reported immediately.'

A mug shot of the convict was also on the screen, the man was plump looking, with thin colourless hair that was unkempt. He certainly didn't have the appearance of an extremely dangerous man to Harry.

Uncle Vernon drained his teacup after rambling about how filthy Pettigrew looked. 'I'd better be off in a minute; Marge's train gets in at ten.'

'Aunt Marge is coming here?' Harry blurted out.

Aunt Marge was Vernon's sister and even though she was not a blood relative of Harry's, she had been forced to call her 'aunt'. Aunt Marge lived in the country, in a house with a large garden, where she bred bulldogs. Marge didn't often stay because she couldn't bear to leave her precious dogs. Marge liked her just about the same as the Dursleys did. Which wasn't much, though Marge took her contempt for Harry to a different level. Marge had whacked her with a stick to stop her from beating Dudley at musical statues when they had been small. Her favourite dog Ripper had chased Harry out into the garden and up a tree because she accidentally trod on his paw, Marge had refused to call him off until past midnight

'Marge will be here for a week, you are to behave yourself and that _thing_ of yours is not to be seen.'

'His name is Dobby.'

Vernon ignored her. 'You will keep a civil tongue while speaking to Marge. And you will stick to the story that you attend a Secure Centre for Incurably Criminal Girls.'

'I can hold my tongue as well as stick to a story,' Harry said then muttered under her breath. 'I've been doing that for years.'

'Vernon don't forget to sign those forms you needed to complete for work before you go,' Petunia reminded him.

'Ah yes thank you, I'll do that now.'

Harry smirked as she walked back out of the kitchen. Even the horrible news that aunt Marge was staying she couldn't help but feel a little smug.

'Dobby,' Harry called out as she walked into her room. The elf appeared before her wearing some clothes that were far too big for him. 'Aunt Marge is coming to stay and it will properly be best if you weren't here. Do you think you could find something to do for a week?'

'Dobbys saves up. Dobby wantings to travel. There's old magic all around the world. Dobby wanting to go to help Harry, to finds information for her.'

'Aww, Dobby that's sweet of you. OK, could you do that for me. I'll call you if I need you.'

'Dobby can do it.'

'Oh, before you go, the thing I asked you to do last night -'

'Dobby placed it where Harry asked him to.'

'Brilliant, if you need the money for anything you know where to take it from. Use your own money for something else, something you want.'

Harry due to having the elf around learnt that she didn't have just the one vault at Gringotts. The vault which she had a key to was her trust vault to be used for her school stuff and things like that. There was another vault which needed to open by Harry herself or Dobby who could have access to it due to the magic that tide them. Hagrid sure hadn't explained to Harry about having a family vault also which Harry rolled her eyes at. Dobby however, nodded at her and disappeared with a crack. Harry was going to miss having that elf around, it was going to be a rather long week and Harry was going to be counting down those days. Well, at least she had Hedwig for company ... maybe it was best if she sent Hedwig to Ron for the week. Seven days Harry reminded herself that's all it was. Harry wrote a note to Ron explaining and sent Hedwig off with their own now owl Errol who was looking rather refreshed.

...

Three days Marge had been there, not that Harry was counting, no she wasn't counting at all. The days were going too slow for Harry's liking. When Marge had first arrived, she made sure to show Harry exactly how she felt about her by thrusting a suitcase in Harry's direction knocking the wind out of her. While Marge who was, a beefy woman, hugged Dudley in a tight one-armed hug, planting a kiss on his cheek. Harry had stayed out of Marge's way since then. Marge had soon learnt of Harry's lock on her room, Harry who had just finished doing the dishes having collected her signed permission slip and caught Marge peering into the room with such interest. Oh, how Harry wished Marge would try opening her trunk which her things had stuffed into. The last bit of magic Harry had used on the school train home had been to ward it. Only Harry could put things in or take things out of it, anyone else would be subject to an embarrassing prank. Marge had huffed walking off to the guest room instead much to Harry's disappointment.

Tonight had been the first-time Harry had been in the same room as Marge for longer than ten minutes. Ripper had growled at her as she had down, which had brought Marge's attention to her. Marge took a sip of her brandy, placing it down again.

'So, still here, are you?' She barked at Harry.

'Yes,' Harry replied flatly.

'Don't say yes in that ungrateful tone, it's damn good of Vernon and Petunia to keep you. Wouldn't have done it myself. You'd gone straight to an orphanage if it had been my doorstep.'

Harry would rather have lived in one than here. Four days left - Harry scowled herself counting made the days go slower.

'I see you haven't improved since I last saw you. I hoped school would knock some manners into you,' Marge boomed. 'Do they use the cane at the school of yours' girl?'

'Yes. All the time,' Harry muttered.

'Excellent. I won't have this nonsense about not hitting people who deserve it. a good thrashing is what's needed. Have you been beaten, often?'

'Oh, yeah loads of times,' Harry said trying to keep the sarcasm out of her voice.

'You mustn't blame yourself for the way the girl has turned out Vernon. If there's something rotten on the inside, there's nothing anyone can do about it. It's one of the basic rules of breeding. If there's something wrong with the bitch there'll be something wrong with the pup-'

Marge's glass she had been holding in her hand, exploded. Shards of glass flew in every direction. Uncle Vernon changed the subject rather quickly boring them all with a long talk about Grunnings, his drill-making company. Uncle Vernon had kept topping up the drinks throughout his talk. So, by the end of his talk aunt Marge's face was huge and very red. Dudley had been finishing of his fourth helping of pie.

'Excellent food as always Petunia. Normally it's just a fry-up for me with twelve dogs to look after. I do like to see a healthy-sized boy. You'll be a proper-sized man, Dudley like your father. Oh yes - I'll have a spot more brandy, Vernon.'

'Now this one here-' Marge jerked her head towards Harry. 'Looks like a dirty little runt. It all comes down to blood. Nothing against your family Petunia but your sister was a bad egg. They turn up in the best of families. Then she ran off with a wastrel and here's the result.'

'This Potter, you told me that he was unemployed. I good for nothing, lazy scrounger who-'

'He was not. My mother wasn't a rotten egg either,' Harry said suddenly shaking all over in rage.

'Proud of your parents, are you? They got themselves killed in a car crash, drunk I expect.'

'They didn't die in a car crash!' Harry said jumping up to her feet.

'They did, you nasty little liar, and they left you to be a burden on their decent, hardworking relatives!' Marge screamed, swelling up in fury. 'You are an insolent, ungrateful little-'

Marge stopped speaking, for a moment it looked like words had failed her. She swelled up with inexpressible anger - but the swelling didn't stop. Her face expanded, next second several buttons burst free of her tweed waistband, each of her fingers blowing up like a salami.

'MARGE.' Uncle Vernon yelled as aunt Marge's body began to rise off her chair towards the ceiling. Uncle Vernon seized one of Marge's feet and tried to pull her down again, but he was almost lifted from the floor himself. In a state of shock Harry burst from the room heading up the stairs. Harry grabbed Hedwig's empty cage and heaved her trunk out of her room with a struggle. Where was George Weasley when you needed him, Harry thought as she managed to reach the front door. The front door to number four had been pulled open by Harry when Vernon made an appearance out of the dining room.

'COME BACK IN HERE! COME BACK AND PUT HER RIGHT!'

Harry glared towards him and said one word. A word she had been wanting to say her whole life while she had lived at the Dursleys.

'NO.'

Harry shut the front door behind her with slam. The next thing she had been aware of other than her rage was that she was out in the dark. The street was quiet, dimly lit by the streetlights and Harry had nowhere to go.


	51. Chapter 51

Harry collapsed onto a low wall in Magnolia Cresent. She had just walked off in no particular direction but all Harry had known was that she couldn't stay at Privet Drive for a moment longer. But now ten minutes later Harry was thinking that leaving might not have been the best plan after all. And the worst of it was, she had just used magic. She felt like such a hypocrite reminding Dobby often not to use magic when she had just done so herself. It wasn't often that Harry had cast accidental magic before she got her wand, the last time she had done so, she had been ten. Harry wondered what was going to happen now? Was she going to be expelled? She didn't have any Muggle money either. Harry would have to get to London before she was able to get access to her own wizard gold. She had a few pieces at the bottom of her trunk in her money bag but it wouldn't get her far.

She could call Dobby she supposed. Maybe the elf would have an idea as into where to go. Harry pulled her wand out, well if she was going to be expelled she may as well cast a bit more magic. At least then she'd be able to move her trunk without the help of George. That sounded like a plan. Harry heard a bang from behind her, turning she saw something between two dustbins. One of them had been tipped over but in the darkness, Harry couldn't see what had caused the bin to fall over. Harry raised her wand up. ' _Lumos Maxima!'_

The light from her wand lit up the dark passage way at the edge of the house. Harry caught the sight of something big, with wide gleaming eyes. She stepped backwards falling over her own trunk. Harry was lying on her back, wand still pointing out, her head at hit the edge of the curb. There was a deafening BANG and Harry was blinded by a sudden light. An upside down triple decker purple bus came into view. A man in a purple uniform leapt out into the night, Harry supposed he was the conductor.

'Welcome to the Knight Bus, emergency transport for the stranded witch or wizard. Just stick out your wand hand, step on board and we can take you anywhere you want to go. My name is Stan Shunpike, and I'll be your conductor -'

The conductor stopped abruptly. He had just caught sight of Harry lying on the floor.

'What'd you doing lying on the floor?'

Dumbstruck Harry righted herself. 'Fell over my trunk,' she muttered. 'Did you say this bus could take you anywhere?'

'Yep,' Stan replied proudly. 'Anywhere you like, long's it's on land. 'Ere-' He eyed her suspiciously. 'You did flag us down, dincha? Stuck out your wand 'and dincha?'

'Yes, I did. How much to London?'

'Elven Sickles.'

Harry roamed her trunk for her money bag and handed over the money. Stan then lifted her trunk onto the bus while she carried Hedwig's cage. There were no seats; instead, half-a-dozen brass bedsteads stood beside curtain windows.

'You can have this one.' Stan said shoving Harry's trunk under the bed right behind the driver. 'This is our driver, Ernie Prang.'

Ernie Prang was an elderly wizard wearing thick glasses, nodded to Harry. Stan sat down in the armchair next to Ernie's. There was another tremendous BANG and Harry found herself thrown backwards onto the bed. Harry pulled herself up once more. Stan had unfurled a copy of the Daily Prophet. A large photograph of the plump looking man she had seen on the news.

'That man Pettigrew, he's been on the Muggle news.'

'Of course, Peter Pettigrew's been on the Muggle news. You oughta read the papers more,' Stan said, removing the front page for Harry.

 _PETTIGREW STILL AT LARGE  
_ _Peter Pettigrew, possibly the most infamous prisoner ever to be held in Azkaban fortress,  
_ _is still eluding capture, the Ministry of Magic confirmed today.  
_ _'We're doing all we can to recapture Pettigrew' said the Minister for Magic, Cornelius Fudge, this morning,  
_ _'and we beg the magical community to remain calm'.  
_ _Fudge was criticised for informing the Muggle Prime Minister of the crisis.  
_ _'Well, really I had to, don't you know, Pettigrew is mad. He's a danger to anyone who crosses him, magic or Muggle'.  
_ _While Muggles have been told that Pettigrew is dangerous, the magical community  
_ _lives in fear of a massacre like that of twelve years ago, when Pettigrew murdered thirteen people with a single curse._

'He murdered thirteen people with one curse?' Harry said handing back the page to Stan.

'Yep, in front of witnesses an' all. Broad daylight. Big trouble it caused. Big supporter of You Know 'Oo.'

'Was he?'

'Yeah, that's right. Very close to You Know 'Oo, they say ... anyway, when little 'arianna Potter put a stop to You Know 'Oo most of his supporters handed themselves in quietly. Not Peter Pettigrew, when they cornered Pettigrew in the middle of street full of Muggles, Pettigrew took out 'is wand and 'e blasted 'alf the street apart. A wizard got hurt in the blast an' so did a dozen Muggles. An' you know what he Pettigrew did then?'

'What?'

'Laughed, just stood there an' laughed. When reinforcements from the Ministry got there, 'e went wiv 'em quiet as anyfink, still laughing 'is 'ead off... never been a breakout from Azkaban before. Beats me 'ow 'e did it. Mind, I don't fancy 'is chances against them Azkaban guards. Where abouts in London did you wanna go?'

'Diagon Alley.'

'Your stop is next.'

Ernie slammed on the brakes and the Knight Bus skidded to a halt in front of a shabby looking pub, the Leaky Cauldron, behind which lay the magical entrance to Diagon Alley.

'Thanks,' Harry said stepping off the bus with Hedwig's cage waiting for Stan to place her trunk on the pavement.

'There you are Harianna,' said a voice and before she could turn a hand was placed on her shoulder. Harry looked up to the owner of the hand. It belonged to the Minister for Magic, Cornelius Fudge. Stan peered up to take a good look at her.

'You're - your Ernie we just had 'arianna Potter on our bus.'

'Yes,' Fudge said testily. 'Well I'm very glad the Knight Bus picked Harianna up, but she and I need to step inside the Leaky Cauldron now.'

Harry was lead into the Leaky Cauldron where Tom the landlord was waiting for them. Tom beckoned Fudge towards a passage that led from the bar into a small parlour. The fire burst into life and Tom bowed himself out of the room.

'Sit down Harianna,' Fudge indicated to the chair by the fire. 'I'm Cornelius Fudge. The Minister for Magic. You've had us all worried running away from your aunt and uncle's house like that! I'd started to think ... but your safe, and that is what matters.'

A pot of tea appeared on the table along with a plate of crumpets. Fudge pushed a cup and the plate towards her.

'Eat, you look dead on your feet. Now we have dealt with the unfortunate blowing-up of Miss Marjorie Dursley. Members of the Accidental Magic Reversal Department were dispatched to Privet Drive and Miss Dursley's memory has been modified. With no recollection of the incident. So, no harm has been done. Your aunt and uncle were extremely angry but they are prepared to take you back next summer as long as you stay at Hogwarts for the other holidays.'

'I always stay at Hogwarts for my holidays,' Harry shrugged.

'I suggest that you take a room here at the Leaky Cauldron for the remaining of your holidays -'

'I broke the law am I not going to be expelled?'

'For a little accidental magic. We don't expel people just for blowing up their aunts. Now Tom tells me he has a room available if you wished to stay here. Just one thing I don't want you wandering around in Muggle London in these troubling times. Keep to Diagon Alley and be back here before dark each night. I'm sure you understand why. Tom will be keeping an eye on you for me.'

'OK, but why?'

'Don't want to lose you again do we.'

Tom appeared at the door again. 'Room eleven is ready if you're finished, Minister.'

Fudge nodded curtly and Harry followed Tom up a handsome wooden staircase to a door with a brass number eleven on it. It looked very comfortable and perched on the top of the wardrobe -

'Hedwig!' Harry gasped.

'Very smart owl you've got there, arrived about five minutes after you did. If there's anything you need don't hesitate to ask Miss Potter.'

Tom gave another bow, leaving the key on the chest of drawers. Closing the door behind him. Harry couldn't believe it she hadn't been expelled, she was staying the rest of holidays right here. Two weeks completely free of the Dursleys.

'It's been a weird night Hedwig,' Harry spoke softly to her owl stroking her feathers. 'A very weird night indeed.'


	52. Chapter 52

Harry loved being back in the wizarding world and her new freedom. Free roam of Diagon Alley who could argue with that. Harry had managed to do a few things like visiting Madam Malkin's to get new robes and some new clothes while she had been at it. Her first stop had been to Gringotts so she could access both of her vaults. The second one had been pilled just as high full of gold, the main difference was that it held. Within the vault had been portraits and books. Well at least she could add her own books she had collected to somewhere now. Harry had been down a few times to sort through it, to find if her parents well her mother had left any clues into ancient magic around. What Harry found was a journal written by her father instead, the only one in the vault, unfinished as it had been written in the year they had died. So Harry was stuck on what to read first the book Dobby gave her for her Birthday or her dad's journal. The journal won not that she started it yet.

Harry had been heading to Florean Fortescue's Ice-Cream Parlour when a crowd had surrounded the Quality Quidditch Supplies window a week after she had arrived. Curious to know what the crowd in the shop was staring at, Harry edged her way through. The most magnificent broom she had ever seen in her life was in the window shop. Shiny gold letters across the handle: Firebolt. The sign next to it said that it was the fastest broom in the world. Price on request though, as much as Harry loved Quidditch she didn't want to spend all her money on a broom. Besides, she still had her Nimbus and she hadn't been beaten on that yet.

There were still things she needed to buy her school books. The manager had been relieved to hear that she didn't require a copy of the Monster Book of Monsters. Harry needed Numerology and Grammatica as well as New Theory of Numerology for Arithmancy. The Standard Book of Spells Grade Three. Intermediate Transfigurations and for Study of Ancient Runes required Ancient Runes Made Easy, Magical Hieroglyphs and Logograms, a Rune Dictionary, Spellman's Syllabary. It was going to take Harry a while to read ahead this year.

As the days slipped by and drew closer to the start of term Harry began to look for signs of her friends. Plenty of Hogwarts students had arrived in Diagon Alley. On the morning of the last day of term as she walked down the stairs she heard very loud voices and noises and sure enough, as she peaked over the bannister she spotted the Weasley family along with her friend Hermione. Mrs Wealsey was shouting at the twins to return Percy's badge. Ron was speaking with his father while Ginny and Hermione were whispering to each other.

'Well look what the cat dragged in,' Harry said as she reached the bottom step. 'It was about time you lot showed up.'

Heads turned in her direction. Hermione and Ginny both gave her beaming smiles. Mr and Mrs Weasley smiled affectionately towards her. Percy had just nodded firmly at her. Fred was looking stunned where as both George and Ron jaws had dropped.

'Harry?' Ron puzzlingly asked her as though she looked like a different person. She hadn't changed that much, even if her hair was longer than before. Ron shook his head, running a hand through his hair. 'Mate - you look like a - a - well a girl!'

'Do I really?' Harry said sarcastically looking down to examine herself and spun in a twirl. She looked back up again staring at Ron. 'I didn't realise that.' Rolling her eyes as she passed him. 'Have a nice trip Mr and Mrs Weasley?'

'It was lovely dear,' Mrs Weasley answered.

'I'm glad,' Harry smiled sitting beside Hermione.

'So, what was it Egypt and France like? And don't leave out any details.'

Ginny and Hermione started talking at the same time, which caused Harry to laugh. Then everyone jumped in telling her how their holidays were.

'So, did you really blow up your aunt Harry?' George asked once everyone had finished. His voice much deeper than she remembered. Harry nodded slightly to confirm his question.

'What happened?' Hermione said in a serious voice. 'You're not one to lose control.'

'I know last time I did accidental magic before blowing up Marge I was ten,' Harry said. 'It was just - oh I'm not going to talk about it I might blow something else up.'

'That bad huh?' Ron asked, Harry once more nodded.

'Couldn't you have waited it out, left the room or something? I'm surprised you weren't expelled.' Hermione said.

'Me too and I didn't really get a choice. So, I did what any good damsel in distress would do,' Harry paused shrugging. 'I saved myself.'

...

Even though Harry didn't need to buy anything she felt worn out following Ron and Hermione around Diagon Alley. The only shop that they stood outside for some time had been Ollivanders the wand shop. Harry opted for waiting outside this time. She'd rather not meet Mr Ollivander again. They had been passing a magical creature shop when Ron had said he wanted to go inside. 'Scabbers has been looking a bit peaky ever since I brought him back from Egypt,' he told him.

There wasn't much room inside. Every inch of the wall was hidden by cages. It was noisy and smelly. After Ron, had placed Scabbers on the counter, the women gave him a tonic. Telling Ron that common rats couldn't expect to live more than three years. When something huge and orange came soaring from the top of the highest cage, attacking Ron's hands. The ginger cat fur was thick and fluffy. They managed to pry Scabbers away and Ron paid for his tonic leaving the shop. Outside they noticed Hermione hadn't left with them. Moments later she appeared from the door, with a grumpy looking orange cat that's face looked oddly squashed.

'Can't believe you brought that monster, he almost killed Scabbers,' Ron exclaimed.

'He's gorgeous isn't he. Poor Crookshanks the witch said he'd been there for ages: no one wanted him,' Hermione said.

'I don't see what the problem is, as long as the twins don't plant Scabbers into the girl's dorm again or Lavender would be correct in saying he wouldn't come out alive again,' Harry said.

Dinner that night had been very enjoyable affair. It was also the first-time Harry had been able to open her dad's journal.

 _January 1st 1981.  
_ _My name is James Potter and I have no clue why I'm even writing in this thing. My darling lovely wife, my Lily flower seems to think that it will help. With what I don't know, but she says it's a good way to release frustration and to be honest I can't and don't want to argue with my wife. It doesn't end out well for me ...  
_ _I should know I've had past experiences of being on the receiving end of one too many hexes.  
_ _We're living in dark times now, can't trust anyone anymore, Voldemort has made sure of that.  
_ _He won't stop me from trusting my closest friends though. I'd do anything for them and I know that they would for me. Remus, Peter, my best friend Sirius and I have been close friends since our first year at Hogwarts.  
_ _We have history together, made a legacy together, nothing is going to take that away. Troublemakers till the end.  
_ _Well Sirius and I will be. Speaking of Sirius I wish he would turn up soon. He always knew what do to do in times like these. Haven't seen Remus in a while, I'm concerned the full moon is tonight. I do hope he'll be alright by himself.  
_ _Peter came around recently, left a short while after Harianna wouldn't stop crying, doesn't seem to like him much.  
_ _Oh I haven't told you about her - Harianna that is. She's my best achievement if I do say so myself. My little girl, my little girl that's growing too fast... I remember when she fitted into my arms, the other day she started crawling - CRAWLING. Lily and I are in trouble now. Harianna is the only thing brightening up our mood at the moment  
_ _just seeing her joy and hearing her little laugh..._

'Harry is that a diary your reading?' A voice she recognised as Ginny's asked. Harry looked up to see worry etched into her friends' face, Harry should have thought of it before. Of course, her friend would be weary of the diary.

'It was my dads' from the year they died. I found it in my vault, I'll put it away if it bothers you.'

'Oh - no it's OK.' Ginny flushed.

'Have you got far?' Hermione asked.

'No just started reading it, dad's mention mum and a few friends so far. He even wrote about me, I'd just started crawling,' Harry replied wiping tears from her eyes. 'This is the closest thing I've got to knowing them.'

'Oh Harry,' Hermione said squeezing one of Harry's hands in her own.

'Has everyone finished packing?' Mrs Weasley asked suddenly changing the subject. 'Anything that's left behind this year _stays_ behind.'

'How are we getting King's Cross? The car is at home?' Percy asked.

'The Ministry is providing a couple of cars, as they're so many of you.' Mr Weasley replied his ears had gone red. Just like Ron's did when he had been up under pressure. 'Now I suggest you do as your mother has asked and make sure you're all packed.'

Taking this as a dismissal Harry went upstairs with the others. Even though she knew that she only had to add her dad's journal. Though Harry thought she would help Hermione and Ginny first as that they could have a girly catch up. On her way back to her room Harry passed an open door and heard Mr and Mrs Weasley's voices from inside.

'... makes no sense to not to tell her. Harry has a right to know. I tried to tell Fudge, but he insists on treating her like a child -'

'Arthur, she's thirteen the truth would terrify her. Do you really want to send Harry back to school with that hanging over her head? She'll be happier not knowing. Poor dear did you see her tear up earlier after - reading that diary of her fathers?'

'Molly I don't want to make her miserable, I just want her to be on her guard. You know what she is like running into danger. Three times she's been in the Forbidden Forest now. She mustn't do that this year.'

'Oh, when I think what could have happened to her the night she ran away. What if the Knight Bus hadn't picked her up, she could have been dead before the Ministry found her.'

'She's not, Harry is fine. But Molly, they say Peter Pettigrew is mad, and maybe he is, he was clever enough to escape from Azkaban and that is meant to be impossible. I don't care what Fudge keeps telling the _Daily Prophet_ we're no nearer to catching Pettigrew and we only know one thing for sure, that he's after-'

'But Harry will be perfectly safe at Hogwarts.'

'A mad man that wants to finish off what You Know Who started, he'll kill her any chance he gets. If Pettigrew can escape Azkaban, he can break into Hogwarts.'

'No one knows for sure-'

'Molly how many times do I have to tell you? They didn't report it in the press because Fudge wanted to keep it quiet. The night Pettigrew escaped a guard told Fudge that he'd been talking in his sleep repeating the same words: 'Hogwarts ... Harianna ... Hogwarts - must get to Anna.'

'Do what you think is best but you're forgetting Albus Dumbledore. I doubt anything could hurt Harry while he's Headmaster. I suppose he knows all about this?'

'Of course, he does. We had to ask him if he minded the Azkaban guards being stationed around the entrances to the school grounds. Dumbledore isn't fond of the Azkaban guards, not that I blame him. I'm not either.'

'If they save Harry though Arthur.'

'Then I'll never say another word against them.'

'I wouldn't worry about Harry while she's at Hogwarts, she'll be fine. The boys will look out for her.'

'George most certainly will that's for sure, he'd been too quiet, worrying about her after hearing the news that she had run off. I doubt our son will let her out of his sight.'

'Umm I can't help but agree with you there. Do you think she's noticed -?'

Harry snuck passed the door, not wanting to hear any more of their conversation. Harry respected them too much, but at least now she knew the truth into why she had gotten away with using magic. What was it about mad raving lunatics and them wanting to kill her?

* * *

 ** _A.N. So I've had a few questions been asked recently. Like where Sirius is? And about Pettigrew. I guess I've confused a few people. So I'm going to confirm one thing. Sirius is not dead, that's it ... anything else well you will just have to read to find out. I did warn at the very beginning that I had my own twists and turns..._**


	53. Chapter 53

Harry was woken by Tom the next morning and headed down to breakfast.

'The sooner we get on the train the better, Percy's driving me mad. He accused me of dripping tea on his photo of Penelope Clearwater - you know his _girlfriend,_ ' Ron said sitting down beside Hermione and opposite Harry.

'You say the word girlfriend like it's a bad thing,' Ginny retorted and Ron turned bright red.

'It's not - well it is where Percy's concerned.'

Harry couldn't help but not notice Ron quick glance towards Hermione as she tucked into her breakfast. Fred and George soon appeared making their table the noisiest in the whole pub much to the other customers' disgruntlements. Harry smiled, it was just another usual morning with the Weasleys. After breakfast the chaos began, last minute packing happened despite Mrs Weasley's warning. Harry had at least managed to make her trunk more manageable as she had emptied the books she no longer needed. The ones Dobby had brought her while they had been searching for the ancient magic theories. George had still been waiting outside her room, ready to heave it along the narrow corridor of the Leaky Cauldron. The Minister cars turned up just as they had everything ready to go. When they reached King's Cross Station Mr Weasley had attached himself to Harry's elbow, she was very touched by the amount of concern he was giving her. Once trunks had been placed on the train. Mr Weasley took Harry to one side., while Mrs Weasley was saying her goodbyes.

'Harry, there is something I must tell you-'

'I already know about Pettigrew, Mr Weasley. It's alright.'

'You know?' Mr Weasley blinked at her.

'I overheard some of your conversation with Mrs Weasley last night, sorry,' Harry said sheepishly.

'Not how I would have wanted you to find out. I want you to promise me, Harry, that you'll stick close to the boys, that you won't go running off on your own. No matter what you may hear-'

'Why would I go looking for someone who wants to kill me.'

'Arthur, the train,' Mrs Weasley said, then she hugged Harry. 'Do take care of yourself, dear. On you get now.'

Harry waved with Ron and Hermione before heading off in search of an empty compartment. Ginny had wanted to catch up with Colin Creevey and make some other friends of her own. The twins had disappeared to look for their friend Lee Jordan. Percy had of course headed for the prefects' compartment. Most of the compartments were full Harry, Ron and Hermione had got to the very end compartment which had been occupied by one person. A man was sitting fast asleep next to the window. The stranger was wearing a shabby set-out wizard's robes. He looked rather ill and exhausted. Though quite young, his light brown hair was flecked with grey.

'Who do you reckon he is?' Ron hissed as they shut the compartment door.

'Professor R. J. Lupin,' Hermione whispered. 'It's on his case Ron,' she pointed at the luggage rack over the man's head.

'Wonder what he teaches?' Ron said frowning.

'Defence Against the Dark Arts,' Harry said. 'That was obvious considering there's only one vacancy.'

'And you hate me pointing out the obvious.'

'Now you know how we feel. Do you reckon his really asleep?' Harry said.

'Seems pretty out of it.' Ron said looking the man over.

'Good cause I need to tell you both something.'

...

'Peter Pettigrew escaped to come after you?' Ron repeated looking horror struck, Hermione had been biting her lip.

'You'll have to be really careful Harry. Don't go looking for trouble.'

'Hermione I don't go looking for trouble, trouble usually seems to find me.'

'Harry would have to be pretty thick to go looking for someone who wants to kill her,' Ron said. 'I think we can all safely say she's not that.'

'Wow a vote of confidence,' Harry said. 'I should count myself lucky - so Hogsmeade this year. You two going?'

'Yes. I've only read about the village. It's the only entirely non-Muggle settlement in Britain.'

'Yeah, I can't wait to get inside Honeydukes. It's a sweet shop so you'll both love it,' Ron said then stared at Harry. 'You're coming, right? You managed to get the Muggles to sign the permission slip?'

'Why yes I did?' Harry grinned.

'I know that grin. It's the I did something mischievous grin,' Hermione said. 'Spill.'

'I may have got Dobby to slip the form in with a bunch of paperwork my uncle needed to sign for work.'

'HARRY!' Hermione scolded.

'What? It's not my fault the man can't read.'

'Brilliant - bloody brilliant.'

Harry looked out the window that Ron was sitting next to, it was raining pretty heavily now. The train started to slow down.

'We must be nearly there.' Ron said.

'We can't be there yet.' Hermione said checking her watch.

The train was getting slower, coming to a stop with a jolt. Then, without warning, all the lamps went out and they were plunged into darkness.

'What's going on? Do you think we've broken down?'

There was a squeaking sound.

'There's something moving out there. I think people are coming aboard ...' Ron said.

The compartment door opened and someone fell over Harry's legs.

'Sorry! D'you know what's going on? Ouch!'

'Hullo Neville, you all right?' Harry asked recognising the voice of their fellow Gryffindor.

'Harry? Is that you? What's happening?'

'Yeah, haven't got a clue, sit down before you hurt yourself, Neville,' Harry replied.

'I'm going to ask the driver what's go on,' Hermione said but the door slid open again as Hermione made her way to it.

'Ouch!'

'Ginny?'

'Hermione?'

'What are you doing?'

'I was looking for you three.'

'Neville's in here too,' Ron said. 'Come in and sit down.'

'Ouch!' said Neville, 'Ginny you sat on-'

'Quiet!' Said a hoarse voice suddenly.

Professor Lupin appeared to have woken at last. Harry could hear movements in his corner. None of them spoke.

' _Lumos Maxima!'_ Lupin muttered, 'Stay where you are.'

Lupin made his way to the door. The light from his wand illuminated his tired grey face but his eyes looked alert and wary. The compartment door slid open before he reached it. Standing in the doorway, illuminated by the wand, was a cloaked figure that towered to the ceiling. Its face was completely hidden beneath its hood. The thing beneath the hood, whatever it was, drew a long slow breath, as though it was trying to suck something more than air from its surrounding. An intense cold swept over them all. Harry's own breath caught in her chest. The cold went deeper than her skin. It was in her chest, it was inside her very heart ... she couldn't see, she was drowning in cold, there was a rushing in her ears. She was being dragged downwards. Then far away someone screamed ... _'Anna' ..._

'Harry! Harry! Are you all right?'

Harry blinked her eyes open. The lights had come back on and the train was moving. She seemed to have slid out of her seat onto the floor. Ron and Hermione were kneeling next to her, above her, she could see Neville and Professor Lupin watching. Harry felt rather sick, she rubbed her face, feeling the cold sweat upon her skin. Ron and Hermione helped her back into her seat.

'You OK?' Ron said nervously.

'Yeah,' Harry replied looking towards the door. The hooded creature had gone. 'Who screamed?'

'No one screamed Harry,' Hermione said softly.

Harry looked around the bright compartment. Ginny and Neville looked back at her, both very pale. A loud snap made them all jump. Professor Lupin was breaking an enormous slab of chocolate into pieces. The door compartment slid open again a worried looking George Weasley standing in the doorway. His eyes brimming with concern as they searched hers.

'Just heard what happened,' he explained. 'You OK Princess?'

'News sure travels fast. Wonder what's being said about me now,' Harry huffed. 'I'm fine George.'

'Here Anna.' Professor Lupin said to Harry, handing her a piece of chocolate, Harry took it but didn't eat it. She had been wondering why he had called her that name. The name she had just heard.

'What was that thing?' Harry asked him.

'A Dementor, one of the guards of Azkaban,' Lupin said. 'I'm going to talk to the driver. Eat the chocolate it will help.'

He strolled past Harry and disappeared down the corridor.

'Was it just me or did he just call you Anna, Harry?' George pointed out. Harry had the urge to roll her eyes, of course, George would notice a small thing like that.

They didn't talk much for the remainder of the journey. Lupin had come back to check on her, getting Harry to get the piece of chocolate he had given her. Surprisingly she felt a warmth spreading to the tips of her fingers and toes as she had taken a bite. Hagrid had waved at them from the other end of the platform. Harry, Ron and Hermione made their way to the carriages which Harry assumed were pulled by some invisible creature. And a sight that Harry thought she may never have seen again, earlier in the summer came into view. Hogwarts. Once the carriages had stopped, Ron, Hermione and Harry made their way to the Great Hall. Harry made it as far as the Entrance Hall when she heard her name being called.

'Potter! Granger! I want to see you both. No need to look so worried I just want to have a word with you both.' Professor McGonagall said. Harry and Hermione were ushered away towards her office. Madam Pomfrey, the matron was waiting of her.

'Professor Lupin sent an owl ahead to say that you had been taken ill on the train Potter.'

'What were they thinking setting Dementors around the school,' Madam Pomfrey huffed. 'She won't be the first to collapse. Yes, she's all clammy. Terrible things, they are, and the effect they have on people who are already delicate-'

'I'm not delicate. I'm fine honest Professor Lupin gave me some chocolate on the train and it helped.'

'So we finally got a Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher who knows his remedies.'

'Are you sure you feel all right Potter?' Professor McGonagall said.

'Yes.'

'Very well, wait outside while I have a word with Miss Granger about her timetable.'

Harry waited in the corridor, Madam Pomfrey headed off to the hospital wing. Hermione emerged moments later looking positively happy about something, followed by Professor McGonagall and the three of them made their way to the Great Hall. As Harry sat down between George and Ginny, she caught sight of Draco Malfoy pretending to faint over at the Slytherin table. This was the worst thing about Hogwarts nothing stayed quiet for long, one thing had to happen and the whole school would know. Harry and Hermione had missed the sorting so she didn't even have that to distract the students from gawping at her. Professor Dumbledore stood up to speak, taking the attention off Harry.

'Welcome to another year at Hogwarts! I have a few announcements and one of them is very serious. As you will all be aware after their search of the Hogwarts Express, our school is presently playing host to some of the Dementors of Azkaban, who are here on Ministry of Magic business.'

'They are stationed at every entrance to the school grounds, and whilst they are with us, I must make it plain that nobody is to leave school without permission. Dementors are not fooled by tricks or even Invisibility Cloaks. It is not the nature of a Dementor to understand pleading or excuses. I, therefore, warn you, each one of you not to give them a reason to harm you.'

'On a happier note. I am pleased to welcome two new teachers to our ranks this year. Firstly, Professor Lupin, who has kindly filled the post of the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher.'

Snape didn't look too happy with this announcement Harry noticed as she clapped along with the surrounding applause. Professor Lupin looked particularly shabby next to all the other teachers in their best robes.

'As to our second new appointment, well I'm sorry to inform you that Professor Kettleburn, our Care of Magical Creatures teacher, retired at the end of last year. However, I am delighted to say his place will be filled by none other than Rubues Hagrid who has agreed to take on this teaching job in addition to his game keeping duties.' Dumbledore waited for the applause to come to an end. 'Well, I think that's everything of importance. Let the feast begin.'

With a full stomach, Harry bolted towards the teachers' table.

'Congratulations,' Harry said to Hagrid. 'I should have guessed what with you sending that book for my Birthday.'

'All down to you three, couldn't believe ... great man Dumbledore ... came straight down to me hut after Professor Kettleburn said he'd had enough ... it's what I always wanted ...' Hagrid said struggling to find words.

'Hay Princess,' came a shout, Harry turned towards where the shout had come from already knowing who it was. 'We're heading up, you coming or what?'

'Yeah Harry hurry up or we'll lock you out,' Fred shouted.

Harry faced Hagrid once more. 'I'd like to see them even try,' she muttered shaking her head. 'I'll see you in Care of Magical Creatures then,' Harry turned to step away but stopped herself quickly. 'Oh, Professor Lupin,' Harry directed towards Lupin who had been sitting next to Hagrid. 'Thank you for the chocolate.'

Professor Lupin blinked at her for few seconds, then with a small smile on his face replied. 'You're welcome.'


	54. Chapter 54

_27th March 1981  
_ _Just had the best birthday, even if it had just been myself, Lily and Harianna.  
_ _Why you ask? Harianna just called me Dada, Dada. Harianna been babbling for a while now  
_ _chatting away to us. No words until today. I think she was just waiting for my Birthday!  
_ _I don't think Lily's too excited that Harianna's first word was dad but it made me extremely happy.  
_ _Best Birthday present ever, Sirius is going to kill me. Apparently, he worked really hard on  
_ _finding a Birthday present for me this year. Ha I don't believe that for a second!  
_ _But there is nothing much more anyway that anyone can give me that I truly want, after all  
_ _I'm the luckiest man alive ... I've got my girls ... my precious ladies, that's all I will ever need.  
_ _As long as I have my girls in my life ... I'll be one happy man ..._

When Harry, Ron and Hermione entered the Great Hall the next day for breakfast, the first thing she saw was Draco Malfoy, who seemed to be entertaining a large group of Slytherins with a very funny story. As they passed, Malfoy did another ridiculous impression of a swooning fit and there was a roar of laughter.

'Ignore him Harry his not worth it.'

'Potter the Dementors are coming, Potter! Woooo!' shrieked Pansy Parkinson, a Slytherin girl who had a pug like face.

Harry dropped into a seat, taking the new third year time tables from George who'd passed them along.

'Hay Malfoy,' George retorted. 'I'd rather faint like Anna, than wet myself like you did.'

The Gryffindors at the table burst into fits of laughter, Malfoy looked furious as he strode off.

'He really wet himself?' Ron asked.

'Yeah, the little git came running into our compartment,' Fred explained.

'That's how he knew that you passed out. Ange came in and told us. She had been at your end of the train. Saw - well how worried everyone was when the lights came back on but couldn't see you.'

'She came into our compartment while you were passed out Harry,' Hermione said.

'Oh,' Harry said, then she examined her timetable.

'Hermione,' Ron said. 'They've messed up your timetable. They've got you down for ten subjects a day. There isn't enough time. Look at this morning nine o'clock you've got Divination, Muggle Studies and Arithmancy.'

'He has a point how are you meant to be in three places at once?' Harry said.

'Don't be silly of course I won't be in three classes at once. I've fixed it all with Professor McGonagall, what's it to you if my timetable's a bit full. I'm not having a go at you for being up half the night reading your dad's journal now am I?'

'You know about that.'

'Harry my bed is beside yours, even with the curtains drawn I can see wand light through them.'

'Oh sorry. I've got to March now though, I'll try and not be up so late tonight though.'

'Forget about it, OK.'

The hall had started to empty out as students got up to leave for their class. Harry stood so she could head towards for classroom 7a for Arithmancy.

'You coming, Hermione or you going with Ron?'

'Oh, I think I'll go with Ron and head up to the North Tower for Divination.'

'Right see you both in Transfigurations then,' Harry said walking off. Just how was Hermione going to take all those lessons? Harry had almost reached the seventh floor before Hermione had called out to her again.

'Harry wait up. I changed my mind.'

Baffled by her friend, Harry lead the way. Classroom 7a wasn't the biggest classroom in Hogwarts. Harry soon found out the reason why. Only a few other students had taken up the class. Three Slytherins, one of which was Draco Malfoy. Another boy who was a tall black boy with high cheekbones and long, slanting eyes she knew as Blaise Zabini. The last Slytherin was a girl with blonde curly hair and dark eyes, Daphne Greengrass. A few Ravenclaws, one which Harry knew by a name a girl named Lisa Turpin she didn't know the other two boys. Harry and Hermione had been joined by their fellow Gryffindor Dean Thomas. And the last person was Hannah Abbot a girl from Hufflepuff.

'In you come and everyone take a desk each. You'll be needing the room to spread out. I'm Professor Vector and I'll be teaching you the Arithmancy.'

Professor Vector was a witch with long, thin black hair with a fair skin colour. She wore red robes with a matching pointed hat.

Harry took a desk between Hermione and Hannah. The class ended too soon for Harry's liking, there was just something about numbers that seemed to click, she had thoroughly enjoyed that lesson. Even if their Professor had assigned them lots of homework.

Harry and Hermione headed down towards Transfigurations when Harry reached the classroom Hermione was nowhere in sight. That was until Harry spotted her walking beside Ron down the corridor. Harry was sure that Hermione had been right behind her though.

'How was Divination?'

'Absolute Rubbish. Professor Trelawney kept talking about seeing a Grim in the tea leaves,' Ron said.

'What's a Grim?' Harry asked.

'It's the omen of death Harry. Its shape is that of a big large dog. How was Arithmancy?' Seamus asked.

'It was ok,' Dean replied. 'Bloody hard though.'

'It was brilliant,' Harry said sliding into a seat.

Professor McGonagall was teaching them about Animagi. Wizards who could transform at will into animals. She even transformed herself in front of their eyes into a tabby cat with spectacle markings. It had been interesting to watch; too bad they couldn't learn how to do it. Learning to become an Animagus wasn't taught in school.

'So, this omen of death thing ... is it serious?' Harry asked Ron later at lunch.

'My uncle Bilus saw one and - and he died twenty - four hours later. Here.' Ron said passing his book of _Unfogging the Future_ over and opened it to the page of death omens. 'That's what a Grim looks like. I know you've been wanting to ask.'

The black dog looked as large as a bear, with gleaming eyes. It looked oddly familiar ... like that thing, she had seen in Magnolia Crescent. She couldn't have seen the omen of death surely. No, it was most likely a stray dog ...

'Divination seems very woolly to me. A lot of guess work. If being good at Divination means I have to pretend to see death omens in a lump of tea leaves. I don't think, I'll be studying it much longer! Absolute rubbish compared to Arithmancy, Harry, be grateful you're not taking it.'

'Umm,' Harry replied not really listening, she was still thinking about that dog.

Harry had been pleased to get out of the castle after lunch. The worries of seeing a Grim disappeared the three of them walked down to Hagrid's hut for Care of Magical Creatures. Harry groaned as she saw three-too-familiar backs ahead of them that she realised they must be having these lessons with the Slytherins. Hagrid was waiting for them by the door of his hut.

'Come on now, got a real treat for you today, follow me.'

For a moment, Harry thought Hagrid was going to lead them into the Forbidden Forest; Harry had enough unpleasant experiences in there to last her for a long time. However, Hagrid strolled off around the edge of trees, and five minutes later they found themselves outside a kind of paddock.

'Gather around the fence here! First thing you'll want to open your books-'

'How?' said the cold, drawling voice of Draco Malfoy.

'Eh?'

'How do we open our books?' Malfoy repeated. He took out his copy of _The Monster Book of Monsters_ , which he had bound shut with a length of rope. Other people too took their out who also had their books bound shut in some method. Harry had by accident found out the secret to opening the book.

'You stroke the spine of course.'

'Oh, how silly we've all been!' Malfoy sneered 'We should have stroked them! Why didn't we guess!'

'Shut up Malfoy,' Harry snapped, she had wanted Hagrid's first lesson to be a success.

'Careful Potter there's a Dementor behind you -'

'Oooohh!' Squealed Lavender Brown, pointing towards the opposite side of the paddock.

Trotting towards them were a dozen of the most bizarre creatures Harry had ever seen. They had bodies, hind legs and tails of horses, but the front legs, wings and heads of what seemed to be giant eagles. Each one had a thick leather collar around its neck, which were attached to a long chain.

'Hippogriffs!' Hagrid roared happily. 'Beautiful aren't they. So, if you want to come a bit nearer ...'

No one seemed to move forward if anything the class seemed to be stepping backwards.

'The first thing you've got to know about Hippogriffs is they're proud. Easily offended, Hippogriffs are. Don't ever insult one, because it might be the last thing you do. You always wait for the Hippogriff to make the first move. It's polite see? You walk towards him, and you bow and you wait. If he bows back, you're allowed to touch him. If he doesn't bow, then get away from him sharpish.'

'Right who wants to go first?'

Most of the class back away further. Even Harry had misgivings, the Hippogriffs were tossing their fierce heads and flexing their powerful wings. Harry didn't like the looks of their talons either, who would want to be on the receiving end of those? No one in their right mind, but as Harry looked at Hagrid's pleading look towards them and looked around at the other students who seemed frozen on the spot.

Harry questioned her own sanity and said 'I'll do it,' she ignored the gasps around her, climbing over the paddock fence.

'Right then Harry, let's see how you get on with Buckbeak.'

Hagrid untied one of the chains, pulling the grey Hippogriff away from his fellows and slipped of his collar. The class on the other side of the paddock seemed to be holding its breath.

'Easy now Harry, keep eye contact and try not to blink - Hippogriffs don't trust you if you blink to much.'

Harry's eyes began to water, but she didn't shut them. Buckbeak had turned his great, sharp head, and was staring at her with one fierce orange eye. Harry gave a short bow and then looked up. The Hippogriff was still staring haughtily. It didn't move.

'Ah. Right back away now, easy does it.'

But to Harry's surprise, the Hippogriff suddenly bent his scaly front knees and sank into an unmistakable bow.

'Well done Harry! Right - you can touch him! Pat his beak, go on.'

Harry slowly took a step forward and reached out towards the Hippogriff. She patted the beak several times and the Hippogriff closed his eyes lazily, as though enjoying it. The class broke into applause well expect Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle.

'Right then Harry. I reckon he'll let you ride him!'

This was more than Harry had expected. Before she had a chance to say anything though Hagrid had picked her up and placed her onto Hippogriffs back. Without warning, large wings flapped open on either side of Harry and soared into the sky. It was different from riding on a broomstick but the feeling of flying through the air was just the same. It felt like freedom. Buckbeak flew around the paddock once and headed back to the ground, there was heavy thud as fall four ill-assorted feet hit the ground. Harry managed to maintain her grip without falling off as the Hippogriff landed, she than pushed herself off.

'Good job Harry!' Hagrid roared. 'OK so who else wants a go.'

It seemed that all it needed was someone to go first. Even though some of the class remained hesitant, other jumped at the chance. Ron and Hermione had gone over to a chestnut Hippogriff. Neville ran repeatedly backwards from the grey Hippogriff, which didn't seem to want to bend its knees. Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle had taken over Buckbeak. The Hippogriff had bowed to Malfoy and Malfoy was now patting his beak.

'This is very easy. I knew it must have been if Potter could do it,' Malfoy said loudly enough for Harry to hear. 'I bet you're not dangerous at all, are you?' he said to the Hippogriff. 'Are you, you ugly great brute?'

It happened in a flash of steely talons; Malfoy let out a high-pitched scream and the next moment, Hagrid was wrestling Buckbeak back into his collar. Malfoy lay curled into the grass, blood blossoming over his robes.

'I'm dying! I'm dying, look at me! It's killed me.'

'You're not dying,' Hagrid told him. 'Class dismissed, I'm going to take him up to the hospital wing.' Hagrid shouted passing them all. Harry saw a deep gash in Malfoy's arm as he passed. The very shaken Care of Magical Creatures class headed towards the castle. The Slytherins shouting remarks saying that Hagrid should be sacked.

'It was Malfoy's own fault!' Dean Thomas snapped at them. 'He should have been listening instead of sniggering.'

The Slytherin still muttered about Hagrid though as they walked away in the direction of their dungeon common room; Harry, Ron and Hermione proceeded upstairs to the Gryffindor Tower.

'Do you think Malfoy will be all right?' Hermione said nervously.

'If Madam Pomfrey can help me re-grow bones. I'm sure she can sort out a small gash with no problem.' Harry replied.

'That was a really bad thing to happen in Hagrid's first class though, wasn't it,' Ron said. 'Trust Malfoy to mess things up for him...'

They were among the first to reach the Great Hall at dinner time. Hagrid wasn't in sight. At the Slytherin table, a large group including Grabbe and Goyle were huddled together, deep in conversation.

'Evening, Ron, Hermione, Anna.'

Harry snapped her head up, George sat down beside her. Fred also joining them.

'What is with you and calling me Anna all of a sudden? What's wrong with Harry?'

'Nothing is wrong with the name Harry,' George said. 'Anna suits you much better though Princess.'

Harry closed her eyes, great Professor Lupin called her Anna once by some sort of accident and now he's started something.

'I think, I'll stick with Harry.'

George shrugged. 'So, does anybody know what trouble the Slytherins are trying to cause now? Gossiping like that I'm worried about our reputation Fred. They might be planning to take over as pranksters.'

'Ah, but they wouldn't do it as well as us though Georgie. Cunning they may be but I don't have the bravery to pull of stunts like us.'

'Stupidity more like it.' Harry retorted.

'Gred did you hear what you're darling Princess just said about us?'

'I do believe Forge she was saying we're stupid.'

'Well, what else would you call trying to blow up a bathroom?' Harry asked.

'That's not stupid Anna,'

'It's ingenious.'

'I'm going to speak with someone with some brains,' Harry said rolling her eyes as she stood up. 'Just so you know, the reason the Slytherins are all muttering. Is because Malfoy was idiotic enough to get himself hurt whilst in Hagrid's lesson.'

'You two coming?' Harry glanced at Ron and Hermione.

As it was still early, Harry didn't think it would too much of a problem going to see Hagrid. When he told them to come in after they knocked. Hagrid had been sitting at his scrubbed wooden table. One look told them he'd been drinking.

'Suspect it's a record. Don't reckon they've ever had a teacher only last a day before.'

'You haven't been sacked?' Hermione gasped.

'Not yet. Matter of time isn't it after Malfoy. Madam Pomfrey fixed him best she could ... but he's saying it's still agony ... covered in bandages ... moaning ...' Hagrid replied dully

'Bet he's faking it. Madam Pomfrey can fix anything. Even George says so.'

'Yeah, George would say something like that. Madam Pomfrey fixed him up good after a Bludger hit his head in his second year. Nasty business it was.'

'I would have thought something like that would have knocked some sense into him. Not give him more brain damage,' Harry muttered.

'Well, the governors now know, suspect there will be an inquiry. They reckon I started too big, should have started with Flobberworms or something ... It's all my fault.'

'We're witnesses,' Hermione said. 'We'll tell them that it was Malfoy's fault!'

'Yeah, we'll back you up Hagrid,' Ron said.

'Listen it was nice of you to come and see me, I really-'

Hagrid stopped dead, staring at Harry as though he'd just realised she was there. Well, at least Hagrid didn't look drunk now.

'WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING? EH?' he roared, so suddenly that they jumped a foot into the air. 'YOU'RE NOT TO GO WANDERING AROUND. IT'S ALMOST DARK OUTSIDE, HARRY! AND YOU TWO! LETTING HER!'

'Come on!' Hagrid said angrily. 'I'm taking you all back up to the school, and don't let me catch you walking down to see me when it's getting dark again. I'm not worth that!'

Somehow going to see Hagrid hadn't turned out as Harry quite expected it too.


	55. Chapter 55

_21st June 1981  
_ _I don't know how to start really; a lot has been happening! The organisation Dumbledore put together  
_ _has received word that Voldemort is planning an attack! Dumbledore believes that he is after us and_ _the_ _Longbottoms he wants. Lily hopes that this informant, whoever it is, is mistaken. Alice after all is  
_ _Lily's closest and best friend. Lily's quite upset they've gone into hiding Frank and Alice. Not that I  
_ _blame them. Frank isn't one to take chances. He'll protect his family! Sirius thinks that we should do the same. We have though, well not completely we've still kept in contact with people. Just closest friends, but Dumbledore thinks we should do more... he wants us to use an old spell, a charm to keep our location hidden. I don't know what we should do ... and Lily is asking me that very question ... how am I meant to give her an answer when I don't even know myself?  
_ _Merlin, I don't know and what about Anna? How do I protect my little girl if we are in hiding?  
_ _We'll have no news, won't know what's going on. Limited contact with those we care about. I don't know if I can live like that ... For Anna my little Harianna I just might ... Merlin, help us._

It was Thursday before Malfoy showed his face in lessons. It had been half way through a double Potions class. The Slytherins and Gryffindor were still taking this class together. And Malfoy had been milking his injury for all it was worth. Getting Ron or Harry to cut up his Potion ingredients for him. It was Neville who had been having trouble a few cauldrons away. He regularly went to pieces in Potions lessons; it was his worst subject and his greatest fear Professor Snape made things ten times worse. His potion was meant to be a bright, acid green it was orange instead. Harry though had still been in taught while stirring her own potion. Her dad's journal had mentioned the name Longbottom. Frank and Alice Longbottom, were they Neville's parents? All Harry knew was that Neville lived with his grandmother. Not once in his three years had Neville mentioned his parents. Just like Harry herself but then the whole wizarding world knew her parents were dead, so why would they? It did make Harry wonder though what was the reason and why did he live with his grandmother. Not that she was going to ask Neville though. There must be a reason he didn't speak about them. Then her thoughts turned towards the Dursleys and their treatment of her. Her dad's words Frank wasn't a person to take chances, that he would protect his family. So, it couldn't be that either the bell rang for lunch.

Harry watched Neville throughout lunch time, then stopped shortly after. She wasn't going to get answers by doing that. Harry would have to talk to him or just find out more. She wasn't sure what she should do and she didn't want to invalid on Neville's privacy if he didn't want to talk about his parents. That's if they were his parents, Harry had no confirmation of that just yet. Then Harry heard a voice call:

'Ohh, Anna,' George had been calling her that name continuously, and it was starting to irritate her.

'It's Harry, George, how many times do I have to tell you. Call me Harry.'

'But, Anna. All I wanted you to know was that I've missed you liked a Bertie Bott's every flavour bean: it's snot funny.'

'What?' Harry asked stunned. What did George think he was doing?

'Have you had a good morning Anna? You must be tired though because you've been pottering around my mind all morning.'

'George, you haven't taken any more Bludgers to the head have you?'

'Nnnooo why?'

'Are you sure that one hasn't hit you on the head and you didn't notice it.'

'Anna my dear Princess, you would have noticed a Bludger hitting me, you have been at practice with us.'

'I don't really watch what you're doing now do I! I've got more important things to be looking out for,' Harry replied pushing her plate away. 'Oh, and George for the last time it's Harry! Honestly!'

Harry headed to Defence Against the Dark Arts alongside Ron and Hermione. Professor Lupin wasn't there when they first arrived. They all sat down, took out their books, quill and parchment.

'Good afternoon. Would you all please put all your books back in your bags. Today's will be a practical lesson. You will only need your wands.'

These words caused a stir of excitement as they had never had a practical Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson before.

'Right then if you follow me,' Professor Lupin said when the class had done as he asked.

He led them out the classroom and along the deserted corridor until they reached the staff room door.

'Inside please,' Professor Lupin said opening it for them, standing back.

The staff room was a long, panelled room full of old, mismatched chairs.

'Now then,' Professor Lupin said, beckoning the class towards the end of the room, where there was nothing except an old wardrobe. As Professor Lupin went to stand next to it, the wardrobe gave a sudden wobble, banging off the wall.

'Nothing to worry about. There's a Boggart in there.'

'Now Boggarts like dark, enclosed spaces. The first question we must ask ourselves is, what is a Boggart?'

Hermione's hand shot straight up. 'It's a shape-shifter. It can take the shape of whatever it thinks will frighten us most.'

'Couldn't have put it better myself,' Professor Lupin said. 'So, the Boggart sitting in the darkness within has not yet assumed a form. He does not yet know what will frighten the person on the other side of the door. Nobody knows what a Boggart looks like when he's alone, but when I let him out, he will immediately become whatever each of us fears.'

'This means that we have a huge advantage over the Boggart before we begin.' Professor Lupin said. 'Have you spotted it, Harry?'

Harry blinked stunned for a moment. He had called her Harry. None of the other teachers did, besides Dumbledore and Hagrid of course. 'Well because they're so many of us, it won't know what shape it should be.'

'Precisely. It's always best to have company when you're dealing with a Boggart. He becomes confused. Which he should he become, a headless corpse or flesh-eating slug? I saw a Boggart make that very mistake - tried to frighten two people at once and turned himself into half a slug. Not remotely frightening.'

'Now the charm that repels a Boggart is simple, yet it requires a force of mind. You see, the thing that really finishes a Boggart is laughter. What you need to do is force it to assume a shape you find amusing. We'll practise the charm without wands first. After me, please ... _R_ _iddikulus!'_

'Riddikulus!' Said the class together.

'Good, now that was the easy part. You see, the word alone is not enough. So what I need now is a little assistance. Ah, Neville, come forward please.'

Neville timidly stepped forward.

'Right, Neville, first thing first: what would you say frightens you the most in the world.'

'Professor Snape,' Neville replied quietly.

'Professor Snape ... hmmm ... Neville, I believe you live with your grandmother.'

'Er - yes but - I don't want the Boggart to turn into her either.'

'No, no, you misunderstand me. I would like you to picture your grandmother's clothing. When the Boggart bursts out the wardrobe, Neville, and sees you, it will assume the form of Professor Snape. You will raise your wand - thus - cry 'Riddikulus' - and Professor Boggart Snape will be forced into wearing those clothes.'

'If Neville is successful, the Boggart is likely to turn his attention to each of us. I would like all of you to take a moment now to think of the thing that scares you most, and imagine how you might force it to look comical ...'

'Neville, we're going to back away now. Let you have a clear field, all right then I'll call the next person forward ...everyone back away now ... Ready Neville on the count of three. One - two - three-'

The wardrobe burst open with a flick of Professor Lupin wand. Hook-nosed and menacing, Professor Snape stepped out, his eyes flashing at Neville. Snape was bearing down on him.

'R-r-riddikulus!' Neville squeaked.

There was a noise like a whip-crack. Snape stumbled; he was wearing a long, lace-trimmed dress and a towering hat topped with a moth-eaten vulture, and swinging a huge crimson handbag. There was a roar of laughter; the Boggart paused, confused and Lupin shouted, 'Parvati! Forward.'

Professor Snape rounded on her. There was another crack, and where he stood was a bloody-stained, bandage mummy. As Seamus darted passed Parvati for his turn, Harry began to really think. What did she fear most? She wasn't scared of Dudley or Vernon not anymore anyway. Harry had been younger then, the world was a big place not just that of number four Privet Drive. Harry had faced Voldemort twice now and she doubted that she was even scared of him not even if he was a full power. Lavender's Boggart had become a rat, which was no surprise to Harry. Though what she had changed it into made the whole class burst into fits of laughter. Stood in front of them was one of the Weasley twins red, faced and rubbing his bottom. Professor Lupin looked at them all confused until the class explained.

'The Weasley twins woke the girls up early one morning by placing a rat into their dorm.'

'The only problem with doing that is, Harry here, she doesn't like being woken up early.'

'So, they had been on the receiving end of a stinging hex, they couldn't sit down for nearly a whole day.'

'It was hilarious.'

Professor Lupin coughed lightly as though covering up a laugh. 'Ron, you next.'

Quite a few people screamed. A giant spider, six feet tall and covered in hair, was advancing on Ron clicking it pincers. For a moment, Harry thought Ron had frozen. Then - 'Riddikulus!' Ron bellowed, and the spider's legs vanished. It rolled over and over and came to a halt at Harry's feet. Her wand was raised but she wasn't sure what it would become - Professor Lupin suddenly rushed forward in front of her. The legless spider vanished. For a second, everyone looked wildly around to see where it was. Then they all saw a silvery-white orb hanging in the air in front of Lupin, who said 'Riddikulus!' almost lazily. The Boggart landed on the floor as a cockroach.

'Finish him off Neville,' Lupin said. This time Neville charged forward. Boggart Snape was back. Neville shouted 'Riddikulus,' and they had a split second's view of Snape in his lacy dress before Neville let out a great 'Ha!' of laughter and the Boggart exploded, bursting into a thousand tiny wisps of smoke, and was gone.

'Excellent! Well done everyone. Let me see ... five points to Gryffindor for every person to tackle the Boggart - ten for Neville because he did it twice - five points each to Hermione and Harry for answering my questions correctly at the start of the class. Homework, kindly read the chapter on Boggarts and summarise it for me ... to be handed in on Monday. That will be all.'

Harry headed off to Arithmancy with that lesson on her mind. Why would her Professor purposely step in front of her when the Boggart had been near her? Did he think she couldn't handle her fear? Whatever it may be - unless he thought that it would be something he didn't want the class to see? Harry had thought of that person herself, a Voldemort returned to full strength. The class would have been - terrified.

'Hey, Harry wait up.' Dean said catching up to her. 'Brilliant lesson that was, don't you think?'

'Yeah it was quite funny, I don't think I'll ever look at Snape in the same way again. Will be too busy picturing him in a lacy dress.'

'Yeah agree with you there. Have you heard the news Seamus just told me, _Daily Prophet_ reported a sighting of Pettigrew.'

'Really Where?'

'Not too far from here, it was a Muggle who saw him. Called in on that special hotline that's been set up. By the time the Ministry got there, he was gone.'

'Not too far from here ...' Harry repeated.

'Thinking of trying to catch Pettigrew single-handed, Potter?'

Harry frowned, Malfoy had obviously just turned up to wait for their next lesson.

'Yeah that's right,' Harry said offhandedly.

Malfoy's thin mouth was curving into a mean smile. 'Of course, if it was me.' He said. 'I'd done something before now. I wouldn't be staying in school like a good little girl, I'd be out there looking for him.'

'Malfoy what are you talking about?' a voice so close behind Harry that it made her jump. When had, Hermione crept up on her like that.

'Don't you know Potter?' Malfoy breathed, his pale eyes narrowed.

'Know what?'

Malfoy let out a low, sneering laugh, 'Maybe you'd rather not risk your neck. Want to leave it to the Dementors, do you? But if it was me, I'd want revenge. I'd hunt him down myself.'

' _What are you talking about?'_

'Afternoon, everyone in,' Professor Vector said. 'Take your seats we've got a lot to do today.'

Harry was about to walk in but Professor Vector placed a hand on her shoulder. 'I'd like to speak with you about your homework, after class Miss Potter. It shouldn't take up too much of your time.'

Harry had never had a lesson feel as long as this one had she even doubted History of Magic which was boring lasted as long as this. All throughout the lesson, she had wondered what she could have possibly have done? Was she in trouble? Had she not completed the homework correctly? Harry was sure that she had done it right. Even if she had finished hers well before Hermione had. As worry set in the more nervous she became, her leg was shaking and Harry was nervously rubbing her hands by the time the bell finally rang. Professor Vector saw the class out and kept her behind.

'I'll be with you in a moment. Wait here,' Professor Vector told her firmly.

About five minutes later Professor Vector walked back into the room joined by Harry's Head of House, Professor McGonagall and the Headmaster Professor Dumbledore. Harry was in so much trouble.

'I didn't do anything! I swear. I don't even know why Professor Vector asked me to stay,' Harry blurted out.

To her surprise, Professor Vector chuckled, then cleared her thought. 'I am about to enlighten you. Professor McGonagall and the Headmaster are here at my request. I needed to confirm a few things, and if what I think is correct - then it concerns them both greatly.'

'Now I wish for you to talk me through your homework. Explain your theory _please_ ,' Professor Vector handed over her homework placing it on her desk.

'That's it? Oh well, that's easy,' Harry shrugged as she looked down at her own work. 'You asked us to chart numbers according to your sequence you gave us. But if you did that then - well look. See how it overlaps it doesn't make sense if you do that. The sequence you gave us should have been continuous, it shouldn't have over lapped on the chart at all. So, I took a look at the sequence and figured out that it had irregularities but without them, it wouldn't work - so I thought I'd-'

It had gone oddly quiet so Harry glanced up, Professor Vector's eyes were sparkling in a way she had never seen before. Professor McGonagall looked surprisingly lost or most likely stunned. Professor Dumbledore's eyes were twinkling.

'Umm-' Harry said unsure what to say to her Professor's reactions.

Professor Vector held up a hand. 'No need to continue. I've heard enough.'

'There is no need to look so worried Miss Potter. Like I said I just needed to confirm a few things and you just have. I told you, Albus.'

Harry glanced between her Professors rather confused. Was she in trouble? If not, then what was this all about?

'It would seem Miss Potter needs an explanation. She seems to look out of sorts.' Professor Dumbledore said.

'Oh,' Professor Vector said. 'Of course, well you see Miss Potter, it would appear that you are quite - remarkably - talented at Arithmancy I have never seen a third-year answer a question I set like this. The standard of level you are showing and picking up on is well above your OWLs. I don't think my NEWTs students have even shown this level of understanding.'

'WHAT?' Harry said a little too loudly than muttered. 'Sorry.'

'Just how long did this take you to complete, Potter?' Professor McGonagall asked.

'About two hours I think could have been less could have been more. Ron had been talking to us at the time.'

'Miss Potter this level of standard work, should have taken you much longer than that,' Professor McGonagall said. 'Much longer. It's seems you have a way with numbers and theories that I couldn't possibly begin to understand.'

'Oh.'

'You'll be on my advance course for Arithmancy when it starts up after Christmas. It's too small at the moment to teach. We'll have to monitor your progress very closely, just to make sure we are not putting too much pressure on you. Then if all goes well and as long as we can get Professor Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall to agree. You'll be taking your OWl next year.'

Harry's mouth fell open. An OWL next year, she'd be taking an OWL that soon?

'Just how long have you been good with numbers?'

'Ages, I used to do mathematics that even my teachers in Primary school were puzzled by. Numbers made sense to me I guess. Numbers could lead to all kinds of possibilities but no matter how much they may do so numbers can't lie, even if there is a slight chance of something impossible being done. That slight chance of it being done will and can happen. Doesn't mean it would, but it could.'

'She's got it, Albus,' Professor Vector exclaimed happily. 'By Merlin she has it. The girl's a genius I tell you.'

'Could we maybe keep this between us. Last thing I want is the whole school to be gaping at me for another reason,' Harry said. 'Please, I'd really appreciate it.'


	56. Chapter 56

_31st July 1981_

 _IT'S HARIANNA BIRTHDAY! One today, my little girl's growing up so fast,_

 _Sirius's Birthday present went down like a treat, Lily's not impressed. Thinks it's unfair that I can get_

 _Harianna into Quidditch before she is able to get Anna into shopping... You snooze you lose ..._

 _Harianna quite good actually, complete natural, takes after me, well she might be better than I am._

 _But flying already and only one... so the broom doesn't go off the ground very high but our little girl is growing up so fast. Wait I've said that already... that must mean time is going by too quickly…_

 _OK, I'm worried now what happens when she's older and telling me to go away instead of cuddling up with me_

 _rejection from my own daughter... then it will be- oh no - two women in the household how am I going to cope with two Lily's. I love my wife but to have two of her around. I hope Harianna is like me... well almost like me, I'd like her to be like Lily is some aspects. Cursing any boy that tries to flirt with her - No boy will ever be good enough for my Anna._

 _On second thought Anna's not allowed to know boys at all. No boys, no boyfriend's plural. It's not happening... not at all._

 _And if that doesn't work I'll scare them off ... sounds like a plan to me ..._

 _I've still got a few tricks up my sleeve… they won't know what's coming to them ..._

Defence Against the Dark Arts had become most people's favourite class. Only Draco Malfoy had anything bad to say about Professor Lupin. No one really cared what Malfoy thought of Professor Lupin though. His next few lessons were just as interesting as the first. After Boggarts, they studied Red Caps, nasty little goblin-like creatures. From Red Caps they moved onto Kappas, creepy water-dwellers that looked like though George had been very quiet, the twins hadn't pulled a pranks. George had hardly even spoken to Harry, in fact, he hadn't even sat beside her for meals. It was very odd indeed, but now it was the start of October Harry thought that if anything else failed the upcoming Quidditch season would cheer him up.

Harry wasn't wrong, Oliver called a team meeting to discuss tactics for the new season. Oliver Wood was a burly seventeen-year-old, now in his seventh and final year at Hogwarts. There was a quiet sort of desperation in his voice as he addressed his six fellow team members.

'This is our last chance - my last chance - to win the Quidditch cup. I'll be leaving at the end of this year. I'll never get another shot at it,' he told them.

'Gryffindor hasn't won for seven years now. OK, so we've had the worst luck in the world - injuries - then the tournament getting called off last year ...' Wood swallowed, as though the memory still brought a lump to his throat. 'But we've also know we've got the best - ruddy - team - in - the - school. We've got three superb Chasers,' Wood said pointing at Alicia Spinnet, Angelina Johnson and Katie Bell.

'We've got two unbeatable Beaters.'

'Stop it, Oliver.'

'You're embarrassing us.'

'And we've got the best damn Seeker in the school. Who has never failed to win us a match!'

Harry swelled with pride, blushing slightly.

'And me,' Oliver said.

'We think you're very good, too, Oliver,' George said.

'Cracking Keeper,' Fred agreed.

'The point is the Cup should have had our name on it these last two years. Ever since Harry joined the team, I've thought the thing was in the bag. But we haven't got it, and this year's the last chance we'll get to finally see our name on the thing ...'

'Oliver, this is our year,' Fred said.

'We'll do it, Oliver.'

'Definitely! No crazy, early wake-up calls.' Harry said. 'Just putting it out there.'

'No.' Oliver, almost laughed. 'I don't think I'll be waking you up early Harry.'

Full of determination, the team set about planning tactics. On the way back to the Gryffindor tower, Harry tugged on the sleeve of Fred's robes.

'Mind telling me what's been wrong?'

'Wrong?'

'With George. He's been too quiet are you two scheming something again?'

'No for once it has nothing to do with that.'

'Oh, what then?'

Fred sighed. 'His Boggart, Harry, it turned into something he didn't expect. He froze right in front of the whole class, unable to change it,' he said. 'Thought it would be the same as mine: Mum destroying all our prank stuff we've got stashed. But no Georgie's had to be a body.'

'A body?' Harry asked.

'Yeah - a dead body of a gi-' Fred began to say. 'He doesn't want to talk about it though so don't ask him. OK.'

'OK thanks for telling me. I was beginning to worry I'd done something.'

When they returned to the Gryffindor Tower the common room was buzzing excitedly.

'What's happened?' Harry asked Ron and Hermione who had been sitting in their usual spot by the fire.

'First Hogsmeade weekend,' Ron said pointing at the notice board. 'End of October. Halloween.'

'Excellent,' Fred said. 'I need to visit Zonko's, I'm nearly out of Stink Pellets. See you lot later, I've gotta tell Georgie about Hogsmeade.'

'Why do I get the impression all they think about is pulling pranks,' Harry said as Fred walked away in search of his twin.

'Oh that's not all they think about,' Hermione said smiling at her.

'What else is there?'

'Quidditch of course,' Ron said quickly he's ears going pink.

Hermione opened her mouth to say something, but at that moment Crookshanks leapt into her lap. A large dead spider dangling from his mouth. Crookshanks slowly chewed up the spider.

'Did he have to eat that in front of us?' Ron said scowling. 'Mind you keep him there I've got Scabbers asleep in my bag.'

Crookshanks stared unblinkingly at Ron, flicking the end of his bushy tail. Then without warning, he pounced.

'OI!' Ron roared, seizing his bag, as Crookshanks sank four set of claws deeply into it, and began tearing ferociously. Ron tried to pull the end of his bushy tail. Ron tried to pull the bag away from Crookshanks, but Crookshanks clung to it. As Ron pulled the bag Scabbers went flying out of the top - Crookshanks freed himself from the remnants of the bag and sprang over the table chasing after the terrified Scabbers. Scabbers streaked through twenty pairs of legs and shot beneath an old chest of drawers. Crookshanks skidded to a halt, crouched low on his bandy legs and starting making furious swipes beneath the chest of drawers with his front paw. Ron and Hermione hurried over; Hermione grabbed Crookshanks; Ron threw himself onto his stomach and, with great difficulty, pulled Scabbers out by the tail.

'Look at him his, skin and bone! You keep that cat away from him!'

'Crookshanks doesn't understand it's wrong! All cats chase rats, Ron,' Hermione said.

'There's something funny about that animal! It heard me say that Scabbers was in my bag!'

'Oh, what rubbish, Crookshanks could smell him, Ron, how else do you think-'

'That cat has got it in for Scabbers! And Scabbers was here first, and his ill' Ron said, ignoring the people around him, marching through the common room and out of sight up the stairs to the boys' dorm.

...

Ron was still in a bad mood with Hermione the next morning. He barely talked to her all through Herbology, even though he, Harry and Hermione were working together on the same Puffapod. It had been a long lesson, during Transfigurations Professor McGonagall had asked for their permission slips for Hogsmeade to be handed into her before Halloween. Hermione had pointed out that with Pettigrew being sighted so close, that maybe Harry shouldn't go. Harry had handed her form in like everyone else had. She wasn't going to be the only third year to stay behind. It would be too embarrassing. Ron saw this as Hermione trying to interfere with Harry's life that by the time the end of the lesson came. Ron and Hermione weren't talking to each other.

Harry was getting the feeling that she would be going to Hogsmeade alone if it carried on like this. With the tension not dropping between her two friends, Harry had been glad she could at least escape it during Ancient Runes. Another subject she was taking with Hermione but Ron hadn't joined them. Her friends' argument still hadn't cleared up by the end of the day.

The morning of Halloween and with the Hogsmeade trip on her friends' mind instead of their stupid argument. Their attitude towards each other remained friendly. Excited for the first time about going to the village, Harry waited with the other students waiting for Professor McGonagall to check that everyone's forms had indeed been signed before allowing them to set off. Amongst the crowd of students as Harry, Ron and Hermione walked down to the carriages Harry heard a shout.

'Anna! Anna!'

It seemed George's good mood was completely back. Harry snapped her head up glaring at him. George caught up to them easily, a wide grin on his face. Walking beside Harry as they carried on down the path.

'Was there something you wanted George?' Hermione asked. 'And you know Harry doesn't like that name.'

'I just prefer Harry is all,' Harry shrugged.

'Why yes Hermione there was something I wanted,' George said ignoring what had just been said. 'I came to ask Anna, here, if she wouldn't mind escorting me to Hogsmeade.'

'I'm going with Ron and Hermione, George. We had it all planned out where we're going to go and everything...'

Hermione giggled, which caused Harry to send her a puzzling look. 'I think George is asking you to go with him - as in on a date Harry.'

Wide eyed, Harry turned her head. 'You want me to go with you - on a date to Hogsmeade?' she repeated to George, stopping dead in her tracks.

'Yeah, I was just thinking that - you know it would be nice to - just be us two.'

Other students had stopped also to see what was going on. George was just smiling at her, a little too smugly. He had asked her on a date in front of all these people ... how embarrassing. Harry panicked what did she say? Surely, he didn't mean it? This was all a joke - asking her in front of all these people. Students were now giggling around them obviously finding this very funny. How dare he do this to her. Was this a new pastime to embarrass her like this. Had George ran out of pranks to pull and thought that he would make a fool of her instead. It wasn't going to happen.

'No,' Harry said quickly realising that George still needed an answer, even it was just a joke. Harry heard the laughter minutes later and even though George looked disappointed, Harry had been glad that at least she hadn't fallen for it. Ron and Hermione followed her getting into the nearest carriage.

'I think he meant it really - he looked quite disappointed.'

'He can't have done Hermione. Did you not see the other students laughing? It was a joke. It had to be. Just look at me, I look like a guy most of the time. No offence Ron but I do. What would any boy see in me? I'm not pretty like you or the other girls. So, he can't have been serious.'

'Look Hogsmeade,' Ron said pointing out the village itself in the near distance, his face looking rather awkward.

Embarrassment gone, Harry stared in awe at the little Village in front of them. As they stepped off the carriage they rushed off in excitement to see everything. Honeydukes the sweet shop was so crowded with students that they had to squeeze their own way through. There were shelves upon shelves of the most succulent looking sweets. Ron had been right in saying that Harry and Hermione would love it. Zonko's joke shop had actually been interesting, Harry could understand why the twins spent so much time pulling pranks. Dervish and Banges was a wizarding equipment shop, which Hermione browsed in sheer delight. There was a Post Office which had about two hundred owls in it, all sitting on shelves and colour-coded depending on how fast you wanted your letter to get there. At lunch time, they headed to the Three Broomsticks which was an inn run by a friendly witch, Madam Rosmerta. Ron had ordered them something called a Butterbeer, it was the most delicious thing she had ever tasted. They didn't go back to school until almost dusk. They dropped their purchases off in the dorm and headed down for the Halloween feast.

The Great Hall had been decorated with hundreds of candle-filled pumpkins, a cloud of fluttering live bats and many orange streamers, which were swimming lazily across the stormy ceiling. The food was delicious even though Harry had been full on Honeydukes sweets managed second helpings of everything. After the feast, had finished Harry, Ron and Hermione followed the rest of the Gryffindors along the usual path to Gryffindor Tower, but when they reached the corridor which ended with the portrait of the Fat Lady, they found it jammed with students.

'Why isn't anyone going in?' Ron said curiously.

'Let me through, please,' came Percy's voice and he came bustling importantly through the crowd. 'What's the hold up here? You can't have all forgotten the password - excuse me, I'm Head Boy -'

And silence fell over the crowd, from the front first. Percy said with a sharp voice. 'Somebody get Professor Dumbledore. Quick.'

People's heads turned; those at the back were standing on tip-toe.

'What's going on Harry?' Ginny asked having just arrived.

Next moment, Professor Dumbledore was there, sweeping towards the portrait. Harry, Ron and Hermione moved closer to see what the trouble was. The Fat Lady had vanished from her portrait, which had been slashed so viciously that strips of canvas littered the floor; great chunks of it had been torn away completely. Dumbledore took one quick look at the ruined painting and turned, his eyes sombre eyes, to see Professor McGonagall, Lupin and Snape hurrying towards him.

'We need to find her,' Dumbledore said. 'Professor McGonagall, please go to Mr Filch at once and tell him to search every painting in the castle for the Fat Lady.'

'You'll be lucky!' A crackling voice said.

It was Peeves the poltergeist, bobbing over the crowd and looking delighted.

'What do you mean Peeves?' Dumbledore said calmly.

'Ashamed, your headship, sir. Doesn't want to be seen. She's a horrible mess. Saw her running through the landscape up on the fourth floor, sir, dodging between the trees. Crying something dreadful,' he said happily.

'Did she say who did it?' Dumbledore said quietly.

'Oh yes, Proffesorhead. He got very angry when she wouldn't let him in, you see. Nasty temper he's got that Peter Pettigrew.'

The Gryffindors were sent down to the Great Hall and joined later by the other houses, who all looked extremely confused.

'The teachers and I need to conduct a thorough search of the castle. I'm afraid that, for your own safety, you will have to spend the night here. I am leaving the Head Boy and Girl in charge and would like the Prefects to stand guard over the entrances to the Hall. Any disturbance should be reported immediately, send word with one of the ghosts Mr Weasley.'

Professor Dumbledore paused, about to leave the hall and said. 'Oh yes, you'll be needing...'

One casual wave of his wand, the tables flew to the edges of the hall, with another wave the floor was covered with hundreds of squashy purple sleeping bags.

'Sleep well.'

Harry, Ron and Hermione seized three sleeping bags and dragged them into a corner. George followed moments later along with Fred.

'Do you think Pettigrew's still in the castle?' Hermione whispered as Percy reminded them to get into sleeping bags.

'Dumbledore obviously thinks he might be,' Ron said.

'It's very lucky he picked tonight, you know, the one night we weren't in the tower ...'

'I reckon he's lost track of time, being on the run. Didn't realise it was Halloween. Otherwise, he'd have come bursting in here.'

'The thing is though,' Harry said, 'How did he get in?'

All around them people were asking the same question.

'Maybe he knows how to Apparate. Just appear out of thin air, you know,' a Ravenclaw a few feet away said.

'Disguised himself, probably,' said a Hufflepuff.

'You can't just Apparate into Hogwarts. The castle is protected by more than walls, you know. There are all sorts of enchantments on it, to stop people entering by stealth.'

'I'd like to see the Dementors get fooled by a disguise, they're guarding every entrance to the grounds remember,' Harry pointed out.

'Lights out,' Percy shouted and moments later all the candles went out at once.

Once every hour, a teacher would appear in the hall to check that everything was quiet. Around three in the morning, when many students had finally fallen asleep, Professor Dumbledore came in.

'Any sign of him Professor?' Percy asked in a whisper.

'No. But there is no point moving them all now. I've found a temporary guardian for the Gryffindor portrait hole. You'll be able to move back in tomorrow.'

'And the Fat Lady?'

'I'll have Filch restore her.'

'Headmaster?' It was Snape. 'The whole third floor has been searched. He's not there. And Filch has done the dungeons; nothing there either.'

'The Astronomy tower? Professor Trelawney's room? The Owlery?'

'All searched.'

'Very well, I didn't expect to Pettigrew to linger.'

'Have you any theory as to how he got in, Professor?'

'Many, Severus each of them as unlikely as the next. But as our third-year Arithmancy genius once told me. Anything even if it has only the slightest possibility of it happening; can happen.'

'Umm girl's not wrong there. Septima won't stop talking about her. Useless keeping it quiet if you ask me. School's going to find out sooner or later.' Snape said. 'Have you considered our conversation we had at the start of term? It seems impossible Pettigrew could have entered the school without inside help. I did express my concerns when you appointed -'

'Severus I do not believe a single person inside this castle would have helped Pettigrew enter it. I must go to the down to the Dementors, I said I would inform them when our search was complete.'

'Didn't they want to help, sir?' Percy asked.

'Oh yes, but no Dementor will cross the threshold of this castle while I'm Headmaster.'

Dumbledore left the hall, Harry peered an eye open both Ron and Hermione were still awake.

'What was all that about?' Ron mouthed.

Harry would like to know that too but what could of she have said - oh no he had mentioned her. Well, the Arithmancy genius at least. Harry knew that her friends wouldn't be the only students still awake, it would be around the school by tomorrow morning. Harry really hoped that the students would be more focused on Pettigrew though.


	57. Chapter 57

_12th September 1981  
_ _I haven't had a chance to write for a few days ... simultaneous attacks on our location and the Longbottoms  
_ _happened. We had to get out, that was our first priority... days we waited for news on what happened and how  
_ _Frank and Alice ... captured - what happened to them shouldn't have - the nicest people -  
_ _tortured by Voldemorts Death Eaters - I'm surprised they weren't just killed - would have been better in my opinion.  
_ _You see when they were found wondering - they didn't know who they were - lost their minds -both of them.  
_ _They will never get a chance to know their son Neville. Augusta has him now, they're under the Fidelius Charm.  
_ _The charm Dumbledore wants us to use and with what has just happened - we are planning to.  
_ _We're going to get everything up. Godric's Hollow my Grandmothers Cottage that was left to us in her will -_ _the only safe place I know right now. We must act quickly and we must think of someone to use -_ _Dumbledore wants to do it himself. Sirius thinks this is a good idea, he's starting not to trust the origination -_ _thinks that there is a spy. How else would have Voldemort learnt of our locations? Thinks it might be - but - no he wouldn't. Sure, we haven't seen him but that doesn't mean his spying on us for Voldemort.  
_ _It just because of the moons that we've not seen him. It can't be any other reason ...  
_ _Dumbledore thinks for certain now that Voldemort will come for us, he has been given information that is vital.  
_ _Something that involves Harianna ... Lily and I are wondering what it could possibly be ..._

The school talked of nothing but Peter Pettigrew for days thinking up theories of how he had got into the castle. The Gryffindors disliked their temporary guardian for the Tower. It was a portrait of Sir Cadogen and his fat grey pony. He spent half his time challenging people to duels, and the rest thinking up ridiculously complicated passwords, which he changed at least twice a day. Poor Neville couldn't keep up and he had always had trouble remembering passwords anyway. Harry now at least knew the reason why Neville didn't speak about his parents, who would want to talk about something like that happening. She had made the choice not to say anything about it either, if Neville wanted to talk about them and what happened, then that was his choice, not hers.

Professor McGonagall had asked Madam Hooch to oversee the Gryffindor training sessions of an evening. Her Professor had wanted her not to be out at all. So, Harry lived with the compromise. Harry had been wrong in the hopes that the students would be too busy thinking about how Pettigrew got in, to be talking about the third-year Arithmancy genius. If the students weren't talking about Pettigrew, they were trying to figure out who the girl was.

The weather worsened as their first Quidditch match approached and Oliver had been very angry to hear that they would be playing Hufflepuff instead of Slytherin. Apparently, Malfoy's arm was still injured, which Oliver doubted to be a likely story. He figured that Slytherin hadn't wanted to play in the horrible wet conditions. The day before the match, the winds reached howling point and the rain fell harder than ever. To make matters worse Snape took their Defence, Against the Dark Arts lesson as Lupin was incapacitated to do so. The lesson went as the ones they usually had with Snape: horrifically. He made them read up on werewolves which they hadn't reached yet and assigned them to complete two rolls of parchment on how to recognise and kill a werewolf. So Harry had not been impressed to spend her evening in the library completing said homework, Snape only needed a small reason to give a detention.

When Harry woke the morning of the Quidditch match to the sounds of thunder rumbling overhead and the pounding wind against the castle walls. The nerves kicked in Oliver had pointed Cedric Diggory out to her in the corridor. Cedric Diggory was the Hufflepuff's Seeker. A boy also in his fifth year. A muscular fifth year, who would less likely to blown off course in this storm.

With the weather being the way it was even, Oliver Wood couldn't manage to bring himself to do his usual pre-match pep talk, but it didn't come, he just shook his head hopelessly and beckoned the team to follow him. The Hufflepuffs were approaching from the opposite side of the pitch, wearing canary-yellow robes. The captains walked up to each other and shook hands; Diggory smiled at Wood but Oliver merely nodded. On Madam Hooch's whistle Harry kicked off rising above the others. Her Nimbus was swerving slightly with the wind, she held it as steady as she could. Within five minutes Harry was soaked to her skin and frozen.

Harry flew around the pitch, but had no idea of what was happening in the rest of the game, she couldn't hear the commentary over the wind. Harry lost track of time, the only thing she had been aware of was dodging two Bludgers. There was clap of thunder, followed by a flash of forked lightning. The weather was getting more dangerous she needed to catch the Snitch and quickly. Harry turned, to head towards the middle of the pitch, but at that moment, another flash of lightning illuminated the stands, the silhouette of an enormous shaggy black dog, clearly imprinted against the sky, motionless in the topmost, empty row of seats. Harry's numb hands slipped on the broom handle, when she looked back up at the stands, the dog had vanished.

Harry looked around the pitch Cedric Diggory was pelting up the pitch, and a tiny speck of gold was shimmering in the rain-filled air between them. Harry speed off after them.

'Come on faster,' Harry said to the broom willing it to catch up.

But something odd was happening. An eerie silence was falling across the stadium. The wind, though as strong as ever, was forgetting to roar. It was like someone had turned off the sound, like she had gone deaf. The familiar wave of cold swept over her, inside her, just as she became aware of something moving on the pitch below. At least a hundred Dementors, their faces pointing up at her, were standing below. It was as though freezing water was rising in her chest, cutting at her insides. And then she heard it again ... that voice ... a woman ... screaming...

 _'Not Harianna, not Anna, please not Anna!'_

 _'Stand aside, you silly girl ... stand aside now ...'_

 _'Not Harianna, please no, take me, kill me instead-'_

Numbing, swirling white mist was filling Harry's brain ... What was she doing? Why was she flying? She needed to help her ... the women was going to die ... going to be murdered... Harry was falling, falling through the icy mist.

 _'Not Harianna! Please have mercy ... have mercy...'_

A shrill voice was laughing, the women was screaming the name 'Anna', and Harry knew no more.

...

Harry's eyes fluttered open and heard several sighs of relief. She was lying in the hospital wing. The Gryffindor team, spattered with mud from head to foot, was gathered around her head. Ron and Hermione were also there, looking as though they'd just climbed out of a swimming pool.

'Princess! How are you feeling?' George said, looking extremely white underneath the mud on his face.

'What happened?'

'You fell off, must have been - what - fifty feet?' Fred said.

'We thought you'd died Harry,' Alicia said shaking. Hermione made a small, squeaky noise. Her eyes were bloodshot.

'The match? Did Cedric get the Snitch?'

'Just after you fell. He didn't realise what had happened. When he looked back and saw you on the ground, he tried to call it off. Wanted a re-match,' George said. 'But they won fair and square .. even Wood admits it.'

'We think he's trying to drown himself. He's still in the showers.'

'Well someone go and get him then. I need to speak with him and privately.' Harry said.

'I'll go,' Angelina said.

'Harry, what are you thinking of doing?' Katie asked.

'What needs to be done.'

'Princess you've never missed the Snitch before, there had to be one time, you didn't get it,' George said.

'We only lost by a hundred points. So, if Hufflepuff lose to Ravenclaw and we beat Ravenclaw and Slytherin,'

'Hufflepuff will have to lose by at least two hundred points - it all comes down to a margin of points a hundred either way-'

'Don't beat yourself up, Harry you're still the best Seeker we've ever had,' Fred said.

'Dumbledore's really angry. He ran onto the pitch as you fell, waved his wand, and you sort of slowed down before you hit the ground. He was furious with the Dementors coming onto the grounds, they left the stadium after he shot a silver kind of spell at them.'

'Right and my Nimbus.'

'It got blown away after you fell off it.'

'It hit the Whomping Willow mate.'

'It's destroyed, isn't it?' Harry said.

Slowly Hermione reached down for a bad at her feet, turned it upside-down and tipped dozen of bits of splintered wood onto the bed.

'You wanted to talk to me,' the voice of Oliver Wood said from a distance.

'Yeah privately,' Harry said glancing towards her friends and the rest of the team, then back to Wood.

'You heard the lady - out!' Wood ordered and the team grudgingly walked out.

'Go please I'll talk to you soon,' Harry asked Ron and Hermione. Her friends followed the team out.

'So, what's this about?' Wood asked when they were alone.

'I resign and it's not because I didn't get the Snitch. I'm not a sore loser-'

'You can't - you're the best player we've got - without you -'

'Oliver please, it only temporary. I need to get a few things sorted out. Until I do, I'm no good to the team. What if the Dementors show up on the next match? I might as well not even play, I'd be falling off my broom, costing us the match. I need - to control the effect they have over me.'

'I'm not replacing you. So, I'm not taking the resignation but if you need the time to sort this out. Then don't come to practice until you ready.'

'I'll do that then, thank you. I'm sorry we lost. I know it doesn't help.'

Oliver gave a small smile. 'I'll let you rest.'

Madam Pomfrey insisted on keeping Harry in the hospital wing for the rest of the weekend. Not that she was complaining, she had kept the remains of her faithful Nimbus, unsure as into what she was going to do with it now it was beyond repair. Even with the stream of visitors paying trips to cheer her up, Harry found herself to be extremely thoughtful. The Grim and the Dementors plagued her mind. The Grim had now appeared twice, and twice something had happened afterwards, a collision with the Knight Bus and the Dementors causing her to fall fifty feet through the air. The Dementors had been her main focus and the effect of which they had on her. No one else fainted, it was so humiliating. Everyone had said the Dementors were horrible but to collapse every time she went near one ... to hear echoes in her head of her dying parents. For she knew who that screaming voice belonged to now. Harry had heard her words over and over again during the night hours in the hospital wing while she lay awake. When the Dementor's approached her, she heard the last moments of her mother's life, her attempts to protect her. And that name, Anna she had called her Anna, just like her father had written in his diary. Just like George had started calling her after hearing Professor Lupin accidentally call her it. Harry was beginning to wonder if it had been an accident at all. That was the thing about theories they had so many conclusions, Harry was beginning to think that nothing happened without a reason. It was just how things turned out whether they be planned or a coincidence it was the choice, the decision that made all the difference. One change of event could make it spiral out of control. Confusing and mind blowing events that left Harry with a lot of unanswered questions.


	58. Chapter 58

Harry was wishing that Monday morning had never arrived. Malfoy was beside himself with glee at Gryffindor's defeat. He even took off his bandages and celebrated having full use of both arms again by doing spirited imitations of Harry falling off her broom. The good news was Professor Lupin was back for their Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson. It was an enjoyable lesson this time Professor Lupin brought along a glass box containing a Hinkypunk, a little one legged creature that looked frail and harmless. When the bell rang, Harry had been amongst the students rushing towards the door.

'Harry wait a moment. I'd like a word.'

Harry doubled back, as Professor Lupin covered the Hinkypunk's box with a cloth.

'I heard about the match,' he said. 'And I'm sorry about your broomstick. Is there any chance of fixing it?'

'No. The tree smashed it to bits.'

Lupin sighed. 'The Whomping Willow was planted the same year that I came to Hogwarts. People used to play a game, trying to get near enough to touch the trunk. In the end, a boy called Davey Gudgeon nearly lost an eye, and we were forbidden to go near it. No broomstick would have stood the chance.'

'Clearly, they weren't smart enough to think of using a spell. The immobilisation charm is a second-year spell,' Harry replied. 'But maybe it was for the best that they hadn't thought of that.'

'You've been near the tree?'

'Ron and I had a run-in with the Whomping Willow last year on our way to school. I cast the charm stop it from hurting us,' Harry explained. 'Did you hear about the Dementors too?'

'Yes, I did. I don't think any of us have seen Professor Dumbledore that angry. They have been growing restless for some time ... furious at his refusal to let them inside the grounds ... I suppose they were the reason you fell?'

'Yes,' Harry said. 'I've been wondering why they affect me like that for a while now.'

'Dementors affect you worse than others because there are horrors in your past that others don't have. They are among the most-foulest creatures that walk this earth. They infest the darkest, filthiest place, they glory in decay and despair. Even Muggles feel their presence, though they can't see them. Get too near a Dementor and every good feeling, every happy memory, will be sucked out of you.'

'If it can, the Dementor will feed on you long enough to reduce you to something like itself - soulless and evil. You'll be left with nothing but the worst experiences of your life. And the worst that has happened to you, Harry, is enough to make anyone fall off their broom.'

'So, that's why I can hear my mum's voice, pleading with Voldemort,' Harry stared at the torches in the classroom. 'So why did the Dementors come to the match?'

'They're getting hungry.'

'That day we thought the Boggart, why you didn't let me go up against it?'

Professor Lupin looked taken aback. 'I thought that would have been obvious.'

'Voldemort. You thought my Boggart would become his form.'

'It crossed my mind.'

'Have you not heard the stories from the other Professors? I've faced Voldemort twice since I came to Hogwarts. It's pretty safe to say that I'm not frightened of him.'

'I had heard the stories. I gathered that all you had done so far even with all your courage. You may still fear him.'

'Yeah, a fully formed Voldemort with all his power does sound pretty scary. I understand that you didn't want to frighten the other students.'

'That is very smart and very noble of you.'

'I figured what with what happened the Quidditch match exactly what my Boggart would be.'

'That would suggest you fear most of all is fear. Very wise, Harry.'

'I have my moments,' Harry shrugged. 'I wish I knew a way to deal with them so I don't faint all the time.'

'I can help you if you so wish.'

'You can?' Harry said hope ringing in her voice.

'There is a charm, the charm I used on the train. It's very advanced magic in the light of things and with the Dementors being attracted to you so much. I could teach it to you.'

'Thanks, Professor I'll make sure to work really hard at the charm.'

'It will have to wait until next term, I'm afraid. I have a lot to do before the holidays. I chose a very inconvenient time to fall ill.'

...

With the promise of Anti-Dementor lessons and the fact that Ravenclaw flattened Hufflepuff in their Quidditch match at the end of November Harry's mood took a definite upturn. Gryffindor was not out of the running though they couldn't afford to lose another match. As the term went by Harry hadn't seen sight of any Dementors within the grounds. Dumbledore's anger seemed to keep them at bay. Two weeks before the end of term McGonagall took the names of the students who would be staying at Hogwarts over the holiday. Ron and Hermione had both put their names down and Harry wasn't fooled as into the reason why they had. Another Hogsmeade trip had been scheduled on the very last weekend of the term. Harry hoped that George wouldn't try another attempt at asking her on a date with him to the village. Harry had been in luck as on the day of the Hogsmeade weekend, George had been in the company of Fred and their friend Lee Jordan. They had been so deep in whispered conversation the boys hadn't realised they had passed by Ron, Hermione and Harry.

Hogsmeade looked like a Christmas card; the little-thatched cottages and shops were all covered in a layer of crisp snow; there were holly wreaths on the doors and strings of enchanted candles hanging in the trees. As they entered Honeydukes Ron brought their attention to a notice posted on the inside of the sweet shop door.

 _BY ORDER OF THE MINISTRY OF MAGIC_

 _Customers are reminded that until further notice, Dementors will be_

 _patrolling the streets of Hogsmeade every night after sundown. This measure_

 _has been put in place for the safety of Hogsmeade residents and will be lifted upon_

 _the recapture of Peter Pettigrew. It is, therefore, advisable that you complete your shopping before nightfall._

 _Merry Christmas!_

The Ministry was still looking for him then. The sooner the better, Harry thought then she could go back to playing Quidditch like any other normal student. Shaking her head Harry turned back to her objection, finding Christmas presents for her friends. With all the shops buzzing and brimming full of students. It had taken them all a while to complete their shopping. With aching feet and frozen due to the cold, Ron, Hermione and Harry made their way to the Three Broomsticks. It was extremely crowded, noisy and smoky. Ron ordered their drinks, after he done so they made their way to the back of the room, where there was a small, vacant table between the window and handsome Christmas tree which stood next to the fireplace. Being in the corner of the Inn turned out well in Harry's favour as the Christmas tree hid them from view. It made a nice change for no one being able to stare at her.

The door of the Three Broomsticks had opened again. Professor McGonagall and Flitwick had just entered the pub in a flurry of snowflakes, shortly followed by Hagrid, who was deep in conversation with a portly man in a lime-green bowler hat and pinstriped cloak: Cornelius Fudge, Minister for Magic.

'Minister what brings you here?' Madam Rosmerta said.

'What else, m'dear, but Peter Pettigrew? I daresay you heard what happened up at the school at Halloween?' Fudge said.

'I did hear the rumour,' Madam Rosmerta admitted.

'Did you tell the whole pub, Hagrid?' Professor McGonagall said.

'Do you still think he's in the area?' Madam Rosmerta asked.

'I'm sure of it. We all are aware of what Pettigrew is capable of.'

'You know I still have trouble believing that, never thought he would go over to the Dark side. I remember him as a schoolboy when he was going to Hogwarts. A timid thing he was, always frightened of something.'

'Surely you remember who his friends were then.'

'Of course, I do. Those lads were always causing trouble wherever they went. It wasn't often you saw them apart. James, Sirius, Remus and Peter. Though it wasn't unusual for it to be just to be the double act of Sirius Black and James Potter never saw those two apart.'

'You would have thought Black and Potter were brothers! Inseparable!' Professor Flitwick chimed in.

'Black and Potter, ringleaders of their little gang. Both very bright - I don't think we've ever had such a pair of troublemakers,' Professor McGonagall said.

'I dunno Fred and George Weasley could give them a run for their money,' Hagrid said.

'The point is, James, trusted his friends Sirius beyond all of his others. Black was his best man when James married Lily. They even named him godfather to Harianna. So naturally, James would trust his judgement-'

'Judgement?'

'Not many people are aware that the Potters knew You Know Who was after them. Dumbledore, who of course working tirelessly against You Know Who had a number of useful spies. One of them tipped him off, and he altered James and Lily at once. Advised them to go into hiding. Dumbledore told them that their best chance was the Fidelius Charm.'

'It immensely complex spell, involving the magical concealment of a secret inside a single, living soul.' Professor Flitwick said. 'The information is hidden inside the chosen person, or Secret-Keeper and is henceforth impossible to find - unless of course, the Secret-Keeper chooses to divulge it. As long as the Secret-Keeper refused to speak, You Know Who could search the village where Lily and James were staying for years and never find them, not even if he had his nose pressed against their sitting room.'

'So, Sirius Black was the Potters' Secret-Keeper?'

'No,' Fudge said. 'Dumbledore had offered, he suspected for some time that someone on our side had turned traitor and was passing a lot of information to You Know Who. James, however, wanted one of his closest friends to do it. Sirius suggested Pettigrew.'

'James and Lily asked Peter Pettigrew and he betrayed them. Sirius Black let that slip in the middle of the street. Shouting at him calling him a betrayer, saying he should have died instead, not gone running to You-Know-Who. After he had tracked Peter down. Of course, we know what happened next Pettigrew blew the street apart, Sirius's body was never found, died along with all those Muggles.'

'We brought Pettigrew in and sent him to Azkaban without a trial, evidence was stacked against him. Though kept saying he was innocent as he was being sentenced, that we'd got the wrong man. I mean how could have we, he had been right there, standing in the middle of the street as the smoke cleared. Been in Azkaban ever since.'

'So, is it true he's mad, Minister?'

'I wish I could say he was. I certainly believe his master's defeat unhinged him for a while. The murder of Black and all those Muggles was the action of a cornered and desperate man. Yet I met Pettigrew on my last inspection f Azkaban. You know, most of the prisoners in there sit muttering to themselves in the dark, there's no sense in them ... but I was shocked at how normal Pettigrew seemed. He spoke rationally to me. It was unnerving. Ask me if I'd finished with my paper, cool as you please. Yes, I was astounded at how little effect the Dementors seemed to be having on him - and he was one of the most heavily guarded in the place, you know. Dementors outside his door day and night.'

Harry slipped out of the room. She had one thing on her mind she had to get back to the castle. Harry ripped her trunk open when she reached the Gryffindor tower. Pulling out her father's journal. She searches the last pages, the pages she hadn't got to reading yet.

 _October 21st, 1981_

 _It's been done. We are in hiding now. Under the protection of the Fidelius Charm now. I wanted Sirius but like usual he deems himself not worthy. Doesn't trust himself not to slip up. So we asked Peter. Sirius thinks this is a good plan. Thinks old Voldemort won't think we used him. Even though we are known, friends. All of us being close of course, however, Sirius and I are like brothers. Sirius worries that would make Voldemort seek him out. He wants us to use this as an advantage, the only one we will have. I would have Remus over Peter knowing he would be more capable but he would be too ill to consider asking. Peter is our only chance now. As much as I don't want to be cooped up here it is our only chance for our family. Just what does Voldemort want with Harianna anyway? I'm not sure but Dumbledore is sure that he is after our daughter. My sweet little Anna. I won't let anything happen to her. Lily is looking through her blank book again. She thinks ancient magic can provide us with an answer. I keep telling her it is outdated and Dumbledore knows what he's doing. She wants to cover all the options. If it keeps her calm and not shouting at me then I'm all for it. Ancient magic indeed. Sirius should be here tomorrow to sort out the last few things. Lily and Sirius don't want to talk about it needs to be done. After all, should things fail and we somehow don't make it out of this mess. Anna will need to be protected._

 _Our wills will have to be written. Sweet Merlin, I hope we've done the right thing._

Harry had the answer all this time. Why Mr Weasley had told her not to go after Peter Pettigrew no matter what she may find out. Ten lousy days under the charm that's all he had given them.

'Harry you OK? You didn't stop to-' Hermione stopped mid-sentence upon seeing Harry's face.

'Oh Harry.'

Harry passed the journal over, letting Hermione take it from her hands.

'Oh Harry.'

'At least now I know why they died. Pettigrew is going to wish he never betrayed my parents if he ever does come anywhere near me.'


	59. Chapter 59

Harry had spent the rest of that day and the last day of term thinking about that conversation that they had overheard. Why had no one told her that the reason her parents were dead was because their friend betrayed them? Harry spoke to no one, not even when her fellow Gryffindor friends had said their goodbyes on the last day. Harry had spent most of the last night flicking through the photo album. She had stopped on a picture of her parents' wedding day. Her father waving up at her, beaming, the untidy black hair Harry herself had inherited. Her mother was alight with happiness, arm in arm with her dad. There was a man standing next to her dad, his face full of laughter. She had never given the man thought before, but this man, her dad's best man was her dead godfather.

It wasn't enough that Pettigrew had killed her parents but he had also taken this mans life. Sirius Black her godfather, Harry wondered what her childhood would have been like if she had been living with him instead of the Dursleys. What it would have been like if her parents hadn't taken his advice. Why ask Pettigrew? Why use Pettigrew? Why would Voldemort not think that her parents hadn't asked him? Wouldn't think of him? The journal had said that much. Harry ran a hand through her tangled her. The staring at the photo album wasn't going to give her answers, so she slammed it back in her trunk. It was then she noticed an old looking book. Harry had forgotten all about it. The _Ancient Studies: The Lost Arts_ Book Dobby had given her for her birthday.

Dumbledore had mentioned ancient magic; her dad had even mentioned ancient magic. Her mother had used this very magic to save her. With school being so busy Harry had forgotten about her own research. Curiously she opens the book to the first page.

 _Chapter one.  
_ _Ancient Studies is a study into old and lost art forms of magic.  
_ _The oldest known to the wizardry world is the form of Ancient Magic.  
_ _It is also the most powerful magic known in existence. Ancient Magic, fell out of favour  
_ _when the use of wands or staffs came into existence. Unlike one would use their wand to focus  
_ _their act of magic to cast a spell. Ancient Magic uses neither words or wands. The most famous Wizard  
_ _known to use this type of magic was Merlin himself. No spells are recorded but the legend of Merlin's  
_ _great power was lead to believe to from using Ancient Magic. Powerful spells they may be however  
_ _the unpredictability of this type of magic, also lead the Wizarding community to favour the simpler spells of theories are lead to believe that to cast Ancient Magic one needs to be in an emotional  
_ _frame of mind. Much like when a child casts accidental magic._

'Harry.'

'Umm?'

'You've been cooped up in the common room for the last couple of days. Do you want to come get some air with us.' Hermione suggested.

'Yeah, we could go see Hagrid,' Ron added.

'Umm I could ask him why he never told me that the reason my parents died was due to their friend betraying them,' Harry said. 'Good idea.'

'Harry.'

'Don't, OK. Malfoy knew. Remember what he said Hermione, "if it was me I'd want revenge. I'd go after him." Yet the person it actually involves has no clue what happened. Someone should have told me and I want to know why they didn't.'

'So, you want to take Malfoy's advice and go after him. Harry, you'd have be nuts to do so. Dad told me that Pettigrew's a mad man, mate listen to me. After they took Pettigrew away, the Ministry had a lot of clearing up and identifying of bodies to do. They found one of Pettigrew's own fingers in the chaos. The man was so desperate to get out alive, he blasted one of his own fingers off. Maybe we should stay here instead, we could have a game of chess or Gobstones.' Ron said.

'No, let's go visit Hagrid.' Harry said firmly.

So they grabbed their cloak and set off through the portrait hole, down through the empty castle and out through the oak front doors. Harry was not blind to the looks Ron and Hermione were exchanging as they walked down to Hagrid's. Slowly they made their way down the lawn, making a shallow trench in the glittering, powdery snow. The Forbidden Forest looked as though it had been enchanted, each tree smattered with silver, and Hagrid's cabin looked like an iced cake. Ron knocked but there was no answer.

'He's not out, is he?' Hermione said.

Ron pressed his ear against the door then said. 'No I can hear a weird noise coming from inside. Do you think we should get someone?'

'Hagrid!' Harry called thumping on the door. 'Hagrid, are you in there?'

There was a sound of heavy footsteps, then the door creaked open. Hagrid stood there with his eyes red and swollen; tears splashing down the front of his leather coat.

'You heard,' Hagrid bellowed and flung himself onto Harry's neck. Hagrid being at least the size of a normal man, Harry would have collapsed under his weight. She was rescued by Ron and Hermione, who seized Hagrid under the arm and heaved him off Harry. Hagrid allowed himself to be steered into a chair and slumped over the table, sobbing uncontrollably.

'Hagrid, what is it?' Hermione said.

Hagrid overcome with emotion pointed to an official- looking letter lying open on the table. Harry, who was closest picked it up and read it out aloud.

 _Dear Mr Hagrid,  
_ _Further to our inquiry into the attack by a Hiffogriff on a student  
_ _in your class, we have accepted the assurances of Professor Dumbledore  
_ _that you bear no responsibility for the regrettable incident. However, we must  
_ _register our concern about the Hippogriff in question. We have decided to uphold  
_ _the official complaint of Mr Lucius Malfoy, and this matter will, therefore, be taken  
_ _to the Committee for Disposal of Dangerous Creatures. The hearing will take place  
_ _on April 20th, and we ask you to present yourself and your Hippogriff at the Committee's  
_ _offices in London on that date. In the meantime, the Hippogriff should be kept tethered and isolated.  
_ _Yours in fellowship._

'Oh, but Buckbeak isn't a bad Hippogriff, Hagrid. I bet he'll get off,' Ron said.

'You don't know them gargoyles at the Committee for Disposal of Dangerous Creatures. They've got it in for interesting creatures!'

'You'll have to put up a good strong defence Hagrid. I'm sure you can prove Buckbeak is safe.'

'It won't make no difference. Them, Disposal devils, they're all in Lucius Malfoy's pocket! Scared of him. And if I lose the case, Buckbeak-'

'What about Dumbledore, Hagrid?' Ron said. 'I'm sure he'd help you.'

'He's done more than enough for me already,' Hagrid groaned. 'Got enough on his plate what with keeping them Dementors out of the castle, and Peter Pettigrew lurking around -'

Hermione and Ron looked quickly at Harry, as though expecting her to say something about Hagrid not telling her the truth about Pettigrew. Harry couldn't bring herself to do it, not now she saw Hagrid so miserable.

'You can't give up, Hermione's right, you just need a good defence. You've got us as witness remember,' Harry said.

'I'm sure I've read about a case of Hippogriff-baiting where the Hippogriff got off. I'll look it up for you, Hagrid and see exactly what happened,' Hermione said.

...

The trip to Hagrid's, though far from fun, had nevertheless had the effect Ron and Hermione had hoped. Though Harry had not forgotten about Pettigrew, she was longer brooding in the common room of Gryffindor tower. The three of them had gone down to the library to help Hagrid win his case. Meanwhile, in the rest of the castle, the usual magnificent Christmas decorations had been put up, despite the fact that hardly any of the students remained to enjoy them.

On Christmas morning, Harry had been woken by Hermione. Unlike last year where they had to wake Ron up, they found him already awake waiting for them. Ron yawned widely and smiled sleepily at them. He had already started ripping the paper off his own presents.

'Another jumper from mum ... maroon again ... see if you've got one.'

Both Hermione and Harry had along with some of Mrs Weasley's mince pies, some Christmas cake and a box of nut brittle. As Harry moved these things aside, she saw a long, thin package lying underneath. Harry ripped the parcel open and gasped as a magnificent, gleaming broomstick rolled out. Harry felt Ron lean over towards her. 'I don't believe it,' he said.

It was a Firebolt, identical to the broom Harry had seen during the summer whilst in Diagon Alley.

'Who sent it to you?' Ron said.

'There is no card, just the broom. Who would spend this much on me?' Harry said. 'I'm betting it wasn't the Dursleys.'

'Dumbledore? He sent you the Invisibility Cloak anonymously.'

'What was sent anonymously?' Hermione asked. Harry rolled her eyes figured the Hermione would only take notice once the word anonymous was said.

'Someone sent me a Firebolt, look.' Harry said indicating to the broom itself. 'We're trying to figure out who sent it. Ron thought maybe Dumbledore as he sent me an anonymous present before.'

Hermione didn't appear either excited or intrigued by this news. Her face fell, and she bit her lip.

'What's the matter with you?' Ron asked.

'I don't know it's a bit odd, isn't it? I mean this is supposed to be a quite a good broom.'

'Good Hermione, this is the best broom there is,' Ron said.

'So, it must have been really expensive. Who would send Harry something this expensive and not her who it was?' Hermione said.

'Who cares. Hay mate reckon I could have a go on it?'

'I don't think anyone should ride that broom!' Hermione said.

Before Hermione could say anymore Crookshanks crept down the stairs.

'GET - HIM - OUT - OF HERE!' Ron bellowed 'Scabbers-'

Crookshanks pounced his claw tearing into Ron's Pyjamas and Scabbers attempted a wild escape over his shoulder. Ron seized Scabbers by the tail while Hermione pulled Crookshanks off him.

'You better take that cat out of here, Hermione.' Ron said furiously, Hermione strode out of the room, Crookshanks yellow eyes still fixed maliciously on Ron.

'You know Hermione can't control Crookshanks movements, you know. He's a cat after all, they roam about,' Harry pointed out.

That earned Harry a glare. Christmas spirit was definitely thin on the ground in the Gryffindor common room the rest of the morning. Harry had spent the time her friends didn't speak to each other by examining her Firebolt. This annoyed Hermione, though she didn't say anything she kept looking darkly at the broom. At lunch time they went down to the Great Hall, to find the house tables had been moved against the walls again, and that a single table, set of twelve, stood in the middle of the room. As Harry was helping herself to roast potatoes, the doors of the Great Hall opened again. A Professor Harry had only seen a few times walked in. She was very thin, her large glasses magnified her eyes to several times their natural size, she was wearing a green sequined dress.

'Sybil, this is a pleasant surprise!' Dumbledore said standing up.

'I was crystal-gazing, Headmaster and found to my astonishment, I saw myself abandoning my solitary luncheon and coming to join you. Who am I to refuse the promptings of fate? I at once hastened from my tower, and I do beg you forgive my lateness...'

Harry watched the rather odd Professor reluctantly take a seat to join them at the table. Muttering something about thirteen being unlucky. Rather odd indeed, a number unlucky? That was superstition.

'That's Professor Trelawney, teaches Divination,' Hermione said.

'Oh,' Harry replied well that explained why the Professor was superstitious.

'Where is dear Professor Lupin?' Harry heard Professor Trelawney ask.

'I'm afraid the poor fellow is ill again,' Dumbledore replied 'Most unfortunate that it should happen on Christmas Day.'

'But surely you already knew that, Sybil?' Professor McGonagall said.

'Certainty I knew, but one does not parade the fact that one is All-Knowing. I frequently act as though I am not possessed of the Inner Eye, so not to make others nervous.'

'Is she for real?' Harry muttered. 'She sounds like Lockhart, thinking he always had the answer, and well, his memory doesn't agree with him now, does it.'

Ron sniggered. 'No, she's always like that. Rather odd. You can see why most of us think Divination is rubbish.'

'Most of you?' Harry said taken aback.

'Lavender and Parvati love it.'

Two hours later, full of Christmas dinner and still wearing their cracker hats, Harry and Ron got up first from the table and Professor Trelawney shrieked loudly.

'My dears! Which of you left their seat first? Which?'

'Dunno?' Ron replied, looking uneasily at Harry.

'I doubt it will make much difference unless a mad axe-man is waiting outside the doors to slaughter the first into the Entrance Hall.' Professor McGonagall said coldly.

'Coming?' Harry asked Hermione.

'No I want a quick word with Professor McGonagall,' Hermione muttered.

'Reckon she's trying to sign up for more classes,' Ron said when they entered the Entrance Hall.

'Ron, do you actually listen to Hermione when she's speaking to you,' Harry said. 'She'll be taking an extra class after Christmas.'

'Really? What?'

'Advanced Arithmancy. We'll both be going.'

When they reached the portrait hole they found Sir Cadogen enjoying a Christmas party with a couple of monks, several previous headmasters of Hogwarts and his fat pony. Once entering the common room Harry gathered her gifts intent of placing them in her trunk. The portrait hole opened, and Hermione came in, accompanied by Professor McGonagall.

'Miss Granger has just informed me that you've been sent a broomstick Potter.'

'Yes, Professor.'

'May I?' Professor McGonagall said but she didn't wait for an answer she took the Firebolt from Harry's pile and examined it carefully from handle to twig-ends. 'There was no note at all, Potter? No card? No message of any kind?'

'No,' Harry said shaking her head.

'I see, well I'm afraid I will have to take this, Potter. It will need to checked for jinxes. Of course, I'm no expert but I daresay Madam Hooch and Professor Flitwick will strip it down-'

'Strip it down,' Ron repeated.

'It shouldn't take more than a few weeks. You will have it back if we are sure it is jinx-free,' Professor McGonagall said. 'I'm shocked and disappointed that you didn't come to tell me first, Potter. I thought you had a head on your shoulders.'

'I wasn't exactly given much chance Professor,' Harry said. 'Hermione got there first.'

'I will keep you informed.' Professor McGonagall said then she turned on her heel and carried the Firebolt out of the portrait hole, which closed behind her. Ron rounded on Hermione.

'What did you go running to McGonagall for?'

Hermione was pink in the face but stood up to Ron defiantly. 'Because I thought and Professor McGonagall agrees with me - that broom was probably sent to Harry by Peter Pettigrew!'

'How is he meant to do that Hermione, the bloke is on the run,' Ron shouted.

'He broke out of Azkaban and wondered into Hogwarts. If he's smart enough to do that, he's smart enough to buy a broom and jinx it,' Hermione snapped.


	60. Chapter 60

_Chapter two.  
_ _All magic has limitations, included what we know of Ancient Magic,  
_ _after all, no spell can bring back the dead. Yet we have been able to do  
_ _and create wondrous things with magic. Magic will have its limitations, even if certain  
_ _spells which are cast last longer than others. Magic has its own faults, Glamour charms can  
_ _easily be seen by the trained eye. Which works, on the principle that magic is all around us'  
_ _like a force of energy, that we can control. That much has been translated from runes.  
_ _It works the same way for other spells when switching something or another, the caster would need to have  
_ _the base foundation of what they were switching. It's no use trying to switch a pumpkin for  
_ _a chicken. It does not have the same foundation. One would need to switch a living thing  
_ _for a living thing for the spell to work. Whereas if you were to switch a pumpkin for a turnip, it would be possible.  
_ _Traits much like in human nature cannot be replaced or switched out. Just because one has a glamour charm in  
_ _place, does not mean that their personalities change neither their physical traits. One who has the ability to become Anim i, will always keep their true Animagus form. No matter what spell the witch or wizard be under.  
_ _It is one of the most basic and simplest laws we have of today, no matter what curse, charm, hex  
_ _magic will always have a limitation._

Harry knew Hermione meant well, it didn't stop her from being angry with her though. It wasn't due to her broom being taken away either. Her friend had thought that she was clearly stupid and to make matter worse so had her Professor. Ron had been furious and Hermione landed up advoiding the common room. Harry was glad when term started up again in the new year. After reading that chapter about Ancient Magic recently Harry, figured she needed to work harder at Ancient Runes. What good was it looking up old magic, if it was in runic and she wasn't able to translate it or figure out its meaning. Ancient Runes was taught by a friendly witch. Professor Babbling who was always happy to listen willingly to students theories. Theories Harry could do, after all Arithmancy was based on the same, just those theories where on the magic of numbers. It was the runes themselves that often puzzled Harry, so she spent most of her time in the library trying to figure them out.

That was where Oliver Wood caught up with her one evening after term started.

'So we are up against, Ravenclaw next. I was wondering if we were going to see you anytime soon?' he asked her.

'Oliver I'm working on it. Professor Lupin said he'd help me after Christmas. I haven't seen him yet.'

'Ah. Well, have you replaced your broom at least?'

'No. I got a broom for Christmas but it was confiscated so it could be checked for jinxes.'

'How could it be jinxed?'

'Peter Pettigrew. He's supposed to be after me. So McGonagall reckons he might have sent it,' Harry said weakly. 'Not that it matters much. I need sort out my problem first. I'll come to training when I've done so.'

'What type of broom was it?'

'You wouldn't believe me if I told you.' Harry muttered.

'Who do you think I'm going to take you for Fred or George Weasley?'

'It - it was a Firebolt, Oliver.'

'A Firebolt? No! Seriously? A- a real Firebolt?'

Harry nodded. 'Told you that you wouldn't believe me.'

'I'll go talk to McGonagall - make her see reason - a Firebolt on our team-' Oliver said.

'Ah there you are Anna,' a voice said too loudly.

'Talk of the devil.' Harry muttered turning her head and sure enough, George Weasley was strolling over towards them.

'I'll leave you to it, Harry.' Oliver said shaking his head muttering as he walked off. 'I've got a Professor to talk to.'

'Shh George, not so loud. Library, remember,' Harry whispered as he came closer. George pulled out the seat beside her.

'Rules wouldn't be in place if one wasn't meant to break them.' George said.

'I'm sure half the rules didn't exist, until Fred and you started Hogwarts in the first place.' Harry retorted.

'That's probably true. So, what are you working on exactly?' George said looking down at Harry's textbooks which she had spread out on the desk.

'Runes and Arithmancy.'

'You must be good at Arithmancy.' George said picking up a piece of parchment from the table. 'Because you and I make a fine addition.' he said winking at her

'Right well...' Harry said grabbing the parchment from his hands. 'I'll keep that in mind. I'm going to help Ron work on his fake charts of Divination. Says he only needs two more ways of dying. I'm sure Professor Trelawney is going to know that he has made his chart up.'

'Who needs divination right?' George shrugged. 'Because all I see is you and me together.'

'OK. I'm going to go now...' Harry said placing her thing into her bag. George was getting weirder by the minute. 'Thank you for my Christmas present. The snow globe with the flying Snitch in it was beautiful.'

...

To Harry's delight Anti- Dementor lessons with Lupin started Thursday evening, the week term began. So, Harry headed for Professor Lupin's classroom. When she arrived, she found Professor Lupin heaving a trunk into the room.

'It'd be quicker to use the levitation charm Professor.' Harry said.

Her Professor stopped dead in his tracks. 'Don't know why I didn't think of that.'

'So, another Boggart?'

'Yes. It's the closest we'll get to a real Dementor. We're going to use him for you to practise on.'

'OK.'

'So, the charm I'm going to teach you is known as the Patronus Charm. Now, most people struggle with it so don't be put off if it doesn't go well. Like I said it's very advanced magic well beyond Ordinary Wizarding Level. A true Patronus will have a bodily form which will charge at the dementors. I don't expect you to produce a Corporal Patronus though. Most likely a whisper or enough so that you can at least shield yourself.'

Harry nodded. 'What form does a Corporal Patronus take?'

'It depends on the witch or wizard in question. The form is individual to each person.'

Harry nodded again in understanding.

'For it to work there are two steps. The first being the incantation itself. Which is Expecto Patronum.'

'Expecto Patronum,' Harry repeated she could handle that a spell was a spell after all.

'For the charm to work it needs you to focus on a happy memory.'

'Problem Harry?'

'No,' Harry replied, well slightly she thought but Professor Lupin didn't need to know that.

'Why don't you practice before we try it on the Boggart in the trunk.'

'OK.'

Harry focused trying to think of a happy memory. 'Expecto Patronum,' she muttered, a whisper of silver from her wand appeared.

'Ready to give it a go? Stay focused on the memory the longer you focus, the harder the charm will work.' Harry nodded, the trunk opened, the feeling of cold takes over. The torches around the classroom went out. The Dementor rose from the trunk.

' _Expecto Patronum! Expecto -'_

But the classroom and the Dementor were dissolving ... Harry was falling again through the thick white fog and her mother's voice was louder than ever. _'Not Harianna, not Anna! Please, not Anna!'_ Then a cold voice replying. ' _Stand aside, you silly girl.'_

'Harry!'

Harry jerked back to life. She was lying flat on her back on the floor. The classroom torches were alight again. She didn't need to ask what happened.

'You alright?'

'Yeah.'

'Eat some chocolate before we try again.'

Maybe a different memory would be better, she hadn't even stood a chance. Harry thought as she ate the chocolate.

'It's getting worse Professor,' Harry muttered. 'I could hear her louder that time - and him - Voldemort.'

Lupin looked paler than normal. 'Harry if you don't want to continue, I will understand. It is a lot to ask someone to face their fear. Let alone have to hear something like that.'

'The thing is Professor I do, I have to at least try. What happens if the Dementors turn up again at our next match? What happens if Voldemort learns of my fear. He'll learn a way to use Dementors somehow. Just so he has an advantage over me.'

'Very well - try a different memory then, that one, doesn't appear to be strong enough.'

'I'd already thought of that,' Harry said thoughtfully.

'Tell me when you're ready.'

'Ready.'

The lid fell off the trunk. The room went icy cold and dark again. The Dementor glided forward, drawing its breath; one rotting hand extending towards Harry.

'Expecto Patronum,' Harry yelled. 'Expecto Patronum! Expe-'

White fog obscured her senses ... big blurred shapes were moving around her ... then came a new voice, shouting, panicking. _'Lily, take Harianna. Take Anna and go! It's Him! Go! Run! I'll hold him off-' the sounds of someone stumbling from a room - a door bursting open - a cackle of laughter -_

'Harry - Harry ... wake up.'

'Sorry.' Harry muttered getting up from the floor. This time she had heard her dad's voice, his last moments trying to protect them, trying to protect them both.

Harry just had to fear, fear. Unfortunate for her she didn't have many happy memories. Only the home she had known was Hogwarts. So, the only happy memories were from the times she had been here. She tried the first time she found out she was a witch. The first time she rode a broom. She really needed an answer to a happy memory, hearing their voices wouldn't bring her parents back. She felt like she was a first-year all over again looking into the mirror of Erised reaching out to something that wasn't even there.

'Wait can we try again just one last time. Please Professor,' she rushed out.

'Very well one last go. Tell me when you're ready.'

Harry closed her eyes, focusing on the memory. The sight of her parents and the contentment she had felt. Her greatest desire. She nodded her eyes still closed, she heard the click of the trunk opening.

'Expecto Patronum!' Harry bellowed. 'Expecto Patronum!'

A whisper of silver appeared holding the Boggart back in place. Until it is strong enough to enclose it back into the trunk. Relief hits her as Professor Lupin locks the trunk shut. Harry sank to her knees. Tears rolling down her cheeks, her hand covering her mouth containing her own laughter.

'Are you alright Harry?'

'It worked,' she ran a hand through her messy hair. 'It actually worked,' In a blink, she got up from the floor and hugging her Professor. 'Thank you so much,' she let him go as quickly as she had embraced him blushing slightly. 'Umm sorry about that.'

Luckily Professor Lupin just chuckled at her antics. 'Just like your mother.'

What? Harry had not expected that. 'You knew my mother?'

'I knew both of your parents along with your godfather. We were friends while at Hogwarts. James and Sirius were my best friends. Lily shared my love of books. It was why I accidentally called you Anna on the train. It was your parent's nickname for you.'

'If you knew my parents and my godfather. Then you must have known Peter Pettigrew?'

'Yes, I did. Or I thought I did. You found out that they were once friends?'

Harry nodded changing the subject before her Professor asks her exactly how she found out about her parents' friendship with Peter. She didn't need him to know what she had learnt by eavesdropping.

'I used the memory of my parents against the Dementor. I don't know why I didn't think of it before.'

'Love is definitely a powerful emotion. It even has the possibility of changing a Corporal Patronus form. Here eat this piece of chocolate before you go to bed or Madame Pomfrey will have my head.'

'You know Professor if you want you can call me Anna.' Harry said. 'I don't mind.'

Professor Lupin looks at her, giving her a calculating look then nods in acknowledgement. 'Very well, good night Anna. Same time next week.'

'Good night Professor.'

...

Ravenclaw played Slytherin the week after the start of term. Slytherin won, though narrowly according to Oliver Wood, this was good news for Gryffindor if they beat Ravenclaw too Gryffindor would take second place. This put Harry in such a good mood that she threw herself into learning the Patronus Charm as quickly as possible. Even though she wasn't training with the team, her nights were spent either learning the Patronus Charm, going to advance Arithmancy and completing her homework. Harry didn't know how she was going to be able to do it all when she started up practising Quidditch with the team again. Though she wasn't under the same strain as Hermione, whose immense workload seemed to be getting the better of her. Ron had regularly commented that he wondered how she was doing all her work and how she was getting to all of her classes. Hermione hadn't missed one class yet.

January faded into February with no change in the bitterly cold weather and there was no sign of receiving her Firebolt back from Professor McGonagall. The morning of Valentine's day, Harry walked down to breakfast with Ron, a few decorations had been placed about but nothing compared to last year when Professor Lockhart had gone overboard. Even decorating himself for the festive day. Hedwig appeared that morning landing in front of Harry, a letter attached to her. The letter turned out to be a card.

 _Dearest Princess who's so sweet and divine.  
_ _Will you be my valentine?  
_ _You're a charm that stops me dead in my tracks,  
_ _Your smile gives me a heart attack.  
_ _Reject me if you must,  
_ _but know this is not lust.  
_ _This Prince Charming has but one quest,  
_ _To win fair madam heart at best.  
_ _For you are far better than the rest,  
_ _Dear lady don't you see,  
_ _You're the only one for me.  
_ _A Valentine I hardly think is enough,  
_ _So I'll ask you a question that's going to be tough.  
_ _So instead of a Valentine my fair lady,  
_ _And please don't say maybe,  
_ _For my heart earns that it seeks,  
_ _You, my dear Princess, is of what it speaks.  
_ _So dear Princess oh so fine,  
_ _Quill, you be mine?_

George had sent her another Valentine, at least this one didn't sing. This had to be a joke. He didn't think she was going to take this, seriously did he? 'So, Potter what do you say? Fancy doing something today?' Harry heard him shout across the table. Or maybe he did think she would take him seriously. It wasn't even funny.

'A vast improvement, I see but alas you'd have to do better to impress me,' Harry taunted. Just what was George playing at? To make matters worse, Harry's Anti-Dementor lesson that night had not gone as well as she had hoped. Several sessions on, she was on able to produce an indistinct, silver shadow every time Boggart-Dementor approached her, but her Patronus was too feeble to drive the Dementor away. It just hovered like a semi-transparent cloud, draining Harry of energy as she fought to keep it there. On her way back to the Gryffindor tower Harry almost collided with Professor McGonagall.

'Do watch where you're going, Potter.'

'Sorry Professor.'

'I've just been looking for you in the Gryffindor common room. Well here it is, we've done everything we could think of, and there doesn't seem to be anything wrong with it at all - you've got a very good friend somewhere Potter.'

Harry's jaw dropped she was holding out her Firebolt, and it looked as magnificent as ever.

'Thanks, Professor.' Harry carried the Firebolt back upstairs towards Gryffindor tower, grinning from ear to ear. Neville Longbottom was pleading with Sir Cadogan, who seemed to be refusing him entrance.

'I wrote them down,' Neville said. 'But I must've dropped them somewhere.'

'A likely story,' Sir Cadogan said.

'Oh, shut up. Password's Oddsbodkins,' Harry said. 'You OK Neville?'

'Yeah, thanks. I made him tell me what passwords he was going to use this week, because he keeps changing them, and now I don't know what I've done with them.' Neville said then he blinked as though he just noticed her carrying a broom in her hands. 'Say Harry isn't that a -'

'Harry's got a Firebolt - look,' Fred shouted.

Harry was swamped, one moment everyone was talking calmly amongst themselves, the next she had been surrounded. Her fellow Gryffindor house members excitedly examining her Firebolt. While it was passed around Harry sat down by Hermione.

'Thank you, for looking out for me. I do appreciate it. I was only angry because you never gave me a chance to think for myself. It made me feel like I was stupid. I just wanted you to know that.'

'I'm sorry I made you feel like that. I just wanted to make sure it was safe for you to use. I didn't think about your feelings.'

'Are we good?'

'Yeah.'

'Do you want some help?' Harry said pointing towards Hermione's pile of work.

'No, I'll manage, thank you.'

'Here you go Princess,' George winked. 'One Firebolt recused by one daring Prince Charming.'

'Thanks, George,' Harry said taking the Firebolt from him. 'Have you seen Ron, he's going to want to hear the news.'

'Upstairs -'

Harry heard no more because, at that precise moment, a strangled yell echoed down the boys' staircase. The whole common room fell silent, staring at the entrance. There came hurried footsteps, growing louder and louder and then Ron came leaping into view, dragging a bed-sheet with him.

'LOOK!' he bellowed, striding towards them, shaking the sheets in her face.

'Ron what-'

'SCABBERS! LOOK! SCABBERS!'

Hermione was looking bewildered, Harry looked down at the sheet, there was something red on it. Something that looked awfully like -

'BLOOD!' Ron yelled into the stunned silence. 'HE'S GONE! AND YOU KNOW WHAT WAS ON THE FLOOR?'

'Nno ...' Hermione said.

Ron threw something down onto Hermione's pile of work. Harry leaned forward, several long, ginger cat hairs lay on her homework.


	61. Chapter 61

Ron and Hermione had been so angry with each other, that it looked like the end of their friendship. Which left Harry caught between her two friends. After just making up with Hermione, Harry didn't want to her friends' argument to become her own. So, Harry made herself busy staying out of the argument completely. Not that she needed any help to make her time busier. The lessons with Lupin hadn't stopped and advanced Arithmancy kept Harry time very occupied. Harry was happier with her feeble Patronus now, it would at least give her enough time to get onto the ground. So, Harry leaped at the chance to fly her new broom and she was sure Oliver would be happy to see her too.

Harry headed down for Gryffindor's last team practice, stopping when she could hear Oliver's voice at the door.

'OK team, our last practice before the match, I don't need to tell you all how important it is that we don't lose.'

'How are we meant to do that Wood, with no Seeker on the team,' the voice of Katie Bell said.

'Oliver, Katie has a valid point. Just what do you want us to do? Score enough points miraculously so that Ravenclaw can't catch up.'

'There's only so much we can do.'

'I know it's going to be tough.' Oliver said desperately. 'OK I admit it, we don't stand a chance.'

Harry pushed the door open, and walked into the changing room, broom in hand and a smirk on her face. 'Well I wouldn't have said that, I do now own a Firebolt. I'd like to see Ravenclaw keep up with that.'

'Harry, you beautiful, beautiful girl,' Oliver exclaimed. 'So, you're playing right? I mean you got what you needed to sort out done?'

'It's all good,' she replied. 'So, anybody else can't wait to get started or is it just me?' Harry added excitedly.

Angelina, Katie and Alicia exchanged wide smiles with each other. Fred and George had had already grabbed their brooms, hushing towards the pitch. Oliver just looked relived. 'I think that answers your question, come on Potter. Let's see what that broom can really do.'

Being back in the air, Harry let her worries disappear. The Firebolt turned with lightest touch; it seemed to obey her thought rather than her grip. It was so fast the stadium turned in a green and grey blur. After testing out a few spins, turns and dives. Oliver let the Snitch out and Harry tore after it and within ten seconds she had caught it tightly in her hand. It had been the best practice ever; the team performed their best moves faultlessly, and by the time they hit the ground again, Oliver didn't have a single criticism to make. Night had fallen as the team made their way back to Gryffindor tower. As they were halfway towards the castle, Harry who had been deep in conversation with Angelina, saw something that made her heart turn over - a pair of eyes, gleaming out of the darkness. The next moment she saw what looked like a cat in the darkness. For a second she had thought she'd seen the Grim again.

Harry went down to breakfast next morning and as she entered the Great Hall, heads turned in the direction of the Firebolt. Harry saw, with enormous satisfaction, that the Slytherin team were all looking thunderstruck. Cedric Diggory came over to congratulate Harry on having acquired such a superb replacement for her Nimbus. Harry couldn't help but notice exactly what Angelina and Alicia had been talking about now. Cedric was actually quite good looking. At a quarter to eleven, the Gryffindor team set off to the changing rooms. It was a clear, cool day, with a light breeze. Completely different weather condition to their match against Hufflepuff. Harry removed her wand from her school robes and hid it amongst her Quidditch ones. She hoped that she wouldn't need it. When they walked out onto the pitch they received a tumultuous applause. The Ravenclaw team, dressed in blue, were already standing in the middle of the pitch. Their Seeker Cho Chang was the only girl in their team.

Harry kicked off on Madam Hooch's whistle and the Firebolt zoomed higher and faster than any other brooms; she soared around the stadium, listening all the while to the commentary, which was being provided by the Weasley twins' friend Lee Jordan.

'They're off, and the big excitement this match is the Firebolt which Harianna better known as Harry, Potter is flying for Gryffindor. According to Which Broomstick, the Firebolt's going to be the broom of choice for the national teams at this year's World Championship-'

'Jordan, would you mind telling us what's going on in the match?' Professor McGonagall's voice interrupted.

'Right you are, Professor - just trying to give a bit of background information -'

'Jordan!'

'OK, OK, Gryffindor are in possession, Katie Bell of Gryffindor heading for goal ...'

Harry streaked past Katie in the opposite direction, noticing Cho Chang was tailing her closely. She was a good flier - she kept cutting across Harry, forcing Harry to change direction.

'Show her your acceleration, Harry!' Fred yelled as he whooshed past in pursuit of a Bludger.

Harry urged the Firebolt forward as they rounded the Ravenclaw goalposts and Cho fell behind. Just as Katie succeeded in scoring the first goal of the match, she saw it - the Snitch was close to the ground, flittering near one of the barriers. Harry dived; Cho saw what she was doing and tore after her. But dives were Harry's speciality, she sped up. She had been feet away - Then a Bludger, hit by one of the Ravenclaw Beaters, came pelting out of nowhere; Harry veered off course, avoiding it and in those crucial seconds, the Snitch had vanished. There was a disappointed 'Ooooh' from the Gryffindor supporters and applause from the Ravenclaw end of the pitch. George Weasley vented his feeling by hitting the second Bludger directly towards the offending Beater.

'- Beater of Ravenclaw has just received a nasty lump. Though it was obvious George Weasley wasn't going to take Harry Potter being nearly hit by a Bludger lightly-'

'Gryffindor lead by eighty points to zero, and look at that Firebolt go! Potter's really putting it through its paces now. See it turn- Chang's Comet is just no match for it. The Firebolt's precision-balance is really noticeable in these long-'

'JORDAN! ARE YOU BEING PAID TO ADVERTISE FIREBOLTS? GET ON WITH THE COMMENTARY.'

Gryffindor were now only fifty points ahead. Ravenclaw had now scored three goals - if Cho got the Snitch before her, Ravenclaw would win. Harry dropped lower, scanning the pitch frantically. A glint of gold, a flutter of tiny wings - the Snitch was circling the Gryffindor goalpost ... Harry accelerated, eyes fixed on the Snitch - but next second, Cho had appeared out of thin air, blocking her.

'HARRY KNOCK HER OFF HER BROOM IF YOU HAVE TO!' Wood roared, as Harry swerved to avoid a collision. Cho was grinning at her; the Snitch had vanished again. Cho was marking her rather than search for the Snitch herself ... if she wanted to tail Harry, she'd have to take the consequences ...

Harry dived again and Cho, thinking she had seen the Snitch followed. Harry pulled out of the dive inches from the ground.

'Look at Potter go. Chang stands no chance of keeping up with her. I can see why you like her Geo - wait what's this Potter's speeding across the pitch.'

Harry was barely listening after she spotted the Snitch for the third time, she had raced towards it. Feet below Cho was following her. Harry was winning, gaining on the Snitch with every second - then-

'Oh!' Cho screamed, pointing.

Distracted, Harry looked down. Three Dementors, three tall, black, hooded Dementors, were looking up at her. Harry didn't stop to think, she pulled her wand from her robes and roared. ' _Expecto patronum_!' Something silver white, something enormous, erupted from the end of her wand. She knew it had shot directly towards the Dementors but didn't pause to watch; her mind still miraculously clear, she looked ahead - she was nearly there. She stretched out the hand still grasping her wand and just managed to close her fingers over the small Snitch. They had won. Madam Hooch blew her whistle, Harry turned in mid-air and saw six scarlet blurs bearing towards her. Next moment she was being hugged so hard she was nearly pulled off her broom. In the complete disarray, the team managed to make its way back to the ground. Harry got off her broom and looked up to see a gaggle of Gryffindor supporters sprinting onto the pitch, Ron in the lead.

'Yes!' Ron yelled, pulling her into a hug. 'Yes! Yes!'

'Ruddy brilliant.' Hagrid boomed over the heads of the milling Gryffindors.

'That was some Patronus,' a voice said in Harry's ear.

Harry turned around to see Professor Lupin, who looked both shaken and pleased.

'Thanks, Professor. The Dementors didn't affect me at all! I didn't feel a thing!' Harry said.

'That would be because they -er - weren't Dementors,' Professor Lupin said. 'Come and see.'

He led Harry out of the crowd until they were able to see the edge of the pitch. Lying in a crumpled heap on the ground were Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle and Marcus Flint, the Slytherin team captain struggling to remove themselves from long, black, hooded robes.

'You gave them quite a fright,' Lupin said.

If anything could set the seal on Gryffindor's victory, it was this. Ron, who had fought his way over to Harry's side, doubled up with laughter as they watched Malfoy fighting to extricate himself from the robe.

'Come on Anna,' George said fighting his own way over. 'Party! Gryffindor common room, now!'

'George. How many times do I have to tell you it's Harry,' she said rolling her eyes. 'Thanks again for teaching me that spell Professor.'

'You're very welcome Anna,' Professor Lupin said with a slight smile.

George's jaw dropped when Harry smiled in return. 'Sure,' he said. 'Professor Lupin can call you Anna and get away with it. How comes I can't?'

Harry rolled her eyes again, she followed the rest of the team, still in their scarlet robes, out of the stadium and back up to the castle.

It felt as though they had already won the Quidditch cup; the party went on all day and well into the night. Fred and George had disappeared for a couple of hours and returned with armfuls of bottles of Butterbeer, Pumpkin fizz and several bags full of Honeydukes sweets. Harry wondered how they managed to do it. Only one person wasn't joining in the festivities. Hermione incredibly was sitting in a corner, attempting to her work. Harry broke away from the table where Fred and George had started juggling Butterbeer bottles, and went over to her.

'Hey what are you working on?'

'Trying to triangulate this equation for Advanced Arithmancy.' Hermione replied.

'You don't triangulate the equation, Hermione, you correlate it with the chart. See,' Harry replied pointing out the chart in turn. 'Triangulating will just lead you to the wrong answer.'

'How - I didn't think of that - How did you come up with that?' Hermione said glancing up.

Harry shrugged. 'Took me ages to figure out it, don't ask me how I did. Hope it helps.'

'It does, thanks.'

Harry turned back to the party, joining in with the others. She glanced over when she caught Hermione heading up to the girl's dorm, sending her a warm smile. The Gryffindor party only ended when Professor McGonagall turned up in her tartan dressing gown and hair-net at one in the morning, to insist that they all went to bed. Harry waved night to the boys before entering the girls' dorm. Angelina Johnson was in a rather giggly conversation with Alicia Spinnet and Katie Bell. Upon Harry's puzzled looked they broke out into more giggles.

'We were discussing the hot boys in Hogwarts,' Katie said.

'Oh, well I could see what you meant about Cedric,' Harry replied.

'Umm the strong and silent type,' Katie said.

'Fred may not be the silent type,' Ange said. 'But damn that boy knows how to kiss.'

Harry found herself laughing with the other girls. 'So, he knows, that you know, about his crush now then?'

'Umm we're going on date next Hogsmeade weekend,' Ange replied dreamily. 'Night Harry.' she said as Harry stopped at her dorm door.

'Night all.'

Harry sprawled out onto her bed not having the energy to move, but she supposed she had better change. Yawning after she done so Harry pulled the cover over her. She wasn't sure how long she had been asleep for when they heard a starling scream from the boys' dorm. Harry shot up, grabbed her gown and followed the other girls down the stairs. The common room lit by the glow of dying fire, still littered with debris from the party. Ron and a few of his dorm mates were already in the common room.

'Are you sure you weren't dreaming Ron?' Dean asked.

'It wasn't a dream. I'm telling you, I saw him,' Ron said.

More students were appearing into the common room.

'Excellent, are we carrying on?' Fred Weasley said brightly.

'Everyone back upstairs!' Percy said hurrying into the common room.

'Perce - Peter Pettigrew!' Ron said faintly. 'In our dormitory! With a knife! Woke me up.'

'Nonsense!' Percy said. 'You had too much to eat, Ron - had a nightmare-'

'I'm telling you-'

'Now, really, enough's enough!' Professor McGonagall was back. She slammed the portrait behind her as she entered the common room and stared furiously around.

'I was just telling them to go back to bed! My brother Ron here had a nightmare-'

'IT WASN'T A NIGHTMARE,' Ron yelled. 'Professor, I woke up, and Peter Pettigrew was standing over me, holding a knife!'

Professor McGonagall stared at him for a moment. 'Don't be ridiculous, Weasley, how could he possibly have got through the portrait hole?'

'Ask him!' Ron said pointing shakily at the back of Sir Cadogen's picture. 'Ask him if he saw-'

Glaring suspiciously at Ron, Professor McGonagall pushed the portrait back open and went outside. The common room listened with baited breath.

'Sir Cadogan, did you just let a man enter Gryffindor Tower?'

'Certainly, good lady!' Sir Cadogan cried.

There was a stunned silence, both inside and outside the common room.

'You - you did? But - but the password!'

'He had 'em',' Sir Cadogan said proudly, 'Had the whole week's my lady! Read 'em off a little piece of paper!'

Professor McGonagall walked back into the common room facing the stunned crowd. She was white as chalk.

'Which person, which abysmally foolish person wrote down this week's passwords and left them lying around?' She asked her voice shaking.

There was utter silence, broken by the smallest of terrified squeaks. Neville Longbottom, trembling from head to toe, raised his hand slowly into the air.

McGonagall was furious, they were told to wait in the common room and Percy was left in charge and she changed the password on her way out. No one slept, the all knew that the castle was being searched again. The whole house stayed awake in the common room, waiting to hear whether Pettigrew had been caught. George hadn't let Harry out of his sight, the first thing he had done once it was confirmed Ron hadn't been dreaming was pull Harry into a hug. Harry had caught him exchanging looks with Fred who was sitting beside Angelina. Professor McGonagall came back at dawn, to tell them that Pettigrew had escaped again.


	62. Chapter 62

Everywhere they went the next day they saw signs of tighter security; Professor Flitwick could be seen teaching the front doors to recognise a large picture of Peter Pettigrew. Sir Cadogan had been sacked the Fat Lady had returned. None of the Gryffindors missed Sir Cadogan that much. The Fat Lady had been completely restored, but was still extremely nervous. Ron had become an insist celebrity. For the first time in life, people were paying more attention to him than to Harry and it was clear he was rather enjoying the experience. Harry left him in mid story in the capable hands of Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil. Harry had been on her way to the library when she had been pulled into an empty classroom by two assailants.

'Hay!' Harry exclaimed. 'What do you two think you're doing dragging me in here.'

'We needed somewhere quiet to talk to you,' Fred replied, checking over his shoulder towards the closed door.

'I was on my way to the library,' Harry said frustratingly.

'Library can wait,'

'This can't.'

'We think that after the attack on the Gryffindor Tower you should have this,' Fred said, pulling out from his bag a large, square, very worn piece of parchment with nothing written on it. Handing it to Harry.

'It will help keep you safe.' George said.

'Boys what are you talking about. You've just handed me a piece of parchment,' Harry said bluntly. 'What do I need with a bit of old parchment?'

'A bit of old Parchment!' Fred said closing his eyes with a grimace as though Harry had mortally offended him. 'Explain, George.'

'Well ... when we were in our first year, Anna - young, carefree and innocent-'

Harry snorted, she doubted whether Fred and George had ever been innocent.

'Well, more innocent than we are now - we got into a spot of bother with Filch.'

'Set off a Dungbomb in the corridor and it upset him for some reason-'

'So he hauled us off to his office and started threatening us with the usual - detention.'

'-disembowelment-'

'We couldn't help noticing a drawer in one of his filing cabinets marked _Confiscated and Highly Dangerous.'_

'Don't tell me-' Harry replied.

'Well, what would you have done? George caused a diversion by dropping another Dungbomb, I whipped the drawer open and grabbed - this,' Fred said.

'It's not as bad as it sounds, you know. We don't reckon Filch ever found out how to work it. He probably suspected what it was, though, or he wouldn't have confiscated it,' George said.

'I'm still not hearing how some piece of parchment is meant to keep me safe?' Harry replied.

'Harry this isn't, just any piece of parchment,'

'It's actually a map. A map of Hogwarts,'

'Nice try boys but I'm not going to fall for your prank.'

'We can prove it look,'

'I solemnly swear I'm up to no good.'

Harry's eyes widened as she read the inscription, Messrs Mooney, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs Purveyors of aids to magical mischief-making are proud to present THE MARAUDER'S MAP.

'Oh, Merlin you weren't joking. This is actually a map of Hogwarts. Is that-?'

'Dumbledore pacing in his office. Yes.'

'It will tell you where everyone is.'

'Including several secret passages out of the castle. There are seven in all. Now Filch knows about these four.' Fred indicated to them out to her. 'But we're sure we're the only ones who know these. We don't reckon anyone's ever used this one, because the Whomping Willow's planted right over the entrance.'

'Stay away from the one behind the mirror on the fourth floor.' George said pointing out another passageway. 'It's caved in - completely blocked,' he explained.

'So this is how you get away with all your pranks.' Harry said.

'Well, it helps. We, however, know the map off by heart.'

'Mooney, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs,' George sighed. 'We owe them so much.'

'Thanks, guys.'

'No worries.'

'One last thing.'

'When you're done say mischief managed.'

'It will clear the map, making it completely blank again.'

'You wouldn't want anyone to read it.'

'Stay safe and stay out of trouble,' George said earnestly.

'And here I thought you loved trouble,' Harry winked at him causing George to turn red in the face.

Fred chuckling beside George said, 'Well she has you there.'

...

Harry was in two minds about what to do with the map. Did she hand it in, which would get the twins in trouble. But then those secret passageways what if that was how Peter Pettigrew got into the castle. However, the upcoming Hogsmeade weekend neared Harry's focus was on the upcoming trip to the village. George appeared to have same idea asking her to go on a date with him nearly every morning without fail. So by the time, Saturday morning fell Harry was pretty fed up with hearing it.

'Last chance to change your mind Princess,' George said loudly over breakfast at the Gryffindor table. 'I'll go to Hogsmeade without you otherwise.'

Harry groaned, trying and failing to hide her head in her hands.

'You'll regret it, not going with me,' George said. 'So, what do you say?'

Harry looked up at him, George's speckled eyes sparkling with mischief.

'I'll cope.' Harry said.

'Oh, come on, one date.' George said. 'Just go to Hogsmeade with me.'

'This is no longer funny George. I'm not even going to answer you. I'm sure Lee won't mind accompanying you though.' Harry said getting up from the table. Walking away shaking her head, Ron caught up with her moments later.

The day was fine and breezy, and neither Ron or Harry felt like staying indoors. Harry only wished she could have talked Hermione into taking a break. Not that Ron and Hermione had made things up yet. They walked past the Three Broomsticks and climbed a slope to visit the Shrieking Shack, the most haunted dwelling in Britain. It stood a little way above the rest of the village, and even in daylight was slightly creepy, with its boarded windows and dank overgrown garden.

'Even the Hogwarts ghost avoid it,' Ron said leaning on the fence, looking up at it. 'I ask Nearly Headless Nick, he says he'd heard a very rough crowd live here. No one can get in. Fred and George tried -'

'Obviously, they did,' Harry snorted.

'Entrances are sealed shut though.'

In the distance the heard voices coming from the other side of the house. Someone was climbing up the hill; moments later, Malfoy appeared, followed closely by Crabbe and Goyle. Malfoy was speaking.

' - should have an owl from Father any day now. He's got to go to the hearing to tell them about my arm ... about how I couldn't use it for three months ...'

Crabbe and Goyle sniggered.

'I really wish I could hear that great hairy moron trying to defend himself ... "there's no harm in him honest" ... that Hippogriff's as good as dead-'

Malfoy caught sight of Ron and Harry. His pale face split in a malevolent grin.

'What are you doing Weasley?' Malfoy looked up at the crumbling house behind them. 'Thinking of buying the place. You'd love to live here, wouldn't you, Weasley? Dreaming about having your own bedroom? I heard your family all sleep in one room - is that true?'

Harry seized Ron by the back of his clothes to stop him from leaping on Malfoy.

'A word to the wise, Malfoy. Never insult the Weasley family in front of me,' Harry warned.

Malfoy glanced over Harry from head to toe. 'I see now, it's not Weasley at all who wants to live here. It's you, I suppose this a vast improvement to where those filthy Muggle relatives keep you.'

Harry pulled Ron away down the hill.

'What's the matter, Potter? I don't hear you sticking up for your Muggle family. Live in barn do you, Potter is that why you always look like a mess?'

'Yeah, that's right. But I'd rather live in a barn than be a spoilt little rich boy like you. What's the matter Malfoy don't get enough attention at home from mummy and daddy. Do they not love you enough? Is this why you have to put everyone else down? Because you know that deep down in your perfect little life isn't so perfect. That it is just a pitiful, as what you are!'

Malfoy stared at her unblinkingly, mouth agape. Harry continued walking down the hill, tugging Ron to walk beside her.

'He's lucky I didn't hex him, but Snape would have an excuse to give me a detention.' Harry angrily said. She glanced up towards her friend who seemed to be deep in thought. 'You OK? Don't let him get to you.'

Ron shook himself out of his thoughts. 'I'm OK, thanks for pulling me away. I'd be joining you in detention otherwise. I think you got to Malfoy though. I've never known Malfoy to be silenced like that.'

'Everyone has secrets, Ron, I'm sure Malfoy's got a fair share of his own. I just took a stab in the dark,' Harry replied.

'Whatever you did - it worked. I'd like to see him try taunting us now,' Ron said.

...

Malfoy steered clear of Harry over the next few days, he hadn't even sneered at her in their shared classes. Harry had obviously hit a raw spot. Harry wasn't complaining it made quite a nice change. Nothing else had changed though, even without the lessons from Lupin, Harry's schedule was still full. Playing Quidditch, meant practising with the team and as Oliver Wood was taking no chances. A practice was scheduled in for almost every evening. One evening Harry had entered the changing rooms after showering to get the mud off her. Harry tried out some deeper dives that hadn't agreed with her and neither had the wet ground. Everyone had left her alone, probably figured she had headed to the castle before them. Harry often done that as she needed to finish off homework. Though it wasn't a good idea for her to be out on her own, how was she meant to sneak into the castle with no one noticing her - Harry pulled open her bag, the map lay hidden within it.

Tapping her wand, she activated it just like the twins had shown her. Harry headed out of the changing rooms heading towards the castle, searching the parchment for signs of teachers close by; then a dot appeared on the map coming from out of the forest. A dot labelled with a dead man's name: _Sirius Black_. Was the map faulty? Harry didn't understand how could Sirius Black been wandering along the edge of the forest when he was supposed to be dead. Wand in hand Harry followed the dot. As she got closer to the dot, Harry glanced up from the parchment looking around frantically but no one was in sight. Glancing back down at the map he's name had vanished. Maybe the map was faulty. Harry was going to have examined this map properly.

Lunchtime the next day, instead of heading to the Great Hall with the other, Harry made a dash to the Library. Pulling out books on enchantment spells. Trying to figure out what the map had been enchanted with if she knew how it worked, then maybe she could figure out how to fix the faulty map. Harry was no near to the answer when the bell rang signalling for afternoon classes. Annoyed Harry set off for Defence the Dark Arts. Professor Lupin was summarising over werewolves as they had already had a lesson on them with Snape. Harry was half listening on how to recognise a werewolf, her mind still on the map. Harry snapped out of her thoughts trying to concentrate on her Professor's lecture. Her mind started racing for other reasons as Professor Lupin spoke. He had been speaking about the full moon and the transformation when it had dawned on Harry. Their Professor was regularly ill, missing classes. Then he's Boggart had turned into something silvery white. Now that she actually thought about it did awfully look like a moon. No, it couldn't be it, he couldn't be. Harry racked her brain, thinking back. Her Professor had said he had known her parents, he had been a close friend of her dads'. But she didn't recall her dad mentioning anyone with the surname of Lupin. Her dad had only - said their first names. Sirius, Peter and Remus - of course - Professor R. J. Lupin - Remus. Her dad had often mentioned Remus and the words full moon but Harry had paid no attention to it. Her dad had been friends, close friends - her Professor - Professor Lupin was a werewolf. Did Dumbledore know? Harry thought he wouldn't have put the students in danger. And wasn't there a potion that could help - What was it called - Wolfsbane. It was complicated but Harry was sure Professor Snape could brew it, after all the man was a potions master. The bell rang ending the class, Harry stood abruptly from her seat knocking her bag and its contents to the floor.

'I'll catch up,' Harry told Ron who stopped to wait for her. They had McGonagall next and it wouldn't look good both of them being late. Harry grabbed for things. Old worn out shoes came into her view.

'Here let me help.'

Harry saw her Professor bend picking up a few of her books. Underneath them lay the Marauder's Map, Harry made a move to pick it up but Lupin got there first.

'Professor, I-' Harry said glancing up towards the face of Professor Lupin. An odd, expression appeared on his face as he stared down at the blank map.

'I don't want to hear explanations Anna,' Lupin said shortly. 'I happen to know that this map was confiscated by Mr Filch many years ago. Yes, I know it's a map. I don't want to know how it fell into your possession. I am however astounded that you didn't hand it in. Particularly after what happened the last time a student left information about the castle lying around. And I can't let you have it back, Anna.'

'How?' Harry stammered stunned her Professor knew about the map when nothing was on it.

'It doesn't matter how. But those mapmakers would have wanted to lure you out of school. They'd think it extremely entertaining,' Lupin shook his head.

'If you know that it's a map,' Harry sighed placing the last of things in her bag. 'Then you should also be made aware that I think it's faulty. I've only had it a few days and the one time I did use it. I saw a name, a name of a man we both know to be dead.'

Lupin gave her a questioning look.

'Sirius Black.'

'Not possible - the map - are you sure?'

'Positive.'

'Despite what you've told me.' Lupin said in a much calmer voice than before. 'You still can't have the map back.'


	63. Chapter 63

Malfoy was back to being his smug self that very evening. Harry caught sight of him deep in whispered conversation. Hermione had provided them with the reason as into why.

Hermione approached where Harry had been sitting with Ron at the Gryffindor table cautiously. She was holding a letter in her hands and her lip was trembling. 'I just thought you ought to know ... Hagrid lost his case. Buckbeak is going to be executed.'

'He sent me this.' Hermione said holding out the letter. Harry took it. The parchment was damp, and enormous teardrops had smudged the ink in places that it made the letter difficult to read.

 _Dear Hermione,_

 _We lost. I'm allowed to brin_ _g him back to Hogwarts. Execution date to be fixed._

 _Beaky has enjoyed London._ _I won't forget all the help you gave us._

 _Hagrid._

'Buckbeak isn't dangerous, they can't do this,' Harry said.

'Malfoy's dad has frightened the Committee into it. You know what he's like. There'll be an appeal though, there always is. Only I can't see any of ... nothing will have changed.'

'Yeah, it will,' Ron said fiercely. 'You won't have to do all the work alone this time, Hermione. I'll help.'

'Oh Ron!' Hermione flung her arms around Ron's neck and broke down completely. Ron though he looked quite terrified hugged Hermione in return. When Hermione finally drew away Ron slid over a place so that Hermione could join them at the table.

'Ron, I am really, really sorry about Scabbers...' Hermione sobbed as she sat down between them.

'Oh well - he was old,' Ron said. 'and he was a bit useless.'

Hermione stifled a giggle. Harry glad to see her two friends on talking terms with each other returned to her own dinner, trying to hide her smile from their view.

...

The only chance Harry, Ron and Hermione got to speak to Hagrid with the safety measures in place was during Care of Magical Creatures lessons. Hagrid seemed as numb with shock at the verdict.

'It was all my fault. Got tongue-tied. They were all sitting there and I kept dropping the notes and forgetting all them dates you looked up for me, Hermione. Then Lucius Malfoy stood up and said his bit, and the committee just did exactly what he told them,' Hagrid explained.

'There's still the appeal! Don't give up yet, we're working on it!' Ron said.

They were walking back up to the castle with the rest of the class. Ahead they could see Malfoy, who was talking with Crabbe and Goyle, and kept looking back, laughing derisively.

'It's no good, Ron. That Committee's in Lucius Malfoy's pocket. I'm just going to make sure the rest of Beaky's time is the happiest he's ever had. I owe him that...' Hagrid said sadly.

Hagrid turned around and hurried back towards his cabin, his face buried in his handkerchief.

'Look at him blubber!'

Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle had been standing just inside the castle doors, listening.

'Have you ever seen anything quite as pathetic?' Malfoy said. 'And he's supposed to our teacher!'

Ron and Harry both made furious moves towards Malfoy, but Hermione got there first - SMACK! She had slapped Malfoy across the face with all the strength she could muster. Malfoy staggered, Harry, Ron, Crabbe and Goyle stood flabbergasted as Hermione raised her hand again.

'You! Don't you dare call Hagrid pathetic, you foul - you evil-'

'Hermione!' Ron said weakly and he tried to grab her hand as she swung it back.

'Get off, Ron!'

Hermione pulled out her wand, Malfoy stepped backwards. Crabbe and Goyle looked at him for instructions, thoroughly bewildered. 'C'mon' Malfoy muttered, and next moment, all three of them had disappeared into the passageway to the dungeons.

'First Harry manages to stun Malfoy into silence and now you actually manage to hit him, Hermione.' Ron said, sounding both stunned and impressed.

'Harry you'd better beat him in the Quidditch Final! You just better had, because I can't stand it if Slytherin win!' Hermione said shrilly.

'Oliver would have my head, if I let them win, Hermione,' Harry replied. 'We're due in Charms, we'd better get a move on.'

They hurried up the marble staircase towards Professor Flitwick's classroom.

'You're late!' Professor Flitwick said reprovingly, as Harry opened the classroom door. 'Come along, quickly, wands out, we're finishing off Switching Charms and moving onto experimenting with Cheering Charms today. We've already divided into pairs.'

Ron looked behind him as they hurried to a desk at the back.

'Where's Hermione gone?'

Harry looked around too. Hermione hadn't entered the classroom, yet Harry knew she had been right next to her when she had opened the door. 'That's weird. Maybe she went to the bathroom or something.'

Hermione didn't turn up all lesson. Both Harry and Ron left Charms for lunch both grinning broadly.

'Wish we'd practised that Switching Charm for a bit longer. I was starting to get the hang of it,' Ron said, then he lowered his voice to whisper in Harry's ear. 'I thought about using the spell on Fred and George but I couldn't think what they cared about enough to switch it around with something else. I can't exactly go around hexing girls now can I. No - I'll think of something maybe their brooms.'

'Not before the Quidditch match. Wood would kill you,' Harry replied. 'And what do you mean by girls?'

'Well Fred fancies Angelina,' Ron said.

'I was already aware of that Ange told me.'

'Well yeah, then, George well - he - umm - he - hay haven't you noticed that Hermione hasn't turned up for lunch?'

Harry who had been about to help herself to some apple pie, stopped. The after-effects of the Cheering Charm wearing off. 'Let's go check on her. Library first then Gryffindor tower. C'mon on.'

They found Hermione fast asleep sitting at a table in the Gryffindor tower. Her head resting on an open Arithmancy book, Harry gentle shook her awake.

'W-what?' Hermione said, waking with a start, and staring wildly around. 'Is it time to go? W-which lesson have we got now?'

'Arithmancy and Divination, but it's not for another twenty minutes,' Harry said. 'You OK? You missed Charms.'

'What? Oh no!' Hermione squeaked. 'I forgot Charms!'

'Hermione, you were with us till we were right outside the classroom! I don't see how you could forget.' Harry said.

'I don't believe it!' Hermione wailed. 'Oh, it was Malfoy, I was thinking about him and lost track of things! Was Professor Flitwick angry?'

'You know what Hermione?' Ron said looking down at the enormous pile of work on the desk. 'I reckon you're cracking up. You're trying to do too much.'

'No, I'm not I just made a mistake, that's all,' Hermione said brushing hair out of her eyes and staring hopeless around for her bag. 'I'd better go and see Professor Flitwick and say sorry ... I'll see you in class.'

...

Harry headed down to dinner with Hermione, Arithmancy had been quite challenging, they had been working on the possibilities of the recurrence in numbers. Hermione disappeared to the library to catch up on the Charms lesson she had missed, leaving Harry to enter the buzzing hall alone.

'Couldn't believe it - just walked out - never thought I'd see the day,' Seamus said

Puzzled, Harry sat down beside George. Glancing questionably between Ron shocked face and Seamus's excitement.

'What are you talking about?'

'Hermione -' Seamus said.

'Walked right out class, in the middle our lesson,' Lavender said.

'Professor Trelawney had predicted at the start of the year, one of the class would leave at Easter,' Parvati said.

'One moment we're gazing into crystal balls.'

'Professor Trelawney started to mutter something about seeing-' Ron said.

'Don't tell me the Grim,' Harry said.

'Yeah then Hermione lost it,' Seamus said. 'Walked right out.'

'That doesn't make any sense,' Harry said confused, how could have Hermione walked out their lesson when she had been in Arithmancy with her.

'Yeah, I know some day Hermione's having, eh?' Ron said.

'Not that, I just don't understand how Hermione could have been in Divination anyway to walk out. Hermione was in Arithmancy with us. Wasn't she Dean?'

'Harry, haven't you been listening to me? I told you ages ago I wondered how Hermione was doing it. Apart from earlier in Charms Hermione hasn't missed a lesson yet.'

'But - but how?' Harry said.

'Your guess is as good as mine,' Ron shrugged. 'I'm all out of theories.'

...

Even though Harry had been very curious as into how Hermione was getting to her classes, Harry had been as usual kept busy. The Easter holidays were not exactly relaxing, the third-years had never received so much homework. Neville seemed close to a nervous collapse. Even without Divination, Hermione was still taking more subjects than anybody else. She was usually last to leave the common room at night, first to arrive at the library next morning. She had shadows like Lupin's under her eyes and seemed close to tears. One night Harry had even found Hermione asleep in the common room. Ron had taken over responsibility for Buckbeak's appeal. When he wasn't doing his own work, he was poring through any books he could find to help. Harry, meanwhile had to fit her homework around Quidditch practice every day, not to mention the endless discussions of tactics with Wood. The Gryffindor - Slytherin match would take place on the first Saturday after the Easter holidays. Slytherin were leading by two hundred points. This meant that they needed to win the match by more than that amount. It also meant that the burden of winning fell largely on Harry, because catching the Snitch would earn them one hundred and fifty points. Though if Oliver reminded her one more time that she could only catch the Snitch after they were more than fifty points up, Harry was gong to strangle him. To make matter worse the whole of Gryffindor house was obsessed with the upcoming match. But Harry doubted whether any of them, even Wood, wanted to win as much as she did. The enmity between Harry and Malfoy was at it's highest point. Malfoy hadn't forgotten their little run in at the Shrieking Shack. Harry hadn't forgotten Malfoy's attempts to sabotage him in the match against Ravenclaw, but it was the matter of Buckbeak that made her determined to beat Malfoy in front of the entire school.

Never, in anyone's memory, had a match approached in such a highly-charged atmosphere. By the time the holidays were over, the tension between the two teams and their houses was at breaking point. A number of small scuffles broke out in the corridors. Harry was having a particularly bad time of it. She couldn't walk to class without Slytherins trying to trip her up. Wood had given instructions that Harry should be accompanied everywhere, in case the Slytherins tried to put her out of action. George had taken up this responsibility quite literally escorting Harry to all of her classes even if it had meant he was late to his own. And if George wasn't doing so the rest of the Gryffindor house took up to the challenge. At least Harry didn't have to be concerned about her Firebolt which she knew was safely stored in her very warded trunk.

Harry slept very badly the night before the match, for a moment when she woke up she thought she had overslept. It was light out but it was still early. Everyone else in her dorm was still asleep, not feeling like going back to sleep Harry got out of the bed and wondered over to the window. The grounds were still and quiet. No breath of wind disturbed the treetops in the Forbidden Forest; the Whomping Willow was motionless and innocent looking. It looked as though conditions for the match would be perfect. An animal of some kind was prowling across the lawn. A cat Harry recognised the bottle-brush tail. It was only Crookshanks ... but Crookshanks seemed to have come to a halt. Harry was sure she could see something else moving in the shadow of the trees, too. And the next moment it emerged a gigantic, shaggy black dog, moving stealthily across the lawn, Crookshanks trotting at its side. Harry stared. How odd? What did it mean? If Crookshanks could see the dog as well. Harry moved to make up Hermione but as she glanced back towards the window Crookshanks and the dog had vanished.

The Gryffindor team entered the Great Hall to enormous applause. The Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tables were clapping them too. The Slytherin table hissed loudly and Malfoy was looking paler than normal. Wood urged the whole team to eat then hurried them off to the pitch before anyone else had finished, so they could get a good idea of the conditions. As they left the Great Hall everyone applauded again. 'Good luck, Harianna!' called Cedric Diggory and Harry felt herself blushing.

Wood paced out onto the pitch, staring around with the team behind him. Finally, they saw the front doors of the castle open in the distance, and the rest of the school spill onto the lawn. Wood ordered them into the changing room. None of them spoke as they changed into their scarlet robes. They walked out onto the pitch to a tidal wave of noise. Three-quarters of the crowd were wearing scarlet rosettes, waving scarlet flags with the Gryffindor lion upon them. Behind the Slytherin goalposts, however, two hundred people were wearing green; the silver serpent of Slytherin glittered on their flags and Professor Snape sat in the very front row, wearing green like everyone else, and a very grim smile.

'And here are the Gryffindors!' yelled Lee Jordan, who was commentating as usual. 'Potter, Bell, Johnson, Spinnet, Weasley, Weasley and Wood. Widely acknowledged as the best side Hogwarts has seen in a good few years-'

Lee's comments were drowned out by 'boos' from the Slytherin end. 'And here come the Slytherin team, led by captain Flint. He's made some changes in the line-up and seems to be going for size rather than skill.'

This caused more boos from the Slytherin crowd. But Lee had a point Malfoy was easily the smallest person on the team.

'Captains, shake hands!' Madam Hooch said.

Oliver's handshake with Flint looked like they were trying to break each other's fingers.

'Mount your brooms!' said Madam Hooch. 'Three ... two ... one...'

The sound of her whistle was lost in the roar from the crowd as fourteen brooms rose into the air.

'And it's Gryffindor in possession, Alicia Spinnet of Gryffindor with the Quaffle, heading straight for the Slytherin goalposts, looking good, Alicia! Argh, no - Quaffle intercepted by Warrington, Warrington of Slytherin tearing up the pitch - WHAM! - nice Bludger work there by George Weasley, Warrington drops the Quaffle, it's caught by - Johnson, Gryffindor back in possession, come on, Angelina - nice swerve round Montague - duck, Angelina, that's a Bludger! -SHE SCORES! TEN- ZERO TO GRYFFINDOR!'

Angelina punched the air as she soared round the end of the pitch; a sea of scarlet below was screaming its delight.

'OUCH!'

Angelina was nearly thrown from her broom as Marcus Flint went smashing into her. Fred Weasley sent a Bludger at him which hit Flint near the shoulder.

'Ohh that's going to leave a mark. Nicely done by Fred Weasley,' Lee said. 'When are the opposing teams going to learn - you just don't mess with the Weasley twins' girls - cause they'll be consequences if you do-'

Harry zoomed around, gazing around for the Snitch, making sure she caught every word of Lee's commentary. It was essential that she hold Malfoy off the Snitch.

'Gryffindor in possession, no, Slytherin in possession - no! - Gryffindor back in possession and it's Katie Bell for Gryffindor with the Quaffle, she's streaking up the pitch - THAT WAS DELIBERATE!'

Montague, a Slytherin chaser, had swerved in front of Katie, and of seizing the Quaffle, had grabbed her head. Katie cartwheeled in the air, managed to stay on her broom but dropped the Quaffle. Madam Hooch's whistle rand out again as she soared over to Mortague and began shouting at him. A minute later, Katie had put a penalty past the Slytherin Keeper.

'THAT'S NOW THIRTY-ZERO TO GRYFFINDOR! TAKE THAT, YOU DIRTY, CHEATING-'

'Jordan, if you can't commentate in an unbiased way-!'

'I'm telling it like it is, Professor!'

Harry laughed she could actually picture the look on Lee's face as he argued his point to their Professor. Then she caught sight of the Snitch but with the points as they stood, she couldn't catch it yet. But if Malfoy saw it - Faking a look of concentration, Harry speed her Firebolt round towards the Slytherin end. It worked, Malfoy went haring after her, clearly thinking she'd seen the Snitch. WHOOSH. One of the Bludgers came streaking past Harry's right ear, hit by Derrick. Next moment - WHOOSH. The second Bludger grazed Harry's elbow. The other Beater, Bole was closing in. Harry caught a glimpse of Bole and Derrick zomming towards her, clubs raised - Harry turned the Firebolt upwards at the last second, and Bole and Derrick collided with a crunch.

'Ha haaa! Too bad, boys! You'll need to get up earlier there than that to beat a Firebolt!' Lee Jordan yelled. 'And Gryffindors in possession again, as Johnson takes the Quaffle - Flint alongside side her - poke him in the eye, Angelina! - it was a joke, Professor, - oh, no - Flint in possession, Flint flying towards the Gryffindor goalposts, come on, now, Wood, save-!'

But Flint scored; there was an eruption of cheers from the Slytherin end and Lee had sworn so badly that Professor McGonagall tried to tug the magical megaphone away from him.

'Sorry Professor. Won't happen again! So Gryffindor lead thirty points to ten, and Gryffindor are in possession-'

The match was turning rather dirty. Slytherin enraged that Gryffindor had taken such an early lead were rapidly resorting to any means to take the Quaffle. Bole hit Alicia with his club and tried to say he thought she was a Bludger. George Weasley elbowed Bole in the face in retaliation. Madam Hooch awarded both teams penalties and Wood pulled a spectacular save, making the score forty-ten to Gryffindor. The Snitch had disappeared again. Malfoy was still keeping close to Harry as she soared around the pitch. Katie scored. Fifty-ten. Fred and George Wealsey were swooping around her, clubs raised, in case any Slytherins were thinking of revenge. Bole and Derrick both took advantage of Fred and George's absence to aim both Bludgers at Wood; they caught him in the stomach, one after the other, and he rolled over in the air, clutching his broom, completely winded. Madam Hooch was beside herself awarding Gryffindor another penalty which Angelina scored with ease. Sixty ten. Moments later, Fred Weasley pelted a Bludger at Warrington, knocking the Quaffle out of his hands; Alicia seized it and put it through the Slytherin goal: seventy-ten. The Gryffindor crowd were screaming themselves hoarse. Harry soared around the pitch, with Malfoy speeding along behind her.

And then she saw it. The Snitch was sparkling twenty feet above her. Harry put on a huge urge of speed, the wind roaring in her ears; she stretched out her hand, but the Firebolt was slowing down - horrified, she looked around. Malfoy had thrown himself forward, grabbed hold of the Firbolt's tail and was pulling it back. Malfoy had achieved what he wanted the Snitch had disappeared, he had earned them another Penalty though which Alicia missed because she had been so angry. The Gryffindor team was losing concentration and the Slytherins delighted by Malfoy's foul on Harry, were being spurred on to greater heights.

'Slytherin in possession, Slytherin heading for goal - Mortague scores,' Lee groaned. 'Seventy - twenty to Gryffindor.'

'Angelina Johnson get's the Quaffle for Gryffindor, come on, Angelina, COME ON!'

Almost every member of the Slytherin team was streaking up the pitch, they were going to block her. Fred Weasley sent a Bludger in that direction to give her some space.

'SHE SCORES! SHE SCORES! Gryffindor lead by eighty points to twenty!'

Harry went back to searching for the Snitch, she had taken to marking Malfoy instead of him marking her. Harry had been so focused on this task that she almost didn't see a Bludger coming towards her. Harry had barely managed to keep hold of her broom after spinning to avoid it. George Weasley sent a Bludger in return hitting Bole right in the face. But Harry had no time to think she had spotted the Snitch this time below them and Malfoy had dived ahead of her. But this - diving was what she was made to do, she spun the broom heading towards the Snitch hoping that this time the move she been trying to pull off in practice worked.

'And there goes another one of those consequences I was speaking about earlier. Those twins sure do mean business if you threaten - Potter's - George are you watching this Harianna Potter has gone into a dive backwards - she's turned it into a corkscrew - you don't get any better flying than this- Potter's swopped in front - Harry's gaining on the Snitch - COME ON HARRY!'

Harry righted herself from the corkscrew with an outstretched hand and - 'YES!' she pulled out of her dive, her hand in the air, and the stadium exploded. Harry soared above the crowd, the tiny ball held tight in her fist, beating its wings, Wood hugged Harry around the neck and sobbed into her shoulder. Fred and George joined moments later, hitting them with a thump. Angelina, Alicia and Katie's voices shouting, 'We've won the Cup!' Tangled together in many-armed hug, the Gryffindor team sank, yelling hoarsely, back to earth. Wave upon wave of crimson supporters was pouring over the barriers onto the pitch. Hands were raining down on their backs. Harry and the rest of the team were hoisted onto the shoulders of the crowd. Thrust into the light she Hagrid, plastered with crimson rosettes - Percy Weasley, jumping up and down like a manic, all dignity forgotten. Professor McGonagall was sobering harder than Wood, wiping her eyes. Ron and Hermione fighting their way towards her. words failed them they simply beamed, Harry was borne towards the stands, where Dumbledore stood waiting with the enormous Quidditch Cup. It was the best feeling in the world.


	64. Chapter 64

The buzz from finally winning the Quidditch Cup lasted at least a week. Even the weather was nice; as June approached, the days became cloudless and sultry. They were unable to enjoy the sunny weather though as exams were nearly upon them, so instead of lazing around outside, the students were forced to remain inside the castle. Harry had even spotted Fred and George Weasley working away in the common room; they were about to take their OWLs. Percy was getting ready to take his NEWTs (Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests) the highest qualification Hogwarts offered. As he hoped to get into the Ministry of Magic, he needed top grades. He was becoming increasingly edgy and gave very severe punishments to anybody who disturbed the peace. The only person who appeared more anxious than Percy was Hermione.

Ron had given up asking Hermione how she was managing to attend several classes at once, Hermione's exam timetable looked just as hectic as her class one. Hermione was due to take two exams at the same time. Even Harry couldn't work out how she was doing it and she looked up every spell she could think of. There was a rustle at the window and Hedwig fluttered through it, a note clutched tightly in her beak.

'It's from Hagrid,' Harry whispered ripping the note open. 'Buckbeak's appeal - it's set for the sixth.'

'That's the day we finish our exams,' Hermione said.

'And they're coming here to do it. Someone from the Ministry of Magic and - and an executioner,' Harry said, still reading from the letter.

Hermione looked up from her revision, startled. 'They're bringing an executioner to the appeal! But that sounds as though they've already decided!'

'Yeah it does,' Harry said slowly.

'They can't! I've spent ages reading up stuff for him, they can't just ignore it all!' Ron howled.

'I've got a horrible feeling that they're going to,' Harry replied.

It sounded very much like the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures had its mind made up for them by Mr Malfoy. Draco had been noticeably subdued since Gryffindor's triumph in the Quidditch final, seemed to regain some of his old swagger over the next few days. From sneering comments Harry overheard, Malfoy was certain Buckbeak was going to be killed and seemed thoroughly pleased with himself from bringing it about. Harry had been very close to following Hermione's example and debated hitting Malfoy in the face. The worst thing of all was that they had no time or opportunity to go and see Hagrid.

...

Exam week began and an unnatural hush fell over the castle. After the third-years emerged from Transfigurations at lunchtime they began to compare results and bemoaning the difficulty of the tasks they had been set. Harry, however, wasn't listening to the chatter around her, she was too nervous about her Arithmancy exam. The last exam she would be taking that week. Professor Vector had told her that the results from this exam would lead to Harry taking here OWL next year in the subject if she got a high result. After lunch, it was straight back upstairs for the Charms exams. Harry successfully Switched a Frog for a Lizard but slightly overshot her Cheering Charm. Ron who had been partnering her ended up in fits of hysterical laughter and had to lead away for an hour before he could perform the Charm himself.

Hagrid presided over the Care of Magical Creatures exam the following morning with a very preoccupied air; his heart didn't seem to be in it at all. He provided a large tub of fresh Flobberworms for the class and told them that, to pass the test, their Flobberworm had to still be alive at the end of the hour. It was the easiest exam any of them had ever set. They had Potions that afternoon, Snape was standing watching them all in his usual manner. Despite Snape being off-putting Harry thought her Confusing Concoction turned out well. Astronomy was held at midnight, this exam had also turned out nicely as it had been about the star constellations. After learning about her godfather and that he's name was one of these constellations Harry had dove into learning more about them. History of Magic was held Wednesday morning, which Harry scribbled everything she could remember about medieval witch hunts. Herbology was held that afternoon and whilst out in the greenhouses, under the hot sun they got a little sunburnt. Their second to last exam, on Thursday morning, was Defence Against the Dark Arts. Professor Lupin had compiled the most unusual exam any of them had ever taken; a sort of obstacle course outside in the sun, where they had to wade across a deep paddling pool containing a Grindylow. A sickly green creature with sharp little horns. Then cross a series of potholes full of Red Caps, squish their way across a patch marsh, ignoring the misleading directions from a Hinkypunk, then climb into an old trunk and battle with a new Boggart.

'Excellent, Anna, full marks,' Lupin muttered, as Harry climbed out of the trunk grinning. Flushed with success, Harry hung around to watch Ron and Hermione. She glanced up a few times towards her Professor not quite sure what she was looking for. It was an odd feeling Harry felt caught because despite the fact their Professor had been kind the man was still a werewolf, a known Dark Creature. But this man had also given her his time, had taught her a way to control her fear. Harry wasn't sure what to think of her Professor. Ron had done well until the Hinkypunk successfully confused him into sinking waist-high into the quagmire. Hermione had done well until she reached the Boggart. After a minute inside it, she burst out again, screaming. Turned out her Boggart was Professor McGonagall telling her she had failed everything. It took a while to calm Hermione down. When she had at last regained a grip on herself, she, Harry and Ron went back to the castle. On the steps, they were met with the sight of Cornelius Fudge.

'Hello there, Harianna. Just had an exam I expect?' he said.

'Yes.' Harry said.

'Lovely day,' Fudge said, casting an eye over the lake. 'Pity ... pity,' he sighed deeply and looked down at Harry. 'I'm here on unpleasant business, Harianna. The Committee for Disposal of Dangerous Creatures requires a witness to the execution of a mad Hippogriff.'

'The appeals happened already?' Ron interrupted, stepping forwards.

'No, no, it's scheduled for this afternoon.'

But before they could say anything more, two wizards came through the castle doors behind Fudge. One was so ancient he appeared to be withering before their eyes; the other was tall and strapping, with a thin moustache. The moustached man was fingering something in his belt; Harry saw that he was running a thumb along the blade of a shining axe. Ron opened his mouth to say something, but Hermione nudged him hard and steered him towards the Entrance Hall.

All around them as they entered the Great Hall people were talking excitedly as they ate their lunch, happily anticipating the end of exams that afternoon. Harry, Ron and Hermione, lost in worry about Hagrid and Buckbeak, didn't join in. the nerves also kicked in for Harry, the exam she had been most dreading was next; Arithmancy. Hermione had Harry left Ron on the Seventh floor and entered the Arithmancy classroom. On their desk was blank charts, Professor Vector entered the room.

'Take your seats in silence.' she ordered. 'On your desk, you'll find everything you will be needing if you need more parchment then raise your hand. I'll come to you.' Professor Vector stared around the room at them all. 'You have three hours to formulate and chart the equation that will appear on the board in a few moments. I advise that each of you to take your time. You may begin - now.' Professor Vector said flicking her wand and upon the board, a series of numbers appeared and for the first time since Harry began worrying about this exam she smiled.

Harry walked out of the exam feeling a lot lighter, she and Hermione had been one of the very last students to leave, Though Harry lost sight of Hermione as they were about to turn the corridor leading towards the Gryffindor Tower. Harry looked around the corridors it was empty - well almost empty. In her haste to find Hermione, Harry bumped straight into someone. Harry gripped them to stop them from falling, she stepped back taking in the person she had charged into. It was Professor Trelawney.

'I'm so sorry, I was looking for my friend - I wasn't watching where I was going are you OK?' Harry said glancing up at the dreamy look her Professor was expressing.

' _It will happen tonight.'_ said Professor Trelawney, she had gone rigid; her eyes were unfocused and mouth sagging.

'S-sorry?' Harry said.

But Professor Trelawney didn't seem to hear her. Professor Trelawney eyes started to roll. Harry stood there in a panic. She looked like she was about to have some sort of seizure. Harry hesitated, thinking of running to the hospital wing - and then Professor Trelawney spoke again, in the same harsh voice, quite unlike her own.

' _The Dark Lord lies alone and friendless, abandoned by his followers. His servant has been in hiding these twelve years. Tonight, before midnight, the servant will break free from his slumber and set out to rejoin his master. The Dark Lord will rise again with his servant's aid, greater and more terrible than before. Tonight ... before midnight ... the servant ... will set out ... to rejoin ...his master...'_

Professor Trelawney's head fell forwards onto her chest. She made a grunting noise, then quite suddenly, her head snapped up again.

'I'm sorry my dear,' she said dreamily. 'The heat of the day, you know ... I drifted off for a moment ..'

Harry stood there, still staring. Was it possible that there were true seers.

'Is there anything wrong?'

'You - you just - you told me the Dark Lord's going to rise again ... that his servant's going back to him.'

Professor Trelawney looked thoroughly startled. 'The Dark Lord? He Who Must Not Be Named? My dear, that's hardly something to joke about ... rise again, indeed.'

'But you just said it! You said the Dark Lord-'

'I think the pressure of the exams have gotten to you,' said Professor Trelawney. 'I would certainly not presume to predict anything as far-fetched as that!'

'Right, sorry again,' Harry muttered hurrying down the hall wondering ... had she just heard Professor Trelawney make a real prediction? Was it possible that she had actually had been blessed with a True Seers gift? Five minutes later she dashed into the Gryffindor Tower, Professor Trelawney's words still resounding in her head. In the corner of the room, sat Ron and Hermione.

'Professor Trelawney,' Harry panted. 'Just told me -' but she stopped at the sight of their faces.

'Buckbeak lost,' Ron said weakly. 'Hagrid's sent this.'

 _Lost appeal.  
They're_ _going to execute at sunset_. _Nothing you can do.  
_ _Don't come down. I don't want you to see it.  
_ _Hagrid._

'We've got to go,' Harry said at once. 'He can't just sit there on his own, waiting for the executioner!'

'Sunset though,' Ron said staring out of the window. 'We'd never be allowed ... especially you.'

'Not if they don't see us,' Harry replied. 'I think my dad's Cloak needs to come out again.'

...

They went down to dinner with everybody else, but did not return to Gryffindor Tower afterwards. Harry hid the Cloak under her school ones. They waited in an empty chamber off the Entrance Hall, listening, until they were sure it was deserted. They put the Cloak on and walked very closely together so that nobody would see them, they crossed the Hall on tiptoe, then walked down the stone front steps. The sun was already sinking behind the Forbidden Forest. They reached Hagrid's cabin and knocked. When Hagrid answered the door he looked around for his visitor, pale-faced and trembling.

'It's us,' Harry muttered. 'we're wearing the Invisibility Cloak. Let us in so we can take it off.'

'You shouldn't have come!' Hagrid said, but he stood back and they stepped inside. Hagrid shut the door and they pulled off the Cloak. Hagrid was not crying, nor did he throw himself upon them. He looked like a man who did not know what to do.

'Want - some - tea?' Hagrid asked his hands shaking as reached for the kettle.

'Where's Buckbeak Hagrid?' Hermione said.

'Outside - he's tethered in my pumpkin patch. Thought he oughta see the trees and - smell fresh air - before,' Hagrid replied his hands shaking so violently as poured milk into a jug, that the jug slipped from his grasp and shattered all over the floor.

'I'll do it,' Hermione said quickly, hurrying over to clean up the mess.

'There's another one in the cupboard,' Hagrid said sitting down.

Harry was the nearest to the cupboard walked over slowly to it. 'Isn't there anything we can do? Dumbledore-' she said

'He's tried, he's got no power to overrule the Committee. But they're scared ... you know what Lucius Malfoy is like ... threatened them, I expect ... and the executioner, Macnair, he's an old pal of Malfoy's ... but it'll be quick and clean ... and I'll be beside him ..' Hagrid swallowed, 'Dumbledore's going to come down while it - while it happens. Wrote to me this morning. Said he wants to be with me. Great man, Dumbledore...'

Harry rummaged through Hagrid's cupboard for another milk jug and let out a gasp. 'Ron! I don't believe it - it's Scabbers!'

Ron gaped at her. 'What are you talking about Harry?'

Harry carried the jug over and turned it upside down. With a frantic squeak and much scrambling to get back into the jug, Scabbers the rat came sliding out onto the table.

'Scabbers!' Ron said blankly. 'Scabbers what are you doing here?' he grabbed the struggling rat and held him up to the light. Scabbers looked dreadful. He was thinner than ever, large tufts of hair had fallen out leaving bald patches.

'Urrm Umm,' Harry faked a cough glaring at Ron while indicating her head towards Hermione. Her friend gave her a puzzling glance back.

'You alright mate?'

Harry hit a hand to her head while shaking it in disbelief. Ron was completely clueless.

'What's wrong?' he asked

'I think Harry's trying to point out that you owe somebody an apology Ron,' Hagrid said.

'Oh - yeah - umm sorry - Hermione,' Ron stuttered.

Hagrid stood up, his eyes fixed on the window. 'They're coming, you've got to go.'

Harry, Ron and Hermione whipped around. A group of men were walking down the distant castle steps. Albus Dumbledore was leading the way. Next to him trotted Cornelius Fudge then behind them came the feeble old Committee member and the executioner Macnair.

'I'll let you out the back way. They must not find you here ... come on.'

Ron stuffed Scabbers into his pocket and Hermione grabbed the Cloak, they followed Hagrid moments later to his back garden. Buckbeak was a few yards away, tethered to a tree behind Hagrid's pumpkin patch. Hermione threw the Cloak over them as Hagrid strode back into his cabin as someone knocked at the front door. Slowly, in a kind of horrified trance Harry, Ron and Hermione set off silently around Hagrid's house. Hagrid's front door closed with a sharp snap.

'Let's go please - I can't stand it, I can't bear to-' Hermione whispered.

They started walking up the sloping lawn towards the castle. The sun was sinking fast now; the sky had turned to a clear, purple-tinged grey, but to the west, there was a ruby-red glow. Ron stopped dead.

'Oh please, Ron,' Hermione began.

'It's Scabbers - he won't - stay put.' Ron bent over, trying to keep Scabbbers in his pocket, but the rat was going berserk; squeaking madly, twisting and flailing, trying to sink his teeth into Ron's hand.

Ron hissed. 'Scabbers, it's me, you idiot, it's Ron.'

They heard a door open behind them and men's voices.

'Oh Ron, please let's move, they're going to do it!' Hermione breathed.

They walked forwards; Harry like Hermione was trying not to listen to the rumble of voices behind them. Ron stopped again.

'I can't hold him - Scabbers, shut up, everyone'll hear us-'

The rat was squealing wildly, but not as loudly enough to cover up the sounds drifting from Hagrid's garden. There was a jumble of indistinct male voices, a silence and then, without warning, the unmistakable swish and thud of an axe. Hermione swayed on the spot.

'They did it! She whispered. 'I d-don't believe it - they did it!'

* * *

 ** _A.N. Thank you all for the reviews so far. I'm getting nervous now ... my twist is about to be revealed ... I just hope it works out as well as I planned it too._**


	65. Chapter 65

**_A.N. Here goes nothing ... Don't hate me ... It took me a whole weekend to write out the next couple of chapters._**

...

Harry's mind had gone blank with shock. The three of them stood transfixed under the Invisibility Cloak. The very last rays of setting sun were casting a bloody light over the long shadow grounds. Then behind them, they heard a wild howling.

'Hagrid!' Harry muttered without thinking about what she was doing, she made to turn back, but both Ron and Hermione had seized her.

'We can't. He'll be in worse trouble if they know we've been to see him...' Ron said he looked paper white.

Hermione's breathing was shallow and uneven. 'How - could - they?' she chocked.

'Come on,' Ron said.

They set off towards the castle, walking slowly to keep themselves under the Cloak. Light was fading fast now. By the time, they reached opened ground, darkness was settling like a spell around them.

'Scabbers, keep still.' Ron hissed, clamping his hand over his chest, the rat was wriggling madly. Ron came to a sudden halt, trying to force Scabbers deeper into his pocket. 'What's the matter with you, you stupid rat? Stay still - OUCH! He bit me!'

'Ron be quiet, Fudge will be out here in a minute,' Hermione whispered urgently.

'He won't - stay - put.'

Scabbers was plainly terrified. He was writhing with all his might, trying to break free of Ron's grip. 'What's the matter with him?'

But Harry had just seen slinking towards them, his body low, to the ground, wide yellow eyes glinting eerily in the darkness - Crookshanks. He was probably drawn to them because of the sounds of Scabbers squeaks.

'Crookshanks! No go away, Crookshanks!' Hermione moaned but the cat was getting nearer.

'SCABBERS - NO.'

Too late the rat had slipped between Ron's clutching fingers, hit the ground and scampered away. In one bound, Crookshanks sprang after him and before Harry or Hermione could stop him, Ron had thrown the Invisibility Cloak off himself and pelted away into the darkness.

'Ron!' Hermione moaned. Harry and Hermione looked at each other, then followed at a sprint; it was impossible to run full out under the Cloak; they pulled it off and hurried after Ron. They could hear his feet thundering along ahead, and his shouts at Crookshanks. Harry and Hermione almost fell over Ron; they skidded to a stop right in front of him. He was sprawled on the ground, but Scabbers was back in his pocket; he had both hands held tight over the quivering lump.

'Ron - come on- back under the Cloak-' Hermione panted. 'Dumbledore - the Minister -they'll be coming back out in a minute-'

But before they could cover themselves again, before they could catch their breaths, they heard the soft pounding of gigantic paws. Something was bounding towards them out of the dark - an enormous, pale-eyed, jet black dog. Harry reached for her wand but she was too late, the dog had made a huge leap. Ron was on his feet and they heard the dog growling and it sprang towards Ron. The dog's jaw fastened around Ron's outstretched arm. Harry lunged at it, but the dog was dragging Ron away as easily as if he were a rag-doll. Then out of nowhere, something hit Harry so hard across her face she was knocked off her feet. She heard Hermione shriek with pain and fall too. Harry grabbed for her wand, blinking blood out of her eyes, ' _Lumos Maxima!'_ The wand-light showed her the trunk of a thick tree; they had chased Scabbers into the shadow of the Whomping Willow and its branches were creaking as though in a high wind, whipping back and forth to stop them getting near. And there, at the base of the trunk, was the dog, dragging Ron backwards into a large gap in the roots - Ron was fighting furiously, but his head and torso were slipping out of sight.

'Ron!' Harry shouted, trying to follow, but a heavy branch whipped lethally through the air and she was forced backwards again. All they could see now was Ron's legs, which he had hooked around a root in an effort to stop the dog pulling him further underground. Then a horrible crack cut the air, Ron's leg had broken, and the next second, his foot had vanished from sight.

'Harry - we've got to go for help-' Hermione cried, she was bleeding too; the Willow had cut her across the shoulder.

'No! That thing is big enough to eat him, we haven't got time.'

'We're never going to get through without help-'

Another branch whipped down at them.

'If that dog can get through we can,' Harry panted, darting in between the swishing branches. She just needed to make a break for it then she could immobilise the tree. Crookshanks darted forwards, he slithered between the battering branches like a snake and placed his paws upon a knot on the trunk. Abruptly, the tree stopped moving.

'Crookshanks!' Hermione whispered uncertainly. 'How did he know?'

'He's friends with that dog, I've seen them together. Come on - keep your wand out-' Harry said grimly.

They covered the distance to the trunk in seconds, Crookshanks slid into the gap in the roots, Harry went next sliding down an earthy slope to the bottom of a very low tunnel. Crookshanks was a little way ahead, his eyes flashing in the light from Harry's wand. Seconds later, Hermione slithered down beside her.

'Where's Ron?' she whispered in a terrified voice.

'I guess we follow the tunnel,' Harry said setting off, after Crookshanks.

'I wonder where this tunnel comes out.'

'I have a good idea ... I just hope I'm wrong... Fred and George told me that the secret passageways they knew about lead into Hogsmeade. Well if that's the theory ...'

'Then this one will too.'

'And I think I know whereabouts ... if my theory is correct.'

They moved as fast as they could, on and on went the passage. All Harry could think of was Ron, and what the enormous dog might be doing to him. And then the tunnel began to rise; moments later it twisted, and Crookshanks had gone. Harry could see a patch of dim light through a small opening. Both she and Hermione were gasping for breath, edging forwards. Both raised their wands to see what lay beyond. It was a room, a very disordered, dusty room. Paper was peeling from the walls; there were stains all over the floor; every piece of furniture was broken as though somebody had smashed it. The windows were all boarded-up.

'I thought so - we're in the Shrieking Shack,' Harry whispered to a very frightened looking Hermione. Harry pulled herself out of the hole, staring around. The room was deserted, but a door to their right stood open, leading to a shadowy hallway. Harry looked around, her eyes fell on a wooden chair near them. Large chunks had been torn out of it; one of the legs had been ripped off entirely. It wasn't haunted at all, Harry had ideas into what had caused damage like this. There was a creak overhead, something had moved upstairs. Both of them looked up at the ceiling. Quietly as they could, they crept out into the hall and looked up the crumbling staircase. Everything was covered in a thick layer of dust expect the floor, where a wide, shiny stripe had been made by something being dragged upstairs. ' _Nox!'_ Harry whispered and the light at the end of her wand went out.

They reached the dark landing, only one door was open. As they crept towards it, they heard movement from behind it; a low moan and a loud purring. Harry kicked the door wide open, her wand raised. On a magnificent four-poster bed with dusty hangings lay Crookshanks, purring loudly at the sight of them. On the floor beside him, clutching his leg, which struck out at a strange angle, was Ron. Harry and Hermione dashed across to him.

'Ron - are you OK?'

'Where's the dog?'

'Not a dog, Harry,' Ron moaned. His teeth were gritted with pain. 'Harry it's a trap-'

'What-'

'He's the dog ... he's an Animagus ...'

Ron was staring over Harry's shoulder, Harry wheeled around. With a snap, the man in the shadows closed the door behind them. The man that the whole Wizarding community had been after all these months stood before them: Peter Pettigrew. ' _Expelliarmus!'_ he croaked, pointing Ron's wand at them. Harry's and Hermione's wands shot out of their hands, high in the air, Pettigrew caught them. Then he took a step forward, his eyes fixed on Harry.

'I thought you'd come and help your friend,' he said hoarsely. 'Your father would have done the same for me. Brave of you, not to run for a teacher. I'm grateful ...it will make everything much easier ...'

The taunt about her father rang in Harry's ears as though Pettigrew had bellowed it. A boiling hate erupted in her chest, leaving no place for fear. Harry didn't feel as though she needed her wand she'd kill him without it. She darted forwards, but two pairs of hands grabbed her and held her back.

'No Harry!' Hermione gasped.

'If you want to kill Harry, you'll have to kill us too,' Ron said speaking to Pettigrew.

'There'll only be one murder tonight.' Pettigrew said with a grin.

'Why's that? You didn't care last time, did you? Didn't mind slaughtering all those Muggles? Didn't mind killing my parents or Sirius Black, did you?' Harry said.

Peter Pettigrew found this quite funny and laughed in a loud like bark. Harry wrenched herself free of Ron and Hermione and lunged forwards ... perhaps it was the shock of Harry doing something so stupid, but Pettigrew didn't raise the wands in time. One of Harry's hands fastened over Pettigrew's wrist forcing the wand tips away; the knuckles of Harry's other hand collided with the side of Pettigrew's head and they fell backwards, into the wall. Pettigrew threw her off him.

'No.' He hissed. 'I waited too long-'

Hermione's foot swung out of nowhere. Pettigrew fell to the floor again and Harry heard a faint clutter - he had dropped their wands. Hermione was breathing unsteadily, she snatched up her and Ron's wands. Harry made a grab for her own and turned - Pettigrew was sprawled at the bottom of the wall. His chest rose and fell rapidly as he watched Harry walking slowly nearer, her wand pointing straight at Pettigrew's heart.

'Going to kill me, Anna?'

Harry stopped right above him, looking down at him. 'You lost what right you had to call me that, the night you killed my parents.'

'I won't deny it.' he said. 'I was as good as what killed them-'

'You sold them out to Voldemort - you got them killed-' Harry shouted, Harry raised her wand, now was the moment to do it. Now was the moment to avenge her parents, she was going to kill Pettigrew. Pettigrew stared up at her, Ron's ragged breathing came from near the bed; Hermione was quite silent. Harry slowly lowered the wand - she couldn't do it, she couldn't bring herself to even send a curse at him. Then a new sound came - muffled footsteps were echoing up through the floor - someone was moving downstairs.

'WE'RE UP HERE!' Hermione screamed. 'WE'RE HERE - PETER PETTIGREW - QUICK!'

Footsteps thundered up the stairs and the door burst open in a shower of red sparks and Harry wheeled around as Professor Lupin came hurtling into the room, his face bloodless, his wand raised and ready. His eyes flickered over Ron, lying on the floor, over Hermione, then to the door where Harry stood, standing there with her hand covering Pettigrew, and then to Pettigrew himself.

' _Expelliarmus!'_ Lupin shouted. Harry's wand flew once more out of her hand; so did the two Hermione was holding. Lupin caught them all, then moved into the room, staring at Pettigrew. Then Lupin spoke, in an odd voice, that shook with some suppressed emotion. 'Where is he?'

Harry looked quickly at Lupin. She didn't understand what Lupin meant. Who was Lupin talking about? Pettigrew's face was quite expressionless. For a few seconds, he didn't move at all. Then, very slowly, he raised one of his hands and pointed straight at Ron. Mystified, Harry glanced around at Ron, who looked bewildered.

'But then how - how did you get like this...unless,' Lupin eyes suddenly widened, as though he was seeing something beyond Pettigrew, something none the rest could see. 'Unless ... Lily ... Lily taught him ... how to.'

Very slowly, his face never leaving Lupin's face, Pettigrew nodded. Lupin lowered his wand. Next moment, he walked to Pettigrew's side, seized his hand and pulled him to his feet.

'I DON'T BELIEVE IT!' Hermione screamed.

Lupin let go of Pettigrew and turned to her. She had raised herself off the floor and was pointing at Lupin, wide-eyed. 'You - you -'

'Hermione, calm down.'

'I didn't tell anyone one!' Hermione shrieked. 'I've been covering up for you-'

'Hermione, listen to me, please,' Lupin shouted. 'I can explain-'

'You've been helping him, all this time, you've been helping him into the castle. You want Harry dead too, don't you - Harry, don't trust him, he's a werewolf!' Hermione said.

Lupin opened his mouth but Harry got there first.

'I know,' Harry replied in a small voice. 'I know he's a werewolf but 'Mione if he wanted to kill me, he could have done so earlier. Professor Lupin's had plenty of opportunities to do so.'

Hermione blinked at her confused. 'You knew?'

'Worked it out when we're summarizing werewolves.'

'Snape's essay,' Hermione replied. 'So how has he been getting into the castle without help then?'

'And how did you know he was here?'

Lupin separated Harry, Ron's and Hermione's wands and threw each back to its owner; Harry caught hers stunned.

'The map,' Lupin replied. 'The Marauder's Map. I was in my office examining it-'

'Map? What map?' Ron gritted out.

'The Marauders Map is a magical map of the school, it shows where everyone is, and several secret passageways out of the school,' Harry replied.

'And ... who gave you ... a thing ... like that?' Ron exclaimed.

'Who do you think?'

'I'm their brother ...'

Harry rolled her eyes, facing Lupin once more. 'How do you know how to work it?'

'I helped write it. I'm Mooney - that was my friends' nickname for me at school.'

'You wrote it?'

'The important thing is, I was watching it carefully this evening because I had an idea that you, Ron and Hermione might try and sneak out of the castle to visit Hagrid before his Hippogriff was executed. And I was right, wasn't I? I thought you might be under your father's old Cloak, Anna. Even if you're wearing an Invisibility Cloak you show up on the Marauder's Map. I watched you cross the grounds and enter Hagrid's hut. Twenty minutes later, you left Hagrid's and set off back towards the castle. But you were accompanied by somebody else.'

'What?' Harry said 'No we weren't!'

'I couldn't believe my eyes and I had to ask myself how? Why would they be with you? I was about to come rushing down towards you, when I saw another dot, moving fast towards you, colliding with you and I watched as he pulled two of into the Whomping Willow-'

'One of us!' Ron said angrily.

'No, Ron two of you.'

'The Map must be malfunctioning-' Harry said.

'The Map, never lies, Anna,' Lupin said quietly. 'It never lies. The dot that collided with you was Sirius Black.'

'Sirius Black is dead,' Ron exclaimed. 'Pettigrew was the one who dragged me in here.'

Lupin's eyes were moving over Ron. 'Do you think I could have a look at the rat?' he said.

'What?' said Ron. 'What's Scabbers got to do with it?'

'Everything. Could I see him, please?'

Ron hesitated, then pulled out Scabbers who was thrashing desperately; Ron had to seize his long tail to stop him escaping. Lupin moved closer, he seemed to be holding his breath as he gazed intently at Scabbers.

'What has my rat got to do with anything?' Ron said again, holding Scabbers close to him, looking scared.

'That's, not a rat,' Pettigrew croaked suddenly. 'As much as he acts like one, the coward.'

'What do you mean - of course, he's a rat-'

'No, he's not,' Lupin said. 'He's a wizard.'

'An Animagus,' Pettigrew said. 'By the name of Peter Pettigrew.'

It took a few seconds for the absurdity of this statement to sink in. Then Ron voiced what Harry was thinking.

'You're both mental.'

'Ridiculous.'

'Peter Pettigrew is standing right there -' Harry said pointing at the man beside Lupin.

'Actually.' Lupin chuckled. 'I'll think you'll find that he's not Peter Pettigrew - he's actually Sirius Black.'

'Looks like Pettigrew to me,' Ron said.

'We won't be tricked.' Hermione said. 'It's not possible - Polyjuice potion only works for a limited time, so even if he was Sirius Black he would have returned to normal by now.'

Harry was no longer looking at Pettigrew's face, but at his hands - or to be precise his intact fingers not one of them was missing and hadn't Ron said that Pettigrew had blasted one of his own fingers off.

'A Glamour Charm could do it.' Harry muttered.

'Even so Harry.' Hermione said. 'They check people's identities when they go to trial. It's part of the law.'

'But he went to Azkaban without trial Hermione, remember what Fudge said that day in the Three Broomsticks?' Harry said 'But I thought Ministry officials would be able to tell a Glamour Charm was in place.'

'It's not a Glamour Charm,' Lupin said. 'There is another way to make something appear the way you want it to - your mother Lily was exceptionally talented when it came to Charms, she must have taught Peter how do cast the spell - so he would be able to disguise himself- at a moment's notice.'

Lupin raised his wand towards Peter Pettigrew and muttered. ' _Finite incantatem!'_ The spell broke and before them stood a different man, a mass a filthy, matted hair hung to his elbows. If eyes hadn't been shining out of deep, dark sockets, he might have been a corpse. He was very thin but much taller than Pettigrew. Harry was staring at an older version of the man in her photo album she had of her parents. A man that was meant to be dead - her godfather Sirius Black.


	66. Chapter 66

Harry stared at the man - a Switching spell. A simple Switching Charm had made him look like someone else all these years. Harry glanced over to her friends, Hermione was in utter shock her jaw had dropped. Ron looked like he was about to faint and Harry wasn't sure whether that be from the pain of his leg or the now very much alive Sirius Black.

'I don't understand - how did no one notice - how could they not tell that they put the wrong man in prison?' Harry said. '- someone must have noticed - the Ministry is run by a bunch of fools.'

'It was darker times then Anna. People were still panicking due to the aftermath of Voldemort,' Lupin said explaining. 'And the evidence was stacked against our Pettigrew look alike.'

'Oh - umm,' Harry began running a hand through her hair, she was not really sure what to say to that. What did a person do when they learnt that their godfather was actually alive all this time? 'How-?' Harry asked Sirius weakly.

'In the smoke caused by Peter after he blasted the street apart. I don't remember being hit with any spells - unless Lily taught him how to cast it non-verbally. It had been James's idea originally, he thought about using it for the three of you - so that you could live - without anyone knowing who you even were.' Sirius said. 'That was before they cast the Fidelius Charm. Peter was always the weakest out of us - Lily must have thought it was a good idea to teach him how to do it.'

'That doesn't explain why you think Scabbers is Pettigrew,' Hermione said. 'He couldn't be ... people would know if Peter Pettigrew had been an Animagus. We did Animagi in class with McGonagall. I looked them up when I did my homework - the Ministry keeps tabs on witches and wizards who become animals; there's a register showing what animal they become, and their markings ... I looked up Professor McGonagall up on the register, and there have only been seven Animgai this century, and Pettigrew's name wasn't on the list-'

Lupin laughed. 'Yes Hermione,' he said. 'But the Ministry never knew that there used to be three unregistered Animagi running around Hogwarts.'

'If you're going to tell them the story, get a move on, Remus,' Sirius snarled. 'I'd like to commit the murder, I should have been imprisoned for in the first place.'

'All right ... but you'll have to help me, Sirius, I don't know everything.' Lupin said.

A draft opened the door.

'This place gives me the creeps.' Ron said. 'Can't believe you dragged us into a haunted building.'

'It's not haunted Ron,' Lupin said, looking at the door. 'The Shrieking Shack was never haunted ... the screams and howls the villagers used to hear were made by me.' He pushed his greying hair out of his eyes, thought for a moment, then said, 'That's where all of this starts - with my being a werewolf. None of this could have happened if I hadn't been bitten ... and if I hadn't been so foolhardy.'

'Remus, it wasn't your fault, we wanted to help you.' Sirius interjected.

'But a werewolf bite infects humans - how could they - oh,' Harry said. 'Animals aren't infected by the bite -'

'Yes - everything starts with that - I was a small boy when I received my bite. My parents tried everything, but there is no cure. Professor Snape has been kindly brewing a potion for me, which is recent long as I take it in the week preceding the full moon, I keep my mind when I transform ... I am able to curl up in my office, a harmless wolf, and wait for the moon to wane again.'

'Before the Wolfsbane Potion was discovered, however, I became a fully-fledged monster once a month. It seemed impossible that I would be able to come to Hogwarts. Other parents weren't likely to want their children exposed to me ... but then Dumbledore became Headmaster and he was sympathetic. He said that, as long as we took precautions, there was no reason I shouldn't come to school...' Lupin sighed. 'I told you months ago, Anna, that the Whomping Willow was planted the year I came to Hogwarts. The truth is it was planted because I came to Hogwarts. This house, the tunnel that leads to it - they were built for my use.'

'It was so you could transform, somewhere safe, and out of harm's way,' Harry said. 'I saw the broken furniture.'

'Yes, the transformations in those days were terrible. It was very painful to turn into a werewolf. And being separated from humans to bite, so I bite and scratched myself. The villagers heard the noise and screaming and thought they were hearing violent spirits. Dumbledore encouraged the rumour ... even now, when the house has been silent for years, the villagers don't approach it.'

'But apart from my transformations, I was happier than I had ever been in my life. For the first time, ever, I had friends, three great friends. Sirius Black ... Peter Pettigrew... and, of course, your father Anna - James Potter. Now my three friends could hardly fail to notice that I disappeared once a month. I made up all sorts of stories. Told them my mother was ill. and that I'd gone home to see her ... I was terrified they would desert me the moment they found out what I was.' Lupin sighed. 'But like both you: Anna, and Hermione, they worked out the truth themselves ... and they didn't desert me at all. Instead, they did something for me that would make my transformations not only bearable but the best times of my life.'

'They became Animagi,' Harry said.

'Yes, indeed,' Lupin said. 'It took them the best part of three years to work out how to do it. Your father and Sirius here were the cleverest students in school, and lucky they were because Animagus transformations can go horribly wrong - one reason the Ministry keeps a close watch on those attempting to do it. Peter needed all the help he could get from James and Sirius. Finally, in our fifth year, they all managed it, they could each turn into a different animal at will.'

'Going out on a limb here ... they sneaked out of the castle under dad's Cloak.'

'Yes, speaking of which I've got it right here,' Lupin said pulling out the Cloak from his robes and handed it to Harry. 'So they'd sneak out, transform ... Peter, as the smallest, could slip beneath the Willow's attacking branches and touch the knot that freezes it. They would slip down the tunnel and join me. Under their influence, I became less dangerous. My body was still wolfish, but my mind seemed to become less so while I was with them.'

'Hurry up Remus,' Sirius snarled, watching Scabbers with a horrible sort of hunger in his face.

'I'm getting there, Sirius, I'm getting there ... well, highly exciting possibilities were open to us now we could all transform. Soon we were leaving the Shrieking Shack and roaming around the school grounds and village by night. Sirius and James transformed into such large animals, they were able to keep a werewolf in check. I doubt whether any Hogwarts students ever found out more about the Hogwarts grounds and Hogsmeade than we did ... and that's how we came to write the Marauder's Map, and sign it with our nicknames, Sirius is Padfoot. Peter is Wormtail. James was Prongs.'

Harry wondered what sort of animal her dad transformed into when Hermione cut across her thoughts. 'That was really dangerous! Running around in the dark with a werewolf! What if you'd given the others the slip, and bitten somebody?'

'A thought that still haunts me,' Lupin said. 'And there were near misses, many of them. We laughed about them afterwards. we were young, thoughtless - carried away with our own cleverness. I sometimes felt guilty betraying Dumbledore's trust, of course ... he had admitted me to Hogwarts when no other Headmaster would have done so, and he had no idea I was breaking the rules he had set down for my own and other's safety. He never knew I had led three fellow students into becoming Animagi illegally. But I always managed to forget my guilty feelings every time we sat down to plan our next month's adventure. And I haven't changed...'

Lupin's face hardened, and there was self-disgust in his voice. 'All this year, I have been battling with myself, wondering whether I should tell Dumbledore that Peter was an Animagus. But I couldn't do it. Why? I was too cowardly. It would have meant admitting that I'd betrayed his trust while I was at school. Dumbledore's trust meant everything to me. He let me into Hogwarts as a boy, and gave me a job when I have been shunned all my adult life, unable to find paid work because of what I am.'

'That's not fair.' Harry said at once. 'You're the best teacher we've had. You're more than capable - just because you have a - umm - slight problem, doesn't make you less human.'

'I'm not saying I believe you though -' Harry added. 'I mean - it's a bit far-fetched - no one in their right minds would believe you.'

'Then, it's time we offered you some proof,' Sirius said. 'You, boy - give me Peter. Now!'

Ron clutched Scabbers closer to his chest. 'Come off it,' he said weakly. 'You broke out of Azkaban, just to get you hands on Scabbers?' Ron looked at Harry and Hermione for support. 'Say Pettigrew could turn into a rat - there are millions of rats - how do you know this one is the right one when you've been locked up in Azkaban?'

'That's a fair question, Sirius,' Lupin said. 'How did you know where he was?'

Sirius put his hands inside his oversized robes and took out a crumbled piece of paper, which he smoothed flat, holding it out to show the others. It was the photograph of Ron and his family that appeared in the Daily Prophet the previous summer, and there, on Ron's shoulder, was Scabbers.

'How did you get this?' Lupin asked him, thunderstruck.

'Fudge, when he came to inspect Azkaban last year, he gave me his paper. And there was Peer, on the front page ... on this boy's shoulder ... I recognised him at once ... from the many times, I had seen him transform. And the caption said the boy would be going to Hogwarts ... to where,' Sirius stopped glancing towards Harry. 'To where you were, Harianna.'

'My God,' Lupin said, staring from Scabbers to the picture in the paper and back again. 'His front paw...'

'What about it?' Ron said

'He's got a toe missing,' Sirius said. 'Blasted it off, when he tore the street apart and left me to take the blame.'

'Scabbers probably had a fight with another rat or something! He's been in my family for ages - right-'

'Didn't you ever wonder why he was living so long?' Lupin said.

'We- we've taken good care of him!' Ron said.

'Not looking so good now, though, is he. I'd guess he's been losing weight ever since he heard his scapegoat escaped.' said Lupin

'He's been scared of that mad cat!' Ron said nodding towards Crookshanks, who sat purring on the bed.

Harry thought back ... to her memory that didn't seem right ... Scabbers had been looking ill before he met Crookshanks ... ever since Ron's return from Egypt ... since the time when Pettigrew escaped...

'The cat isn't mad,' Sirius said hoarsely. 'He's the most intelligent of his kind I've ever met. He recognised Peter for what he was straight away. And when he met me, he knew I was no dog. It was a while before he trusted me. I was able to finally communicate to him what I was, and he's been helping me ...'

'What do you mean?' Hermione asked

'He tried to bring Peter to me, but couldn't ... so he stole the passwords into Gryffindor Tower for me ... as I understand it, he took them from a boy's bedside table .. but Peter got wind of what was going on and ran for it ... this cat - Crookshanks, did you call him? - told me Peter had left blood on the sheets ... I suppose he bit himself ... well, blaming someone else had worked once ...'

'He faked his death … so, you would believe he was dead,' Harry said. 'Why not fake his death to begin with?'

'Because he hadn't expected me to track him down - to go after him,' Sirius replied. 'You'd just been placed at your aunt's, Harianna, pending a court hearing - an appeal. Despite the fact of being your godfather and despite James and Lily's wills stating that they wanted me to take care of you upon their deaths. The Ministry thought Dumbledore was right. That you should be placed with your Muggles relatives. They looked better on paper - your aunt was married had a child of her own, whereas I was and still am an unmarried man. What would an unmarried man know about raising a child?'

'After losing that first hearing - something inside me snapped - I had just lost my best friend - had caused the deaths of my friends - then to lose you too -' Sirius said glancing back towards the rat. 'I wasn't thinking straight, I set out to right my mistake, it was my fault that they used Peter - my idea - I thought avenging your parents - avenging you would at least bring me some peace. I didn't account for Peter to be sneaky though. He blasted the street apart to distract me - then the next moment, I was surrounded by Ministry officials - arresting me. When I saw my reflection - I understood what had happened - what Peter had done. I laughed - I didn't think the Ministry would be stupid enough to fall for a simple spell. I kept telling them, as they sentenced me, that they got the wrong man - but with the evidence stacked against Peter, I was put into Azkaban.' Sirius's voice broke. 'Peter must have transformed himself after the blast and lived the last twelve years as a rat.'

Harry at long last believed them and said. 'Give them the rat, Ron.'

'What are you going to do if I give him to you?' Ron asked Lupin tensely.

'Force him to show himself, if he's really a rat, it won't hurt him.' Lupin said

Ron hesitated, then at long last held out, Scabbers and Lupin took him. 'I'm doing this for Harry because, for some crazy reason, she actually believes you,' he said.

Scabbers began to squeak without stopping, twisting and turning, his tiny black eyes bulging in his head. Lupin held the rat tightly in one hand and his wand in the other. A flash of blue-white light erupted from the wand; for a moment, Scabbers was frozen in mid-air - the rat hit the fall. There was another blinding flash of light and then- It was like watching a speeded-up film of a growing tree. A head was shooting upwards from the ground; limbs were sprouting; next moment, a man was standing where Scabbers had been, cringing and wringing his hands. The real Peter Pettigrew, missing finger and all. He looked around at them all, his breathing fast and shallow, his eyes darted to the door and back again.

'Well, hello, Peter.' Lupin said coldly. 'Long time, no see.'

'R-Remus,' Pettigrew's voice was squeaky. 'My friend ... my old friend.'

'We haven't been friends for years, Peter.' Lupin snarled.

'Remus.' Pettigrew gasped. 'you don't believe him, do you...' Pettigrew's eyes darted towards Sirius. 'He tried to kill me, Remus.'

'Too right, I tried.' Sirius snapped.

'I knew - knew you would try to come after me again! I've been waiting twelve years!' Pettigrew squealed.

'You knew Sirius, disguised as you, was going to break out of Azkaban? When nobody has ever done it before?' Lupin said, his brow furrowed.

'He's got dark powers, just like his family. Dark all of them,' Pettigrew shouted shrilly. 'How else did he get out of there? I suppose He Who Must Not Be Named taught them a few tricks.'

'James was the only family, I ever had,' Sirius shouted. 'my relations meant nothing to me ... as for Voldemort -'

Pettigrew flinched as though Sirius had brandished a whip at him.

'What's the matter, too scared to hear your old master's name?' Sirius said. 'I don't blame you, Peter. His lot aren't happy with you, are they? You haven't just been hiding from me all these years. You've been hiding from Voldemort's old supporters. The things they told me, called me. I heard them screaming all sorts of things in their sleep. They think you betrayed him, led Voldemort to his defeat because he went to the Potters' on your information...'

'We knew there was a spy, Peter,' Lupin said. 'Too much information was being leaked out - attacks happened - Voldemort couldn't have known the information without a spy.'

'I thought - I thought it was Remus,' Sirius said. 'Which is why when James asked me to be secret-Keeper I suggested you. I thought it was the perfect plan ... a bluff ... Voldemort would be sure to come after me ... I was terrified I'd spill but I thought he wouldn't think that Lily and James would use a weak, talentless thing like you ... it must have been the finest moment of your miserable life, telling Voldemort you could hand him the Potters.'

'Professor Lupin?' Hermione said timidly.

'Yes, Hermione.'

'Well - Scabbers - I mean, Pettigrew - he's been sleeping in Ron's dorm for two years. Wouldn't of he tried to hurt Harry before now?'

'And give himself away-' Harry said. 'Think it about it 'Mione, how could he kill me, when he was meant to be in Azkaban. It would free the fake Pettigrew- Sirius - and he would be able to go after him again.'

'He wouldn't have committed murder right under Albus Dumbledore's nose. He never did anything for anyone unless he could see what was in it for himself. Voldemort's been in hiding for twelve years, they say he's half dead. You wouldn't commit murder for a wreck of a wizard who'd lost all his power, would you Peter. No, you'd want to make sure he was the biggest bully in the playground before you went back to him, wouldn't you? Why else did you find a wizard family to take you in? Keeping an ear out for news, weren't you Peter? Just in case your old protector regained strength, and it was safe to rejoin him...' Sirius said.

Pettigrew opened his mouth and closed it several times. He seemed to have lost the ability to talk.

'Er- Mr Black - Sirius?' Hermione said

Sirius jumped at being addressed like this and stared at Hermione as though being spoken to politely was something he'd long forgotten.

'Just how did you break out of Azkaban, if you didn't use Dark Magic?'

Sirius frowned slightly at Hermione, he seemed to be pondering his answer.

'I don't know how I did.' he said slowly. 'You lose track of everything, time, sense, feeling, hope ... I think the only reason I never lost my mind was because I knew I was innocent. That wasn't a happy thought, so the Dementors couldn't suck it out of me ... but it kept me sane and knowing who I am ... helped me keep my powers ... so when it all became too much .. I'd transform in my cell ... become a dog. Dementors can't see - and they only ever lower their hood to use their last and worst weapon - the Dementors Kiss. It what Dementors do to those they wish to destroy utterly.'

'You can exist without your soul.' Lupin added. 'As long as your brain and heart are still working. But you'd have no sense of self anymore, no memory, no ... nothing. There's no chance of recovery. You'll just exist, as an empty shell and your soul is gone forever.'

'Dementors feel their way towards people by sensing their emotions.' Sirius swallowed. 'They could tell my feelings were less - less human, less complex when I was a dog ... but they thought that I was losing my mind like everyone else in there, so it didn't trouble them. But I was weak, very weak and I had no hope of driving them away from me without a wand ... then I saw Peter in that picture ... I realised from the date he was at Hogwarts with Harianna ... perfectly positioned to act, if one hint reached his ears that the Dark Side was gathering strength again ... he would be ready to deliver the last Potter to them. If he gave them Harianna, who'd dare say he betrayed Voldemort? He'd be welcomed back with honours ... so I had to do something. I was the only one who knew the truth...'

'It was as if someone had lit a fire in my head, and the Dementors couldn't destroy it ... it wasn't a happy feeling ... it was an obsession ... it gave me strength, cleared my mind. So one night when they opened my door to bring food, I slipped past them as a dog ... being an animal it was harder for them to sense my emotions ... I was thin enough to slip through the bars ... I swam as a dog back to the mainland ... journeyed north and slipped into the Hogwarts grounds as a dog.'

Pettigrew had fallen to his knees. 'Remus, don't believe him - it's all lies.'

'The thing about lies,' Harry said before Lupin spoke. 'Is that they catch up to us in the end. It just a matter of time.'

'Besides Peter, James had not stopped trusting me - as much as Sirius thought I was the spy,' Lupin said. 'He owled me in code, telling me they planned on using you. James kept me in the loop - he never thought any of his friends would betray him.'

'I'm sorry Remus, forgive me,' Sirius said.

'Not at all, Padfoot, old friend,' Lupin said, who was now rolling up his sleeves. 'And you will, in turn, forgive me for not seeing the truth before now?'

'Of course,' Sirius replied, he too began rolling up his sleeves. 'Shall we kill him together?'

'Yes, I think so,' Lupin said grimly.

'You wouldn't ... you won't ...' Pettigrew gasped and scrambled around to Ron. 'Ron … haven't I been a good friend .. a good pet? You won't let them kill me, Ron, will you ... you're on my side, aren't you?'

Ron was staring at Pettigrew with the utmost revulsion. 'You betrayed my best friend ... and I let you sleep in my bed!' Ron, wrenched his broken leg out of Pettigrew's reach.

Pettigrew turned on his knees, staggered forwards and seized the hem of Hermione's robes. 'Sweet girl ... clever girl ... you - you won't let them ... help me...' Hermione pulled her robes out of Pettigrew's clutching hands and backed away against the wall, looking disgusted. 'She's my best friend too - you know,' she answered in a trembling voice.

Pettigrew knelt, trembling uncontrollably, and turned his head slowly towards Harry. He moved towards her but before he could reach her, a great huge black dog stood before her guarding her, protecting her. Harry could hear it snarling at Pettigrew. Pettigrew flinched back from it. The dog hadn't stopped growling at Pettigrew, it's head watched him closely.

'You should have never sold James and Lily out to Voldemort,' Lupin said.

'He was taking over everywhere!' Pettigrew gasped. 'I had no choice, what was there to be gained by refusing him? I was scared, I was never brave like you, James or Sirius. I never meant it to happen - he would have killed me.'

'Then you should have died, died rather than betray your friends, as we would have done for you,' Lupin replied his wand raised, the black snarling dog now standing beside him. 'You should have realised, if Voldemort didn't kill you, we would. Goodbye Peter.'

Hermione covered her face with her hands and turned to the wall. Harry ran forwards, placing herself in front of the wand and dog. 'No, you can't kill him,' she said breathlessly. Lupin staggered back and the dog changed form.

'Harianna, this piece of vermin is the reason you have no parents.' Sirius said. 'This cringing bit of filth would have seen you die, too, without turning a hair. You heard him. His own skin meant more to him than your whole family.'

'I know.' Harry said tears rolling down her eyes. 'And I'm doing this for them, they wouldn't want their friends to become murders for them. I thought that killing him was the answer - but it won't bring them back - they would only be disappointed. Life is life - do you both really want to go down that road - it will only lead you to darkness. You'll regret it afterwards.'

'Harianna!' Pettigrew gasped, and he flung himself around Harry's knees. 'You - thank you - it's more than I deserve - thank you.'

'Don't touch me.' Harry snapped, throwing Pettigrew's hands off her. 'I may be stopping them from killing you, but I never said you were going to get off ... I think - I think that the Dementors will be more than happy to see you.'

No one moved or made a sound expect Pettigrew, whose breath was coming in wheezes as he clutched his chest.

...

 _ **A.N. Did you all really think, I was going to make Sirius out as the bad guy! I like Sirius too much to do that. I just felt that Harianna, should know from the very start, exactly who had betrayed her parents.**_


	67. Chapter 67

Black and Lupin were looking at each other, then Lupin lowered his wand.

'You're the only person who has the right to decide, Harianna,' Sirius said. 'But think ... think about what he did.'

'He can go to Azkaban,' Harry said. 'Where he should have been in the first place, if anyone deserves that place, he does ...'

Pettigrew was still wheezing beside her.

'Very well, stand aside, Anna,' Lupin said.

Harry hesitated.

'I'm going to tie him up,' said Lupin. 'That's all, I swear.'

Harry stepped out of the way. Thin cords shot from Lupin's wand and the next moment, Pettigrew was wriggling on the floor, bound and gagged.

'But if you transform, Peter.' Sirius growled. 'We'll kill you. You agree, Harianna.'

Harry looked down at the pitiful creature on the floor and nodded so that Pettigrew could see her.

'Right,' Lupin said, suddenly business-like. 'Ron, I can't mend bones nearly as well as Madam Pomfrey, so I think it's best if we just strap your leg up until we can get you to the hospital wing,' he hurried over to Ron, bent down, tapped Ron's leg with his wand and muttered, ' _Ferula!'_ Bandages spun up Ron's leg, strapping it tightly to a splint. Lupin helped him to his feet; Ron put his weight gingerly on the leg and didn't wince.

'That's better.' Ron said. 'Thanks.'

'Two of us should be chained to this,' Sirius said, nudging Pettigrew with his toe. 'Just to make sure.'

'I'll do it, not that I don't trust you Sirius but it might be best if you go as Padfoot up to the castle, so we don't freak anyone out.'

Sirius nodded. 'Good idea, I'll change when you're on the grounds.'

Ron limped forwards. 'I'll help the Professor then.'

'Ron-' Hermione said.

'Look I'd rather he hurt me if he goes to try anything, than you two. Besides Hermione, George would kill me if Harry got hurt.'

Lupin ran a hand through his hair, shaking his head, then conjured heavy manacles from thin air; soon Pettigrew was upright again, chained to Lupin and Ron. Ron's face was set, he seemed to have taken Scabbers's true identity as a personal insult. Crookshanks leapt off the bed and led the way out of the room, his bottle-brush tail held high. Harry grabbed her Cloak, which she had dropped on the floor in her haste to stop her parents' friends.

Harry thought they looked rather odd, their group, three teenagers, a werewolf, a convict, a dead man and a cat. Crookshanks led the way down the stairs; Lupin, Pettigrew and Ron went next. Hermione followed swiftly after so Ron had support. Sirius and herself brought up the rear end of the group.

'It more than he deserves - you know,' Sirius said nodding towards Pettigrew. 'You're like your parents you know, you were right, James wouldn't have wanted us to kill him. And Lily - Lily after hexing him to pieces - would have done the same thing as you.'

'You got your dads' talent for flying too - I came to watch you a few times as Padfoot.'

'I knew, I wasn't imagining it.' Harry said shaking her head. 'So what we'll you do now? Now that you're you again?'

'Well first - I'll have to come up with a story as into how I'm alive,' Sirius said. 'Peter still killed twelve people.'

'And he broke out of a wizarding prison - when no one else managed to do so,' Harry added. 'He'll be wanted for that.'

Sirius snorted. 'Gave him a bit of a repetition to live up to now - haven't I?'

'What I don't understand is how I kept my own Animagus form, the Switching Charm-' Sirius said

'Funny thing about magic. It has limitations, you can disguise a person but magic stops at that.' Harry said. 'I've been reading up on Ancient magic - anyway, the book said that no matter, the enchantment personal traits such as the ability to change into an animal, will stay the same - I suppose, it's so it makes identifying people easier to do so - magic can't lie.'

'So that's why I was able to access my vault - if magic can't lie, then magic would know that I wasn't actually dead.' Sirius said.

'Wait you went to Gringotts?'

'No Crookshanks took an order to the Owl Office for me. I sent you, the Firebolt for Christmas. I used your name but told them to take the gold from my vault. Goblins magic works in a way to ours - I hoped the vault hadn't been closed due to my death, and it hadn't, I wondered why.'

'Oh - umm thanks - for the broom-'

'Consider it thirteen years' worth of presents, from your godfather, Harianna,' Sirius said.

'Harry, I prefer Harry,' Harry replied. 'But I think I can extend Professor Lupin's exemption to the rule for you also.'

Sirius frowned at her, so Harry explained.

'You can call me Anna, I don't mind.'

'But you said-'

'Ah but I thought I was talking to Pettigrew back then, didn't I?'

Sirius was quiet for a few moments. 'Some godfather, I turned out to be. Left you in the care of Muggles all these years - went after Pettigrew instead - broke your friend's leg.'

'So, you made a few errors along the way - isn't that what any good parent or guardian does.'

'You're smart too.' Sirius said.

'I have my moments.' Harry shrugged.

Sirius was quiet again for a few moments. 'You know what I said, back there, about your dad ... about James being the only family I ever had,' Sirius said. 'I said it in the heat of the moment ... I meant it, but not like that ... you're my family too.'

Sirius paused. 'You know - if you want - once I've got my story settled and claimed I'm actually alive - I could see about re-setting that appeal. As your appointed guardian, I'm within rights to do so-'

Harry waited. Did Sirius mean what she thought he meant?

'I'll understand, of course, if you want to stay with your aunt and uncle,' Sirius said. 'But think about it ... once everything has settled ... if you wanted a ... a different home...'

Some sort of explosion took place in Harry's chest. 'What - live with you?' Leave the Dursleys?'

'Of course, I thought you wouldn't want to,' Sirius said quickly. 'I understand. I just thought I'd-'

'Are you mad?' Harry said in a croaky voice. 'Of course, I want to leave the Dursleys! Have you got a house? When can I move in?'

Sirius turned around to look at her properly. 'You want to? You mean it?'

'Yeah, I mean it!' Harry said.

Sirius's gaunt face broke into the first true smile Harry had seen upon it. Harry grinned back, the reached the bottom of the stairs and Harry rushed forward towards her friends.

'Hey Ron, best tell your brothers, we won't be needing the car this summer either,' Harry called out.

'Why's that?' Ron shouted back. 'You best not be getting any ideas about saving yourself again.'

'Nah, won't be needing to do that either. I'm going to live with Sirius.'

Ron turned his head and grinned at her, Hermione shook her head.

'George is going to so disappointed, you're going to spoil all of his fun.' Ron said.

'At least, you lot won't be getting into trouble,' Hermione said. 'I'm sure your mum would have thought, you lot learned your lesson from the last time you used, your dad's car.'

'Now who's spoiling the fun,' Ron muttered, causing the three of them to burst into laughter.

Sirius blinked at them all, Professor Lupin just shrugged his shoulders. They didn't speak again until they had reached the end of the tunnel. Crookshanks darted up first; he had evidently pressed his paw to the knot on the trunk because Lupin, Pettigrew and Ron clambered upwards without any sounds of savaging branches. Sirius climbed out next, helping Hermione, then Harry out of the hole. The grounds were very dark now, the only light came from the distant windows of the castle. Without a word, they set off. Pettigrew was still wheezing and occasionally whispering. Lupin's wand was pointed sideways at Pettigrew's chest. Silently they tramped through the grounds, the castle lights growing slower larger. Sirius had transformed once more, the black shaggy dog, pacing along by Harry's side.

A cloud shifted, there were suddenly dim shadows on the ground. Their party was bathed in moonlight. Sirius had changed back, he flung out an arm to make Harry and Hermione stopped. Harry could see Lupin's silhouette. He had gone rigid. Then his limbs began to shake.

'Oh my-' Hermione gasped. 'What if - what if he's not safe?'

'Run.' Sirius whispered. 'Run! Now!'

But Harry couldn't run, Ron was chained to Pettigrew and Lupin. she leapt forwards but Sirius caught her and threw her back. 'Leave it to me - RUN!'

There was a terrible snarling noise. Lupin's head was lengthening. So was his body. His shoulders were hunching. Hair was sprouting visibly on his face and hands, which were curling into clawed paws. Crookshanks was backing away - as the werewolf reared, snapping its long jaws, Sirius disappeared from Harry's side. The enormous bear-like dog bounded forwards. As the werewolf wrenched itself free of the manacle binding it, the dog seized it around the neck and pulled it backwards, away from Ron and Pettigrew. They were locked, jaw to jaw, claws ripping at each other- Hermione's scream, tore Harry's attention away from the wolf and dog. Pettigrew had dived for Lupin's wand. Ron, unsteady on his bandaged leg, fell. There was a bang, a burst of light - and Ron lay motionless on the ground.

' _Expelliarmus!'_ Harry yelled, pointing her own wand at Pettigrew; Lupin's wand flew high into the air and out of sight.

'Stay where you are!' Harry shouted but it was too late, Pettigrew had transformed. Harry saw his bald tail whip through the manacle on Ron's outstretched arm and heard a scurrying through the grass. There was a howl and rumbling growl; Harry turned to see the werewolf taking flight; it was galloping into the forest -

'Sirius, he's gone, Pettigrew's transformed!' Harry yelled.

Sirius was bleeding; there were gashes across his muzzle and back, but at Harry's words he scrambled up again, and in an instant, the sound of paws was fading to silence as he pounded away across the grounds. Harry and Hermione dashed over to Ron.

'I'm OK.' Ron told them.

Harry looked desperately around. Sirius and Lupin both gone ... they had no one. If there was only a way to be transported quickly across the grounds. They could get Ron up to the hospital wing, they'd be out of the way - but then out of the darkness, they heard a yelping, a whining; a dog was in trouble. Harry set off at a run, Hermione right behind her. Ron limping behind them both. The yelping seemed to be coming from near the lake. They pelted towards it, and Harry, running felt it, felt the cold. The yelping stopped abruptly. As they reached the lake's shore they saw why - Sirius had turned back into a man. He was crouched on all fours, his hands over his head.

'Noo ...' he moaned. 'Noo ... please...'

And then Harry saw them, Dementors, at least a hundred of them, gliding in a black mass around the lake towards them. She spun around, the familiar, icy cold penetrating her insides, fog starting to obscure her vision; more were appearing out of the darkness on every side; they were encircling them ...

'Hermione, think of something, happy!' Harry yelled, raising her wand, blinking furiously to try and clear her vision, shaking her head to rid it of the faint screaming that had started inside it.

 _I'm going to live with my godfather, I'm leaving the Dursleys._ Harry forced herself to think of Sirius, and only Sirius and began to chant: 'Expecto patronum! Expecto patronum!'

Sirius gave a shudder, rolled over and lay motionless on the ground, pale as death.

'Expecto patronum! Hermione, help me! Expecto patronum!'

'Expecto-' Hermione whispered, 'expect - expect-' but she couldn't do it. Harry heard Ron's failed attempts from behind them. She hadn't realised he had caught up. The Dementors were closing in, barely ten feet from them. They formed a solid wall around them, and they were getting closer ...

'EXPECTO PATRONUM!' Harry yelled, 'EXPECTO PATRONUM!'

A thin wisp of silver escaped her wand and hovered like mist before her. At the same moment, Harry felt Hermione collapse. She wasn't sure if Ron was still conscious or not ... was she alone...

'Expecto - expect patronum-' Harry felt her knees hit the cold grass. Fog was clouding her eyes. With a huge effort, she fought to remember - Sirius - he was alive - they weren't going to take him - they - we're going to be OK.

'Expecto patronum!' she gasped. By the feeble light of her formless Patronus, she saw a Dementor halt, very close to her. It couldn't walk through the cloud of silver mist Harry had conjured. A dead, slimy hand slid out from under the cloak. it made a gesture as though to sweep the Patronus aside.

'No - no,' Harry gasped. 'You can't take him - expect - expect patronum-'

She could feel them watching her, hear their rattling breath, the nearest Dementor seemed to be considering her. Then it raised both its rotting hands - and lowered its hood. Where there should have been eyes, there was only thin, grey scabbed skin, stretched blankly over empty sockets. But there was a mouth ... a gaping, shapeless hole, sucking air. A paralysing terror filled Harry so that she couldn't speak. Her Patronus flickered and died. The white fog was blinding her, she had to fight ... expecto patronum ... she couldn't see, and in the distance, she heard the familiar screaming ... expecto patronum ... she moved her hand towards Sirius in the mist, and found his arm ... they weren't going to take him ...

But a pair of strong, clammy hands suddenly wrapped themselves around her neck. They were forcing her face upwards ... she could feel its putrid breath ... her mother was screaming in her ears ... she was going to be the last thing Harry ever heard- And then she saw a silvery light, growing brighter and brighter ... she felt herself fall forwards onto the grass - too weak to move, sick and shaking, the screaming had stopped, the cold was ebbing away ... something was driving the Dementors back ... it was circling around them ... the sounds of the Dementors were fading. They were leaving ... the air warm again...

With every ounce of strength she could muster, Harry raised her head a few inches and saw an animal amidst the light, galloping away across the lake. Harry tried to make out what it was ... it was bright as a unicorn. Fighting to stay conscious, Harry watched it canter to a halt as it reached the opposite shore. For a moment, Harry thought she saw somebody welcoming it back ... raising a hand to pat it ... someone that looked strangely familiar ... Harry didn't understand, she couldn't think anymore. She felt the last of her strength leave her, and her head hit the ground as she fainted.


	68. Chapter 68

'Shocking ... miracle none of them died ... did the elf say how it happened Minerva?'

'No, only that he sensed, his mistress was in danger and rushed to help her. He took them away before they could be kissed. A Dementor was about to Kiss Miss Potter, Albus!'

Dobby? Dobby, was here? Why? Harry thought.

'I didn't realise anything could get past the castle protections, Albus.'

'Elf magic is different to our own - they can cross barriers we can't.'

Harry lay listening with her eyes shut.

'What amazes me most is the behaviour of the Dementors ... I'm curious to know what made them retreat.'

Dumbledore's words rang in her ears - Dementors - Sirius - shouldn't they be freaking out that he was actually alive? Why weren't they? Did that mean the Dementors had actually got to him? Why no body then?

'I'll leave you two it then Albus. I still can't believe Pettigrew got to them - we could have lost them.'

Harry opened her eyes. Everything was blurred, her vision took a few seconds to focus. Once it had she saw madam Pomfrey with her back to her, bending over a bed. Ron's red hair was visible beneath Madam Pomfrey's arm. Harry moved her head over on the pillow. In the bed the other side of her lay Hermione, her eyes were open too, she looked petrified.

'Ah, you're awake!' Madam Pomfrey now came walking briskly up the dark ward to Harry's bed. She was carrying the largest block of chocolate she had ever seen. Madam Pomfrey placed the chocolate on Harry's bedside table.

'How's Ron?' they both asked, nodding towards the unconscious form.

'He'll live. As for you two .. you'll be staying here until I'm satisfied you're - Potter, what do you think you're doing?'

Harry was sitting up. 'I need to see the Headmaster.'

'Potter it's alright Pettigrew was spotted not far from here, the Dementors have been sent after him. It's going to be OK.'

'Huh,' Harry said confused that didn't make any sense at all.

'That's how you came to be out of the castle is it not, Pettigrew trapped you. You're elf managed to get that much out of you before you collapsed.'

'Yeah, sorry memory is a little hazy ...'

'That's to be expected, Professor Dumbledore will see you in a few moments.'

Dumbledore walked through the hospital wing doors as Harry helped herself to a piece of chocolate. Madam Pomfrey pursed her lips and strode away into her office.

'I just heard the most complex story from your friend Dobby, Harry,' Dumbledore said. 'but it seems he only told me the whole version. Now I believe you witnessed some strange advents - involving Peter Pettigrew and Sirius Black?'

'Sirius isn't dead- I don't understand why he's not here though,' Harry said glancing around the other empty beds. 'I would have thought for sure -'

'Harry, calm yourself, please - explain.'

'It was Pettigrew, Professor,' Hermione said pulling herself up. 'he was Sirius or more like Sirius was him.'

'Pettigrew used a Switching Charm, in that blast he caused twelve years ago,' Harry explained. 'He made Sirius take his place - Professor Lupin can verify our story.'

'Professor Lupin is currently not on the grounds - his whereabouts are unknown at this moment of time.'

'Forbidden Forest - but I wouldn't go near him right now - we're not sure if he's safe to be around at the moment.'

'So, it was Sirius who broke into Gryffindor Tower - attacked the Fat Lady - disguised by a Switching Charm. Why? Why risk it all?'

'The real Peter Pettigrew was with us all the time.'

'He's an Animagus, Professor a rat to be exact.'

'Ron's rat, Professor, he got away though, transformed again when Professor Lupin, turned into a werewolf - you've got to believe us-'

Dumbledore was silent for a few moments. 'I always wondered how they did it.' he said. 'The Ministry, though, is not going to believe the word of three teenagers, an elf or Professor Lupin once he returns to normal. Werewolves are so mistrusted by most of our kind that his support will count for very little and Dobby, well house elves have little rights - and with a dead man not being here, in the hospital leads me to one conclusion, and it's best it remains that way. Better if Sirius is found and was led to believe he was a Muggle all this time.'

'You believe us?' Hermione said.

'I'm not as blind as the marauders were led to believe, I knew they used to sneaked out to see Professor Lupin. Until now I had not put the pieces together,' Dumbledore said pacing the length of the beds. 'What you need now ... is more time.'

'But-' Hermione began, then her eyes became very round. 'OH!'

More time ... Dumbledore sure had odd solutions, just how was more time meant to help them.

'Now I think you need to listen to me,' Dumbledore said. 'You must not be seen. Miss Granger, you know the law - you know what is at stake, if all goes well, you will be able to help more than one life tonight - remember you must not be seen.'

Harry had no clue what was going on. Dumbledore had turned on his heel and looked back as he reached the door.

'I am going to lock you in. It is-' he consulted his watch, 'five minutes to midnight. Miss Potter, I'm sure you can figure out a theory and make a plausible story to cover your tracks, Pettigrew would need to be seen again, after all. Three turns should do the trick, Miss Granger. Good luck.'

'Good luck?' Harry repeated as the door closed behind Dumbledore. She was more confused than ever. But Hermione was fumbling with the neck of her robes, pulling from beneath them a very long, very fine gold chain. She was holding the chain out, she saw a tiny, sparkling hourglass hanging from it. Hermione rushed to her bed and threw the chain around her neck too, turning the hourglass over three times. The dark ward dissolved. Harry had the sensation that shew was flying very fast, backwards. A blur of colours and shapes rushed past her; her ears were pounding. and then everything came into focus again, they were now in an empty hospital wing.

'What - how - what happened?'

'We've gone back in time, three hours back,' Hermione whispered, lifting the chain off Harry's neck. 'What were we doing three hours ago?'

'Umm well it's what dinner - so we'd be - Hagrids, more than one life - Dumbledore wanted us to help Buckbeak, come on.' Harry said heading towards the door. 'Where do you get that hourglass thing anyway?'

'It's called a Time-Turner, I got it from Professor McGonagall on our first day back,' Hermione said. 'I've been using it all year to get to my lessons. Professor McGonagall made me swear not tell anyone. She had to write all sorts of letters to the Ministry of Magic so I could have one. I've been turning it back so I could do hours over again.'

'That's how you've been in two places at once at the same time,' Harry said.

'I'm surprised you didn't, work it out. I thought you might.'

'I've been too busy - too worry about how you were getting to classes, Hermione,' Harry replied reaching out for the door. 'Come on let's go before Madam Pomfrey gets back before dinner ends.'

Hermione grabbed her arm, 'Harry we can't be seen - you don't understand. We're breaking one of the most important wizarding laws! Nobody's supposed to change time, nobody! you heard Dumbledore, if we are seen-'

'And we won't be seen Hermione,' Harry said pulling out her dad's Cloak from the back of her robes. 'Give me a little credit.'

'It's no wonder George fancies you,' Hermione said.

Harry threw the Cloak over them, pulled the door open and whispered, 'What are you talking about? George doesn't fancy me.'

Hermione rolled her eyes. 'Of course, he fancies you, why else would he have been trying to grab your attention all year - think about it - asking you out on all those dates. He's annoyed you by calling you Anna - which I still don't understand.'

'It was the pet name my parents gave me, Professor Lupin called me it by accident, back on the train remember. George just jumped on the bandwagon,' Harry said. 'he can't fancy me, I'm his brothers' best friend.'

'He sees you as more than that, Harry. Trust me, he likes you.'

'Ron would have told me - surely - he would have known.'

'Ron's knows alright, but George silenced him into secrecy. I believe George threatened him with a spider, more than once. Let's go before we get caught.'

They crept silently, and as quickly as possible. They reached the Great Hall doors before the students exited from the hall itself. They stood hiding beside a statue, so not to get caught in the swarm of students leaving. Harry saw Professor Lupin head towards his office and panic set in. The Map - he was about to use it - he would see two Harianna Potter's and two Hermione Granger's on it. They had to get off the school boundaries and quickly.

'Hermione,' she whispered. 'We're going to have to make a break for it.' Hermione frowned at her, as the last students left Harry pulled on Hermione's arm and led them out of the doors.

'Run!' Harry said pulling off the Cloak. 'Forbidden Forest, now!'

'Harry - I -'

'No time just run, I'll explain when we get there,' Harry panted already sprinting across the lawn, with the Cloak between her hands. Hermione ran to catch up to her.

'What - why?' Hermione panted out between breaths when the were inside the Forbidden Forest.

'Professor Lupin has the Map - the Map which he used to watch us travel from Hagrid's hut, to the Shrieking Shack.'

'But -'

'He said it never lies, remember. There would have been two set of ourselves walking around - we can't be seen - the Map only goes to the Hogwarts boundaries, we won't be spotted while in the forest.'

'Oh, then how are we meant to rescue Buckbeak? If we've got to stay hidden in here?'

'Because we're going to get help from a little distraction.'

'Harry!' Hermione huffed.

'Someone was with us when we left Hagrid's remember. Professor Lupin going to be too busy watching them to notice us slip by.'

'Oh - of course.'

They set off towards Hagrid's cabin, staying close to the edge of the Forbidden Forest, so they could see what was going on, but wouldn't be been seen by person or map. Then as they glimpsed the front of Hagrid's house, they heard a knock upon his door. Hagrid appeared in his doorway, shaking and white, looking around to see who knocked.

'This is the weirdest thing we've ever done,' Harry said.

'Let's move along a bit,' Hermione said. 'We need to get nearer to Buckbeak!'

They crept through the trees until the saw the nervous Hippogriff tethered to the fence in Hagrid's pumpkin patch.

'We need to wait until the Committee people see Buckbeak before we rescue him,' Hermione said. 'Or Hagrid will be in trouble, they'll think he set him free.'

'That's going to give me about a minute to get him,' Harry said. 'Well, anything is possible.'

At that moment, there was a crash of braking china.

'That's Hagrid breaking the milk jug,' Hermione whispered. 'You're about to find Scabbers in a moment-'

Harry heard her own gasp, Hermione nudged her and pointed towards the castle. Dumbledore, Fudge, the old Committee member and Macnair the executioner were coming down the steps.

'We're about to come out!' Hermione breathed. And sure enough, moments later, Hagrid's back door opened. Harry watched Hermione throw the Invisibility Cloak over them it was without a doubt, the strangest sensation of her life, standing behind a tree, and watching herself. She watched the grass flatten in patches all around the cabin and heard three pairs of feet retreating. They were gone ... but Harry and Hermione hide in the trees could hear what was happening inside the cabin.

'Where is the beast?' came a cold voice.

'Out - outside,' Hagrid croaked.

Macnair's face appeared at Hagrid's window, staring out at Buckbeak. Then they heard Fudge.

'We - er - have to read you the official notice of execution, Hagrid. I'll make it quick. And then you and Macnair need to sign it. Macnair, you're supposed to listen too, that's procedure -'

Macnair's face vanished from the window, it was now or never.

'Here's to the impossible -' Harry muttered, then turned to Hermione and said, 'Wait here.'

As Fudge's voice started again, Harry darted out from the forest, and ran to the pumpkin patch and approached Buckbeak.

' _It is the decision of the Committee for Disposal of Dangerous Creatures that the Hippogriff Buckbeak...'_

Harry focused her attention on releasing Buckbeak. Careful not to blink, Harry stared into Buckbeak's fierce orange eye once more and bowed. Buckbeak sank to his scaly knees and stood up again. Harry fumbled with the rope tying Buckbeak to the fence.

'Let's get you out here,' Harry whispered to him, pulling on the rope now it had been untied, Harry heard Fudge's voice again.

 _'sentenced to execution by beheading, to carried out by the Committee's appointed executioner, Walden Macnair ...'_

'Come on Buckbeak,' Harry murmured, Harry pulled on the rope with all her might, but Buckbeak had dug his front feet.

'Well, let's get this over with,' said a different voice from inside Hagrid's cabin, obviously it belonged to the Committee member. 'Hagrid, perhaps it would be better if you stayed inside - '

'No, I - I want to be with him ... I don't want him to be alone-'

Footsteps echoed from within the cabin.

'Buckbeak, move,' Harry hissed. Harry tugged harder on the rope around Buckbeak's next. The Hippogriff began to walk, rustling its wings irritably. They were still ten feet away from the forest, in plain view of Hagrid's back door.

'One moment, please, Macnair,' came Dumbledore's voice. 'You need to sign, too.' The footsteps stopped. Harry tugged on the rope and Buckbeak. Hermione's white face was sticking out from behind a tree.

'Harry, hurry!' she mouthed.

Harry could hear Dumbledore's voice talking from within the cabin. She gave the rope another wrench and Buckbeak broke into a grudging trot. They had reached the trees ...

'Quick!' Hermione muttered, darting out from behind the tree, seizing the rope too, adding her weight to make Buckbeak move faster. Harry looked back; they were now blocked from sight; they couldn't see Hagrid's garden at all.

'Stop!' Harry whispered to Hermione. 'They might hear us-'

Hagrid's back door had opened with a bang. Harry, Hermione and Buckbeak stood quite still; even the Hippogriff seemed to be listening intently. Silence ... then -

'Where is it?' the Committee member said. 'Where is the beast?'

'It was tied here!' Macnair said furiously. 'I saw it! Just here!'

'How extraordinary,' said Dumbledore. There was a note of amusement in his voice.

There was a swishing noise and a thud of an axe. Macnair seemed to have swung it into a pumpkin out of anger. And then came the howling, and this time they could hear Hagrid's words through his sobs.

'Gone! Gone! Bless his little beak, he's gone! Musta pulled himself free! Beaky you clever boy!'

Buckbeak started to strain against the rope, trying to get back to Hagrid. Harry and Hermione had to tighten their grip and dug their heels into the forest floor to stop him.

'Someone untied him!' Macnair snarled. 'We should search the grounds, the forest-'

'Macnair, if Buckbeak has indeed been stolen, do you really think the thief will have led him away on foot?' Dumbledore said 'Search the skies ... Hagrid, I could do with a cup of tea or a large brandy.'

'Oh - of course, Professor,' Hagrid said 'Come in, come in ...'

They heard footsteps, the soft cursing Macnair, the snap of the door, and then silence once more.

'What now?'

'We'll hide in here,' Hermione said. 'We need to wait until they've gone back up to the castle. I'm not sure what Dumbledore indented for us to do with Buckbeak though, how do we save him now?'

'Easy Hermione, Buckbeak is going to fly out of the grounds, you just heard Dumbledore - and he's not going to be alone, Buckbeak is Sirius's way off the grounds.'

'Then we need to move, we've got to be able to see the Whomping Willow, or we won't know what's going on.'

They moved once again around the edge of the forest, darkness falling thickly around them until they were hidden behind a clump of trees through which they could make out the Willow. A dark figure was sprinting across the lawn and then they saw two more figures materialise out of nowhere. Harry watched herself and Hermione chasing after Ron. Then Ron dove after the rat. The shape of a great dog had bounded out from the roots of the Willow. They saw him leap over Harry, then seize Ron.

'Look's even worse from here, doesn't it?' Harry said watching the dog pulling Ron into the roots. 'Ouch - look, I just got walloped by the tree - and so did you -'

The Whomping Willow was creaking and lashing out with its lower branches; they could see themselves darting here and there, trying to make a break for it. And the tree froze.

'Crookshanks pressing the knot,' Hermione said.

'And there we go.' Harry muttered. 'We're in.'

The moment they disappeared, the tree began to move again. Seconds later, they heard footsteps quite close by. Dumbledore, Macnair, Fudge and the old Committee member were making their way up to the castle.

'Right after we'd gone down into the passage! If only Dumbledore had come with us ..' Hermione said.

'Fudge and Macnair would've come too,' Harry said. 'Sirius still looked like Peter, I bet you anything Fudge would've told Macnair to murder Sirius on the spot.'

They watched the four men climb the castle steps and disappear from view. For a moment the scene was deserted, then they saw another figure sprinting down the steps and haring towards the Willow. He stumbled upon something on the ground and picked up the cloak, lying on the grass, pocking it with his robes. And hurried towards the tree once more, he flicked his wand towards the tree immobilising it. Lupin climbed into the gap between the roots.

'That's it we're all down now ... we just have to wait until we're all back up again.'

Hermione took the end of Buckbeak's rope and tied it around the nearest tree, then sat down on the dry ground, arms around her knees.

'Harry, there's something I don't understand ... why didn't the Dementors get us? I remember them coming, Ron collapsing, and then I think I passed out ... there was so many of them.'

Harry sat down too and explained what she saw; how the nearest Dementor had lowered its mouth to hers, a large silver something had come galloping across the lake and forced the Dementors to retreat.

'It could have only been one thing, to make the Dementors go,' Harry said. 'A real Patronus. A powerful one.'

'Who conjured it? Did you see?'

Harry didn't say anything. She was thinking back to the person she'd seen on the other bank … but how could it have been?

'Was it a teacher?' Hermione said.

'No, it wasn't a teacher.'

'But it must have been a really powerful wizard to drive all those Dementors away … if the Patronus was shining so brightly, didn't it light them up? Couldn't you see-?'

'Yeah I saw them,' Harry said, 'But … maybe I imagined it … I wasn't thinking straight … I passed out right afterwards.'

'Well, who do you think it was?'

'I think-' Harry said. 'I thought I saw my dad.'

'But Harry-'

'My dad's dead – I know -'

'You think you saw his ghost?'

'No ... they looked solid.' Harry replied. 'Maybe I was seeing things .. but from what I could see .. it looked like him … I've got photos of him.'

Hermione was still looking at her as though worried about her sanity.

'I know it sounds mad.' Harry said flatly.

She turned to look at Buckbeak, but she wasn't really watching Buckbeak digging up the earth beneath him. She was thinking, thinking about her father. Was it possible that he too had been on the grounds with his friends ... Mooney, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs ... Sirius had been alive all this time after everyone had thought he was dead. But was it possible she had seen her father. The figure had been too far away to see distinctly ...

The leaves overhead rustled faintly in the breeze. The moon drifted in and out of sight behind the shifting clouds. Harry glanced up towards the Willow, waiting ... then, at last, after over an hour ... They saw Lupin, Ron and Pettigrew clambering awkwardly out of the hole in the roots. Next came Sirius, Hermione, then Harry. They began to walk to the castle, Sirius in he's dog form strolling alongside Harry. Harry's heart was beating fast now, she glanced up at the sky; any moment now, that cloud was going to move aside and show the moon. The moon slid out from behind its cloud. They saw the tiny figures across the grounds stop. Then they saw movement.

'Lupin's transforming,' Hermione whispered.

'Hermione we've got to move!' Harry said suddenly.

'We mustn't interfere -'

'Not to interfere Lupin's going to run into the forest, right at us.'

Hermione gasped and dashed to untie Buckbeak.

'Where are, we going to go? Where are, we going to hide?'

'Just get going in the opposite direction, towards Hagrid's come on.'

When they reached Hagrid's hut, they could hear yelping in the distance. That meant the Dementors were closing in on Sirius ... her, Hermione and Ron would be running to him any moment ... Harry started out towards the lake without thinking, her heart doing a kind of drum-roll in her chest. Whoever had sent that Patronus would be appearing at any moment. Harry didn't want to be seen, she wanted to do the seeing ... she had to know ... the lake was coming nearer and nearer, but there was no sign of anybody. Hermione grabbed hold of her.

'Harry, we can't be seen...'

'I know - but I have to find out, Hermione.'

And there were the Dementors, they were emerging out of the darkness from every direction, gliding around the edges of the lake ... they were moving away from where Harry stood, to the opposite bank ... she wouldn't have to get near them. On the opposite bank, she could see tiny glimmers of silver - her own attempts at a Patronus. There was a bush at the very edge of the water, Harry threw herself behind it, on the opposite bank, the glimmers of silver were suddenly extinguished - any moment now.

'Come on - where are you?' Harry muttered

Hermione crouched beside her. 'No one is coming, Harry,' she muttered.

Harry raised her head to look at the circle of Dementors across the lake. One of them was lowering its hood. Hermione was right no one was coming, they were going to lose their souls - the rescuer should appear any time now - and then it hit her - she understood. She hadn't seen her father at all ...

Harry flung herself out and pulled out her wand. 'EXPECTO PATRONUM!' she yelled.

And out the end of her wand burst, not a shapeless cloud of mist, but a dazzling, silver animal. It was galloping silently away from her, across the black surface of the lake. She saw it lower its head and charge at the Dementors and the Dementors were falling back, scattering, retreating away from their bodies across the opposite bank ... then they were gone. The Patronus turned, it was cantering back towards Harry across the still water. It wasn't a unicorn like she had first thought, it was a stag. It was shining brightly as the moon above, it stopped on the bank. Its hooves left no marks on the ground as it stared at Harry with its large, silver eyes. Slowly, it bowed its antlered head and Harry realised ... just what kind of animal Prongs was.

'Dad,' she whispered, with a trembling hand she stretched it towards the creature, it vanished. Harry stood there, hand still outstretched.

'It was you - all this time.' Hermione whispered. 'You saved us-'

'No,' Harry replied in a small voice. 'Prongs did, my dad saved us ... I told you I saw him, I just didn't realise it was in a different form.'

'So, what do we do now - we've got forty minutes before -' Hermione said looking at her watch, 'any ideas how we got to the castle?'

'No - when I came to, I heard Professor McGonagall speaking to Professor Dumbledore about Dobby-'

A crack sounded beside them, making them jump, a small elf stood with green eyes, smiled at Harry.

'Dobby's been waiting - waiting for Mistress to calls him,' Dobby said.

Hermione was looking at the creature oddly. Harry thought for a moment of course elf magic was different to their own. The elf could get through the Hogwarts wards. So when she had said his name, the elf thought she had called out to him.

'Dobby, I have a rather long story to tell you and I need you to listen carefully - then I need you to do something for me.'

Harry watched the elf look from her to the opposite shore, puzzled by her story, Harry only told him the basics of what happened.

'I need you to take us up to the castle - just us leave Sirius here - tell them that you came because you sensed I was in danger - that you got us out before we could be Kissed by them, before I was Kissed - tell them Pettigrew came after us, trapped us and, lead us away and ran he at the sight of the Dementors - only tell Dumbledore the full story - do you understand it's important only Dumbledore knows the full story.'

Dobby nodded. 'Dobby ... confused ... but Dobby do it.'

'Good, come back when you're done ... I'm going or we're going to need your help. And bring some chocolate.'

'Harry what exactly are you thinking of doing ...'

'Something crazy ... something no one will ever believe .. come on where's Buckbeak?'

'Tied to a tree, back there.'

'We need to get to Sirius, come on we're going for a little fly.'

Hermione gripped onto Harry as they flew across the lake on Buckbeak, they landed near Sirius's body. Sirius was groaning, his eyes fluttered open. Dobby appeared the next moment with chocolate. Sirius came too.

'What happened the Dementers?' he groaned

'It's a long story,' Harry said. 'I cast a Patronus it sent them away, I need you to eat this now, then if you feel up to it, I have a challenge for you.'

'I don't understand - where did the house-elf come from? Why's he wearing clothes? Where's your other friend-?'

'Too many questions not enough time,' Harry replied handing him the chocolate. 'Dobby is a good friend of mine, he's going to help you. We need to get you out of here - to live as a Muggle - Dumbledore's idea for a cover story I suppose.'

Sirius was sitting up now, frowning at her, then looked at Hermione for support.

'I'd just go with it, if I was you. I have no clue - Harry sees something I don't,' Hermione shrugged.

'So just how do I get out of Hogwarts so quickly, without being seen,' Sirius asked them.

'Now that I know,' Hermione said with a smile. 'You use Harry's other friend: Buckbeak of course.'

It was only then Sirius noticed the Hippogriff.

'Anna, you make the oddest friends,' Sirius said with a puzzled look.

'Right - so now the next part - Pettigrew escaped, transformed himself back to a rat. He'll need to be spotted again, this is where I'm hoping, you and Dobby will be able to help.'

'You want me, to look like him again, so they think he's on the run, that he out run Dementors ... because the real Pettigrew won't show his face ... Anna no one in their right minds ...'

'Pettigrew broke out of Azkaban, he's managed to give the Dementors the slip all year ... besides it's a good thing, we're not in our right of minds ... it will work, just don't get caught.'

Sirius shook his head. 'This is crazy ... completely crazy ...'

'Sirius, will you do it.'

'For you anything ... so who's casting the spell and how am I going to return to me again without a wand?'

Hermione suddenly caught on. 'Dobby, his magic, Harry that's so clever.'

'Thanks.' Harry said. 'I trust Dobby with my life, Sirius, he'll help you.'

Sirius stood up and nodded. 'I'll do it, then find somewhere to - live as a Muggle, I think I can come with a story of my own.'

'Dobby,' Harry spoke to the elf. 'I want you to go with Sirius, cast a switching spell so that he looks like Peter Pettigrew when you get to a town, then once you both know it's safe turn Sirius back to normal again.'

'Mistress sure is asking Dobby to do odd things tonight, but Dobby will do it.'

'Harry!' Hermione said suddenly in a terrified voice. 'We've got ten minutes to make it back.'

Harry glanced at Sirius.

'I'll be OK - go - you are truly your parents' daughter - go on go - I'll see you when things are settled.'

Harry hugged him hard. 'I'll hold you that.'

'Bye Mr Black, good luck!' Hermione said running off.

Sirius climbed onto Buckbeak, pulling Dobby up with him, he squeezed Buckbeak's sides with his heels. Enormous wings rose once more, the Hippogriff took off into the air ... he and his riders became smaller and smaller as Harry gazed after them ... then a cloud drifted across the moon .. they we're gone.


	69. Chapter 69

Harry ran to catch up to Hermione, when a thought occurred to her.

'Hermione, the Cloak, my Cloak.'

'I've got it,' Hermione called back breathless. 'Come on.'

They ran across the lawn and up the hill towards the steps, as they reached them Fudge came running out of the castle, the executioner Macnair, besides him, Harry and Hermione hide behind the stone wall, Hermione threw the Cloak over them.

'Go gather the Dementors - Pettigrew's not too far from here, we must be quick - we'll lose him again,' Fudge shouted at Macnair.

Harry shared a knowing look with Hermione, seemed like Sirius was playing his part once more.

'You don't think he's gone to Hogsmeade do you?' Hermione said, once Fudge and Macnair were in the far distance.

'Why not?' Harry shrugged. 'Professor Lupin said earlier, he doubted any other students knew as much about Hogwarts and Hogsmeade then them. Sirius will have an advantage being somewhere he knows well - and if he's sighted with Buckbeak'.

'They'll think that Pettigrew stole him, Harry - you're a genius.'

'Just giving Dumbledore his plausible story,' Harry said. 'Or at least something to work with.'

They tore, the Cloak off once more, and started to run, they ran through the empty Entrance Hall and bounded up the staircase. On the fourth floor they had to hid themselves into a deserted classroom as Peeves was bouncing along the corridor, laughing his head off.

Hermione checked her watch. 'Three minutes, Harry!'

'What happens if we don't make it back in time?'

'I don't want to think about it!' Hermione moaned.

Peeves's laugh had faded into the distance, they slid out of the room and broke into a run again. They reached the end of the corridor with the hospital wing entrance. They crept along the corridor, the door opened. Dumbledore's back appeared.

'I am going to lock you in. It is-' he heard him saying, 'five minutes to midnight. Miss Potter I'm sure you can figure out a theory and make a plausible story to cover your tracks, Pettigrew would need to be seen again, after all. Three turns should do the trick, Miss Granger. Good luck.'

Dumbledore backed out of the room, closed the door and took out his wand. Harry and Hermione ran forwards. Dumbledore looked up, and a wide smile appeared. 'Well?' he said quietly.

'We did it!' Harry said. 'Pettigrew escaped by stealing Buckbeak and Sirius should be found in a Muggle town soon.'

Dumbledore beamed at them. He listened intently for any sound within the hospital wing. 'Well done, I think you've gone, too. Get inside - I'll lock you in-'

Harry and Hermione slipped back inside the dormitory. It was empty expect for Ron, who was still lying motionless in the end bed. Harry and Hermione crept back to their bed, Harry hid her Invisibility Cloak under her pillow. Next moment, Madam Pomfrey had come striding back out of her office.

'Did I hear the Headmaster leaving?'

Madam Pomfrey seemed to be in a bad mood. Harry and Hermione accepted their chocolate quietly. Madam Pomfrey stood over them, making sure they ate it. But Harry could hardly swallow, she was waiting, listening. And then as they both took a fourth piece of chocolate from Madam Pomfrey, they heard scurrying feet from down the hall. Then they heard a shout.

'What an evening this has been, Albus.'

'Calm yourself Cornelius.'

'Calm myself you do realise that the Daily Prophet's going to have a field day full of errors caused by the Ministry,' Fudge growled. 'I'll be a laughing stock - Pettigrew was in Hogsmeade - what almost an hour ago - we had him in our sights - he got away by stealing a Hippogriff - the Hippogriff we were meant to execute this very evening - he could be anywhere now.'

'And the Dementors being out of control, like that- I never thought they'd attempt to administer the Kiss on an innocent girl ... we're lucky her elf sensed she was in danger and got them out.'

'Does this mean that the Dementors, will be removed from the school?'

'Oh yes, they'll have to go. I'll have them packed off back to Azkaban tonight,' They heard a pause. 'I'm never going to live this down.'

'You only did what you thought was best. I'm sure, the public will see that.'

'Albus, they will be outraged, and to make matters worse - I just received an urgent owl from the Ministry, magic was almost exposed to Muggles about ten minutes ago - and do you know who they are saying who caused it -'

'Why no Cornelius, I do not.'

'Sirius Black - he's been alive this whole time - living as Muggle, thought he was one - he's at the Ministry now - Blood Magic has confirmed it's him - his memory was distorted - apparently he's fine now - we failed him - wait until the Wizarding community hears of that ... I best go, I need to salvage what I can of this.'

They heard retreating footsteps, Harry couldn't help but grin. Sirius and Dobby had done it. It had worked, the crazy, obscene plan had worked. Madam Pomfrey went back to her office muttering angrily about the noise the Minister had just caused. There was a low moan from the other bed besides Harry. Ron had woken up. They saw him sit himself up, he rubbed his head looking around.

'What - what happened?' he groaned. 'Harry, Hermione? Why are we in here? Where's Sirius? What's going on?'

Harry and Hermione looked at each other.

'You explain,' Harry said, helping herself to some chocolate. 'No one in their right minds, would ever believe it.'

When Harry, Ron and Hermione left the hospital wing at noon the next day, they found themselves in an almost deserted castle. The sunny weather and end of exams meant that the older students had taken full advantage of another Hogsmeade visit. They didn't feel up to going, so they wandered the grounds, still talking about the extraordinary events of the previous night. They sat near the lake, Harry didn't pay much attention to the ongoing conversation around her, as Hermione was expecting yet again, to Ron exactly what had happened. Harry was lost in thought as she looked across to the opposite bank. The stag had galloped towards her from there last night ... a shadow fell across them and they looked up to see a very bleary-eyed Hagrid.

'What's the matter Hagrid?' Hermione asked.

'Pettigrew - he stole Buckbeak - yesterday just after you left.'

'I'm sure Buckbeak's fine Hagrid, he'll attack Pettigrew if he tries to hurt him - look at what he did to Malfoy after an insult,' Ron said.

'Ron does have a point, even if he's being a bit insensitive,' Harry said.

'I suppose you're right. Buckbeak can take care of himself, still makes me worry though,' Hargid said. 'Glad that you three are OK though, that's some elf you've got, yourself, Harry.'

'Yeah, he's a real gem.'

'Well I best be off - I've got to make sure a carriage is ready, for Professor Lupin,' Hagrid said.

'What? Why?'

'Blimey haven't you heard?' Hagrid said. 'Professor Lupin's leaving.'

'He's leaving? Why?' Harry said.

'All we were told this morning was that he resigned first thing this morning.'

Harry scrambled to her feet, looking at Ron and Hermione she said, 'I'm going to see him, I'll meet you back here.'

Lupin's door was open, he had already packed most of his things. Lupin was bending over something on his desk, as she went to knock on the door. He spoke.

'Hello Anna,' Lupin said smiling, he pointed to the parchment he had been poring over. The Marauder's Map. 'I saw you coming.'

'I just heard - Hagrid just told us - you're not resigning are you - you can't,' Harry said.

Lupin started opening the draw and taking out the contents. 'Anna, I was loose on the grounds last night - I forgot to take my potion and I put you all in danger - I could have bitten any of you - I could have killed you. I let Pettigrew get the better of me, like Sirius.'

'But you were only trying to help, we're OK. You made a mistake - that's all.'

'A mistake I cannot in good conscious risk happening again - no teaching has been a privilege but if parents ever found out - they would not want a werewolf teaching their children. And after last night I see that point.'

Lupin looked up from the draw, he had emptied out. 'From what I hear, you saved a lot of lives last night, Anna. If I'm proud of anything, it's how much you've learned. Tell me about your Patronus.'

'I don't know how I did it, I just knew I could, because I'd done it before - I believed I could do it. I thought - I thought it was my dad casting the Patronus. But in the darkness, with losing conscious at the same time - I didn't understand that I had - I saw dad just in a different form. My Patronus is a stag and then I understood. It was my dad's Animagus form.'

'Yes, your father was always a stag when he transformed,' Lupin said throwing the last few books into his case.

'So what will you do now? - I mean you said that it was hard for you to find work because of what you are,' Harry said.

Lupin was smiling at her now. 'It seems other skills of mine are required, other than defence, I have skills and knowledge about laws, Ministry and Muggle ones. I have a placement to go to and my employer doesn't discriminate my kind.'

'Law?' Harry said confusedly. 'Why would someone hire you to help them with Muggle laws? After all the laws that apply to Wizarding kind are Ministry based - I don't understand - wait - Sirius - Sirius hired you?'

'Indeed, but for now - it is best you wait for the announcement, officially - which should be happening any day now - so this will not be farewell, just so long for now. I will be seeing you again soon.'

'Thanks, Professor.'

'Anna, I'm no longer your Professor,' Lupin said. 'I believe in the light of things and the amount of contact we are about to have, it's best if you call me Remus.'

'That's going to be a hard habit to break.'

'I'm sure you'll manage,' Lupin said, glancing around at the now empty room, and picked up the Marauder's Map, holding it out to her.. 'Now as I am no longer your teacher, Anna, I don't feel guilty in giving this back to you. I daresay you'll find a use for it.'

Harry took the map and grinned and stuffed the map into her robes. There was a knock at the door. It was Professor Dumbledore and he didn't seem to be surprised that Harry was there.

'Your carriage is at the gates Remus,' he said.

'Thank you, Headmaster.' Lupin picked up his old suitcase.

'Well - goodbye, Anna, it has been a real pleasure teaching you. Remember what I said now,' he said smiling. 'Headmaster, there is no need to see me to the gates, I can manage...'

'Goodbye, then, Remus.' Dumbledore said somberly. Lupin shifted his suitcase so that he could shake Dumbledore's hand. Then, with a final nod to Harry, and a swift smile, Lupin left the office.

Harry blinked at the empty doorway.

'What's troubling you, Harry?' Dumbledore said quietly. 'You should be very proud of yourself after last night.'

'It didn't make a difference,' Harry said. 'Pettigrew still got away didn't he.'

'It made all the difference in the world Harry. You uncovered the truth, saved an innocent man - the real Pettigrew will now be facing a terrible fate.'

 _Terrible._ Something stirred in Harry's memory. _Greater and more terrible than before_... Professor Trelawney's prediction!

'Professor, yesterday I ran into Professor Trelawney after my Arithmancy exam. Professor Trelawney went very - very strange.'

'Stranger than usual, you mean?' Dumbledore said.

'Her voice went all deep and her eyes rolled and she told me Voldemort's servant was going to return to him before midnight ... she said the servant would help him come back to power,' Harry stared up at Dumbledore. 'And she became normal strange again, she couldn't remember anything she said. Was it - do you think she could have made a real prediction?'

Dumbledore looked impressed.

'Do you know, Harry, I think she might have been,' he said. 'That brings her total of real predictions up to two. I should offer her a pay rise...'

'Then it makes it my fault if Voldemort comes back, I stopped Sirius and Prof- Remus from killing Pettigrew.'

'It does not. Hasn't our experience with the Time-Turner taught you anything?'

'Yes,' Harry said. 'I learned that the consequences of our actions are always complicated, so diverse, that predicting the future is a very difficult task.'

'And that is why you are so good at Arithmancy, you see and understand theories in such a complex manner that it is so simple to you. You did a noble thing, saving Pettigrew's life.'

'But if he helps Voldemort back to power-'

'Pettigrew owes his life to you. You have sent Voldemort a deputy who is in your debt. When one wizard saves another, it creates a certain bond between them.'

'Like dad and Professor Snape, a debt he couldn't live with. Pettigrew's not going to be able to either, Voldemorts not going to like his servant being in my debt.'

'Indeed' Dumbledore said his eyes twinkling. 'I knew your parents well, both at Hogwarts and later, they would have saved Pettigrew too, I'm sure of it.'

'Sirius said the same thing ... last night ... I thought it was my dad who'd conjured my Patronus. When it was actually me conjuring my ...'

'It was an easy mistake to make, in the dark and with the distance, you do take after James apart from your eyes.'

'It was stupid to think it was him,' Harry muttered. 'I knew he was dead, but you see, Professor I did see him, just not in the form I first thought.'

'The ones we loved never truly leave us, Harry.'

'No, Remus told me, that love was a powerful emotion when he was teaching me how to conjure one. It was love that caused my Patronus to take that particular shape.'

'You found you father inside yourself ...'

Harry nodded, and Dumbledore left the office.

Nobody at Hogwarts knew the truth of Pettigrew's actual escape expect Harry, Ron, Hermione and Professor Dumbledore. as the end of term approached, Harry had heard many different theories about what had happened, but none of them close to the truth. Malfoy was furious about Buckbeak being stolen and seemed outraged that he and his father had been outwitted by Pettigrew. Harry wasn't the only one sorry to see Professor Lupin go. The whole of Harry's Defence Against the Dark Arts class were miserable about his resignation and had no clue as into the reason why he resigned. The exam results came the morning before the last day of term. Harry, Ron and Hermione had passed everything. Hermione coming top in almost all of her subjects, and this seemed to puzzle her.

'I can understand Defence Against the Dark Arts but I thought I would have got top marks in Arithmancy,' Hermione said as she glanced over her results.

'What you mean that someone got better marks than you - so - I thought for sure that you were the Arithmancy genius!' Ron said blinking at her like he was confused.

'Oh - I - no it's not me, of course, they would get the better marks.'

'I heard Professor Vector this morning - they want this genius - this girl to take her Arithmancy OWL next year,' Dean said, 'Dumbledore's already given his permission so she can, she just needs parental permission now.'

'When and how did you hear that?' Harry said in a panic.

'I went up to the teacher's table moments ago, to speak to her. Professor Vector practically gloating about this girl. Wouldn't slip out who it was though,' Dean said.

'Miss Potter.' Harry turned at the sound of her name and looked up Professor McGonagall was heading towards her and she wasn't alone. Dressed in brand new robes walking beside her was their old Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor. Remus looked completely different to the man that had taught them, his arrival caused a bit of a stir amongst the students. Within moments Remus had been surrounded.

'Professor Lupin?'

'Are you coming back?'

'Looking good, Professor.'

Professor McGonagall, gave the surrounding students a stern look, 'Mr Lupin is here on official business, he has not come back to teach you, now if you excuse us. Miss Potter if you could come with us, you've been excused for the day.'

Harry slid out from the Gryffindor table, if Remus was here then that meant one thing; Sirius. Harry followed them out to Professor McGonagall's office. The office was empty though.

'Now you must be wondering, why I have brought you here and why Mr Lupin comes to be here Miss Potter,' Professor McGonagall said.

'It had crossed my mind, Professor.'

'Mr Lupin-'

'Remus, please - Anna can call me Remus I think it's best in the circumstances-' Remus said softly.

Professor McGonagall gave him a stern look, as though she disagreed with him. 'Very well then, Remus, as I said earlier is here on official business - now I don't know if you have read or heard the recent announcement in the Daily Prophet involving a Sirius Black.'

'I had heard, didn't the Ministry think he had been dead, for years and it turned out he actually thought he'd been a Muggle all that time,' Harry said.

'Yes, that is the man - well he had a spot of bother with his memory, it's all fine now - a little hazy in places but that is to be expected with what he went through - the point, Miss Potter is, well he would like to meet you.'

'Why?' Harry asked playing along, she was starting to see where this conversation was going.

Professor McGonagall looked towards Remus for support.

'Well Lord Black,' Remus began looking slightly sheepish. 'He was appointed your godfather by your parents.'

'So, he's my guardian?'

'Not yet - not officially,' Remus said, shifting his eyes towards Professor McGonagall, they obviously couldn't talk in front of her.

'OK, I'll meet him.'

'Lord Black is waiting in the Headmaster's office, I'll escort you there,' Professor McGonagall said. 'If it is too much, you just need to say so and we'll stop the meeting there.'

Harry followed, Professor McGonagall along the corridor up to Dumbledore's office, Sirius was indeed waiting for them inside the Headmaster's office, Professor McGonagall nodded towards Dumbledore.

'I'll leave them, in your capable hands, inform me, if anything changes,' she said before turning on her heel and left.

Dumbledore waited for the door to close, before he too stood.

'I will leave you to get acquainted in a few moments, for all intense and purposes, I must inform you not to leave this room,' he said. 'This must still look like a first meeting after all.'

Sirius and Remus looked at each other and nodded at Dumbledore. Harry was looking between them, wondering what was going on. A few moments passed and Dumbledore walked slowly to his door, peering out of it, then closed it behind him.

Harry turned to Sirius and grinned. 'Glad you made it out.'

'Dobby was indeed very helpful, he's been informing me of your past years whilst at Hogwarts,' Sirius said baffled. 'A flying car! I wondered what you three were talking about. I'll say it again you have the strangest of friends.'

'They're loyal too,' Harry said. 'Dobby tell you how he tried to save my life too.'

'Umm,' Sirius replied, clearly not impressed. 'You inherited James's recklessness.'

Sirius shrugged and shook his head as though lost as for where to begin.

'Is this where I get told off, for doing stupid things?' Harry said.

Remus and Sirius both snorted.

'No, but we need to update you as into what happens next,' Remus said.

'You mean with coming to live with you?' Harry said speaking to Sirius.

'Yes, you see, at the moment, because we've had no contact, it will look very weird to the Muggle officials if you just leave your aunt and uncles,' Sirius explained. 'I need to be seen spending time with you.'

'Then we can go to the court - and process for the appeal,' Remus said. 'Muggle courts are usually a bit slower.'

'They won't fight for me,' Harry said. 'If that is what you are worried about.'

'No but even we were to process it through the Wizarding Court, it wouldn't go through,' Remus said.

'We need to cover all grounds, so I don't lose you completely,' Sirius said. 'I applied to be granted to have access to you, the papers will be handed to your aunt and uncle.'

'Oh, then what happens?' Harry asked.

'Well we build up a relationship from there, I've still got a sort out a house before you can stay for a few weeks, there is no way I'm taking you to mine. James would come back to haunt me if I did that,' Sirius said. 'I've been crashing at Remus's, Buckbeak seems to like the open field there.'

'There's one thing I don't get though,' Harry said.

'What?' Remus said.

'Well, why were you calling Sirius, Lord Black?'

Sirius snorted. 'That would be because it's my official title. I'm head of the Black family, inherited the title along with everything else.'

'Oh, so you need me to give my aunt and uncle these papers then?' Harry asked.

'No, I'll hand them straight over, it will look better Sirius solicitor doing it,' Remus said.

'You best come with me then, they don't like anything to do with magic.'

'Yes, Lily did inform us of that,' Remus said with a tentative smile and said thoughtfully. 'I think somewhere public would be best.'

'So, what do you want to do for the rest of the day?' Sirius asked.

'Actually, Sirius could you sign something for me ... I may need permission to take an OWL next year. I'm sure that will be good enough for Dumbledore,' Harry said. 'Then I think, I'd like to hear the story of how you all became Animagi.'

'I can do that,' Sirius said.

As the Hogwarts Express pulled out of the station next morning, Harry sat there grinning and Hermione gave Harry and Ron some surprising news.

'I saw Professor McGonagall this morning, I'm dropping Muggle Studies.'

'What, but you passed your exam with three hundred and twenty per cent!' Ron said.

'I know but I can't stand another year like this one,' Hermione sighed. 'You were both right, I was taking on too much. The Time-Turner was driving me mad, so I handed it in. Without Muggle Studies and Divination, I'll be able to have a normal timetable.'

Harry was impressed, for Hermione to actually admit she had been wrong, it meant a lot.

'Still, can't believe you didn't tell us!' Ron said.

'I promised I wouldn't,' Hermione said severely, she looked at Harry, who was watching Hogwarts disappear. 'I'm not the only one, who kept a secret though, isn't that right Harry!'

Harry turned her head, both of her friends were looking oddly at her. 'What?'

'We know Harry,' Ron said. 'You left your exam results on the table at breakfast.'

'I did?' Harry said. 'You looked, at my results.'

'It was a bit hard not to, mate. The parchment was open for all to see,' Ron said.

'I grabbed it quickly, no one else but us saw, though George might have seen,' Hermione said. 'Why didn't you say anything?'

Harry sighed. 'At first, it was because I didn't want the whole school to know. It's not that I don't trust you guys, I just - I guess I didn't want to upset you, Hermione.'

'Me? Why?'

'Well, you're the top at everything, you love Arithmancy, I just didn't want you to hate me, either of you,' Harry said.

'Harry, we could never hate you,' Hermione said.

'Harry is that an owl outside the window?' Ron said.

Ron was right, a very small grey owl was bobbing in and out of sight beyond the glass. Harry pulled down the window, stretched out an arm and caught it. Once the owl was inside, it dropped its letter onto Harry's seat and began zooming around their compartment, looking as if it was pleased with itself for accomplishing its task. The letter was addressed to her, she ripped it open. 'It's from Sirius', she said and she began it read it out aloud.

 _Dear Anna,_

 _I hope this finds you before you reach your aunt and uncle. I just wanted to inform you_ _th_ _at when you see me next, you're to call me Snuffles. I won't explain as I have some_ _d_ _oubt into the owl's reliability, but he was the best I could find, and he seemed eager for the job._

 _I will tell you, that the plan is in motion, so I will see you shortly. Was wondering if we could borrow_ _y_ _our friend Dobby, for a while, he's an excellent researcher ... speaking of which I have something that_ _rightly belongs to you, it was your mothers. I'll have to fish it out of the hiding spot first though._

 _If you need me, while at your aunt's send word with your owl._

 _See you real soon_

 _Sirius._

'That's it?' Ron said.

'There's a PS, I thought your friend Ron might like to keep this owl, as it is my fault he no longer has a rat.'

'Keep him?' Ron said uncertainly, his eyes widened. He looked at the owl closely, then held him out for Crookshanks to sniff.

'What do you reckon?' Ron said to the cat. 'Definitely an owl?' Crookshanks purred.

'Good enough for me,' Ron said happily. 'He's mine.'

Harry read the letter several times, on the way back to King's Cross, trying to figure its meaning. See her soon, and Snuffles? What was he talking about? As they stepped through the barrier, Harry got the answer. Her aunt and uncle were waiting in the short distance. Mr and Mrs Weasley were standing closest to them. Then Harry saw them, just behind. Remus was standing there, with a huge dog sitting beside him.

'Anna, good to see you again,' Remus smiled as Harry walked over. 'Now do you mind awfully if I accompany you over to your aunt and uncle, there is some urgent business, I need to speak to them about.'

'Sure,' Harry said, turning to wave goodbye to her friends. Harry bent to scratch Snuffles's ear.

'You know, you're so going to have to teach how to do this,' Harry muttered. 'Come on, let's go see my crazy relatives.'

Uncle Vernon and aunt Petunia's eyes widened as Harry approached with another wizard and the huge dog.

'Mr and Mrs Dursley, I presume,' Remus said pleasantly. 'My name is Mr Lupin and I happen to need to speak with you considering Harianna's godfather.'

'He's - he's dead, she hasn't got a godfather,' uncle Vernon stuttered out.

'Ah you see Mr Dursley, that is where you are both gravely mistaken - now -'

Harry had to stop herself, from actually grinning as Remus, explained what had happened to her god father Sirius Black. And all she could think as she watched her aunt and uncle's reactions, was no one in their right minds would ever believe her when she told them about this ...

 ** _A.N. so book three now done, I'll be taking a short break to plan out the next one ... I have a few ideas but need to get it all organised before I post ... hope you've enjoyed this so far ..._**


	70. Chapter 70

Once again, Harianna Potter was stuck at her aunt and uncles for the summer holidays. Well that wasn't exactly entirely true now, Harry as she liked to be known as, thought about it. Harry just had better places to be then at her aunt and uncles. Like spending time with her godfather Sirius. This summer was turning out to be the best one yet and all because of Sirius, she literally had to mention his name and her aunt and uncle froze. Petrified that he would be turning up in the next couple of moments. Even though Sirius was her godfather, Harry had no contact with him before that was due to the very fact everyone believe he had died thirteen years ago in a blast caused by Peter Pettigrew. When in fact Peter Pettigrew had cast a Switching Charm in that very blast at Sirius, so that her godfather would take the fall. Sirius had spent twelve years in Azkaban looking like a different man. Harry along with her other friends Hermione and Ron had uncovered the truth, into who the real Peter Pettigrew was; which turned out to be Ron's rat Scabbers. They planned on taking him back to the castle but their Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor; Remus Lupin, was a werewolf. That night had been the night of a full moon and Remus had forgotten to take his Wolfsbane Potion. The real Peter Pettigrew escaped when Remus transformed and was now living life on the run.

Even though Harry wasn't living with Sirius just yet; they were waiting to make an appeal so Harry could. Sirius had been granted access to see her and this was a change Harry loved. Sirius had helped her on the days he saw her, finish up on the last theories of Ancient Magic. Not that there was much to go on in the books, just a general idea of what it was. Ancient Magic was believed to have a spiritual and emotional connection before it could be cast. It was based on the theory that magic itself was a living thing that was all around them. Harry already knew this and it frustrated her greatly, for how did her mother use this magic to save her very life, if it wasn't written down anywhere.

There was another type of magic connected to Ancient Magic, that Harry had not read up upon until Sirius had mentioned it. Blood Magic, it was the oldest Ancient Magic known of to use it was mostly considered to be very dark. Though it did have its light uses, for verification of a person. Due to spells and potions faking one's identity was very easy in the Wizarding world. Sirius had used it along with her father James, in a Blood Pack, so that they would be brothers not just in spirit but in blood also. Blood could also be used for wards as Harry found out first hand. A week ago, Sirius had taken her away for a few days, not telling her where they were going. It turned out to be Sirius's new house; Sirius created the wards to protect it using their own blood.

Learning from Sirius hadn't stopped there, even though Harry was not allowed to use magic outside of school. Sirius could and grudgingly he agreed to teach her how to become an Animagus. Sirius's form was that of a huge dog, so far all they could tell was that Harry was some type of white bird. The full form hadn't happened yet, but she definitely had wings for a few moments. Figures she would be a bird considering her love and the freedom she felt whilst flying on a broom. Harry just had to keep practising at it, so she could change at will into an animal.

Unfortunately, the full moon had been due; so Harry had to go back to her aunt and uncles to spend her birthday there. Sirius had gone to help Remus with the transformation. It would have been fine being stuck at the Dursleys but Harry didn't even have Dobby for company due to the fact her elf was helping Sirius and Remus research into Muggle and Wizarding Laws; so they could cover all grounds and not lose the appeal. It was a rather long process; though they hoped to process the appeal soon. And that thought got Harry through the days she spent with the Dursleys including her own birthday.

It was currently night time and the occupants of number four Privet Drive were currently sleeping, though it would not remain that way for long ...

Harry woke up with a start and her breathing was hard, she had just awoken from a rather vivid dream. Harry pressed a hand to her face; her fingers tracing her old scar. The odd thing about her scar was that it was shaped like a lightening bolt, the other had been how she received her scar. A Dark Wizard, known as, Voldemort had given it to her, the night he had tried to kill her as a baby. Which brought Harry back to her current predicament. Her dream had been about him, about Voldemort. Harry tried to concentrate on what she could remember...

A darkened room, a snake on a rug, ... Peter Pettigrew, nicknamed Wormtail, a man she didn't recognise ... but the cold, high voice she had, it was Voldemort. The other man had been an older man, Harry had watched him fall to the ground. Who had he been? What had they been talking about? Voldemort and Wormtail had said they killed someone ... that they were plotting to kill someone else ... her. This troubled Harry, but between Sirius and Hogwarts she was safe, Voldemort would be stupid to try anything at Hogwarts. Why? Albus Dumbledore, Harry was sure nothing got past the Headmaster of Hogwarts. The thing that bothered Harry the most was the last time her scar had hurt her, it had been because Voldemort had been close by ... but how could Voldemort be close to her now...

Harry listened closely to the silence around her, well almost silence ... she could hear Dudley's snores from the next room. Wide awake Harry got up and crossed the room; Hedwig; Harry's owl, watched her as she approached. Harry stretched a hand out and stroked Hedwig softly. Harry glanced over towards her birthday cards, she had received from her friends. What would they say if she told them about her scar hurting?

Hermione, her best female friend, would panic tell her to write to Professor Dumbledore and consult a book. Ron, on the other hand, would most likely be as confused as Harry and ask his dad; Mr Weasley worked in the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office at the Ministry of Magic. Mr Weasley though didn't have any particular expertise in the matter of cursed scars as far as Harry knew. And she rather not have the whole Weasley family knowing. Mrs Weasley would fuss over her, Ginny would look at her oddly and Ron's older twin brothers; Fred would think she was losing her nerve and George - well was George and due to his crush on her, that Hermione had informed her about at the end of their last year; she wasn't sure how he would react.

What she needed was a parent, or someone like a parent and Harry sure wasn't going to speak to the Dursleys about her scar. But who could she ask about Dark Magic, without her feeling - stupid - she was so stupid. Sirius was her answer.

 _Dear Sirius,_ _  
 _Hope things went well with Mooney last full moon, and that he is now recovering well. Say hello for me._  
 _Things are the same as usual here and Dudley's diet isn't going well. He actually smuggled doughnuts into_  
 _his room yesterday, aunt Petunia was furious. They actually told him they'd cut his pocket money if he keeps it up._  
 _I'm looking forward to getting my hands on some real food soon, I'm still seeing you for a few days some point next_ _week right? I'm looking forward to learning some more, from you. You don't happen to know anything about cursed scars?_  
 _A weird thing happened, I woke up from a strange dream and my scar hurt. Last time my scar hurt it was because_  
 _Voldemort was at Hogwarts. I don't reckon he could be anywhere near me now, could he? Do you reckon curse scars_  
 _sometimes hurt years afters? Oh, I forgot to ask how are my two strange friends doing, I hope Buckbeak is enjoying_  
 _the open fields and don't forget Dobby has a day off each month._  
 _Hope to hear from you soon,_  
 _Anna x.__

Harry read the letter back, it didn't look like she was too worried. She even signed it off in her nickname her parents had given her. Something else she had only found out last year and only Sirius and Remus so far had been given the privilege of using it, as much as George Weasley like to call her it. Harry folded up the parchment and opened up her wardrobe, another good thing about having Sirius in her life; it meant she actually had clothes that fitted her provided by a guardian. It had been odd when Sirius first paid for her things as Harry was used to doing it herself. But Sirius had insisted and been quite stubborn about it. A mirror was on the inside of the wardrobe door. A skinny girl of fourteen stared back at her. Harry had grown her hair out again, it now reached past her shoulders; though it hadn't lost its messy look. She kept her side fringe to help hide her scar. Harry shook her head, began to dress then pulled out the small make-up bag from the wardrobe using the mirror to help her cover-up any evidence of her scar. It's not like she didn't like her scar, she did; Harry, however, hated the attention and the fame the scar gave her. For every person in the Wizarding world had heard of the name Harianna Jamie Potter and all she had ever done was survive a curse. A curse no one else had done before. So the scar irritated Harry to no end. To the Wizarding world it was a sign out what she had done, defeating Voldemort; to Harry to was a reminder, a reminder of the night she lost her parents.

By the time, Harry arrived in the kitchen, the three Dursleys were already seated around the table. None of them looked up as she entered or sat down. Uncle Vernon face was hidden behind that morning's Daily Mail. Aunt Petunia was cutting a grapefruit into quarters. Dudley looked furious and sulky, and he glared as aunt Petunia put a quarter of unsweetened grapefruit onto Dudley's plate. Dudley's end of year report from his school had made this change in his life. Harry's aunt and uncle managed to find excuses for his bad marks as per usual. They also skated over the accusations of bullying in the report. But the few well-chosen words from the school nurse they had not been able to explain away like the others. No matter hoe much aunt Petunia said the Dudley was just big boned, the fact remained that the school outfitters didn't stock knickerbockers big enough for him anymore. So after many arguments, the regime began, the diet sheet taped to the fridge; which had been emptied of Dudley's favourite sugary things and filled with uncle Vernon liked to call an deemed rabbit food - fruit and vegetables. But to make Dudley fill better the whole family followed the diet.

Harry was not sticking to the diet one bit, hidden under a loose floor board, lay all sort of treats sent to her by her friends. So Harry tucked into her smaller sized portion, not saying a word. The doorbell rang, uncle Vernon heaved himself out of his chair and went to answer it. Harry heard talking at the door, and someone was laughing. Then the front door closed with a loud bang. Uncle Vernon returned to the kitchen looking vivid.

'So,' he said looking directly at Harry. 'So ...'

'So, what?'

'This just arrived, a letter about you, from your lot.'

Harry wondered who from the Wizarding world would be writing to her Muggle relatives. Uncle Vernon glared at her, then looked down at the letter and began to read.

 _Dear Mr and Mrs Dursley,_ _  
 _We have never been introduced, but I am sure you have heard a great deal about a few of my sons,_ _from your niece Harry._ _Ron of which, being one of her closest friends. We was hoping if we could be granted permission to take Harry, with us to the finial of the Quidditch World Cup, that takes place next Monday night. We would of course be glad to have Harry to stay over for the remainder of the school holidays, and to see her safely onto the train back to school._  
 _It would be best if Harry returns your answer, in the normal way, because the Muggle postman has never delivered to our house._  
 _Hoping to see Harry soon,_  
 _Yours sincerely,_  
 _Molly Weasley_  
 _P.S. I do hope we've put enough stamps on.__

Uncle Vernon, flashed the envelope in which Mrs Weasley's letter had come. Harry burst out in laughter, every bit of it was covered in stamps, expect for a square inch of the front, into which the Dursley's address had been squeezed in.

'The postman found this very funny, very interested to know where this letter had come from, he was. That's why he rang the doorbell.'

Uncle Vernon was still glaring at her, whilst she laughed.

'So - can I go, then?' she asked after her laughing fit had stopped.

A slight spasm crossed uncle Vernon's face. He was under conflict, allowing her to go would make Harry happy, something the Dursleys hated to allow for thirteen years. If he let her go, they would get rid of her earlier then they had expected.

'Who is this woman?' Vernon said staring at the signature with distaste.

'She's my friend Ron's mother, you've seen her waiting by the platform, to collect her children.'

'The dumpy sort of women, with a load of children with red hair.'

Harry frowned, that was a bit rich calling Mrs Weasley dumpy considering his own son was the size of a whale. Uncle Vernon was reading through the letter again.

'What is this rubbish about - Quidditch?' he muttered.

'It's our sport,' Harry replied in annoyance.

'What does she mean, the normal way?' he spat

'She means by owl, that's what people usually do of my kind,' Harry said.

'Don't talk to me like that, you ungrateful-'

'Fine, I can't go to the World Cup. Can I go now? Only I need to finish up a letter to Sirius - you remember my godfather, don't you-?'

Harry had just said the magic word; uncle Vernon had gone as white as a sheet, clearly remembering the last time, he had upset Harry with Sirius around. Uncle Vernon and aunt Petunia had been on the receiving end of Padfoot who's bite was definitely worse then his bark.

'You're - you're writing to him?' uncle Vernon asked calmly.

'Of course, it's been a few days since he heard from me and if doesn't he might think something was wrong.' Harry said casually.

Uncle Vernon was clearly thinking of the consequences of meeting Padfoot again, if Sirius thought Harry was being mistreated.

'All right, you can go to this stupid ... World Cup thing. You write to these Weasleys, you tell them that they're to pick you up. I haven't got time to spend dropping you off all over the country. And you can spend the rest of the summer there, and you can tell that godfather of yours, tell him that you're going.'

'OK then,' Harry said brightly. She turned towards the living room door, outside in the hallway she nearly ran into Dudley, who had been lurking behind the door, clearly hoping to hear Harry being told off. Harry took the stairs the stairs three at a time. Hedwig was still in her cage but she had been clicking her beck in the way that meant she was annoyed about something. Harry spotted Hedwig's problem at once. Zooming around her room was a small grey, tennis ball sized owl. The owl dropped a letter at her feet. Harry recognised Ron's handwriting at once.

 _Harry - dad got tickets - Ireland versus Bulgaria, Monday night. Mum is writing to Muggles_ _  
 _to ask you to stay. They might have the letter already; not sure how fast Muggle post is._  
 _Send your reply back with Pig. We're coming whether Muggles like it or not, you can't miss_  
 _the World Cup, only mum and dad think its polite to ask for permission first. Hermione's arriving this afternoon._  
 _Percy's started work - Department of International Magical Co-operation. Don't say anything about Abroad while_  
 _you're here unless you want the pants bored off you. We'll collect you five o'clock Sunday._  
 _See you soon,_  
 _Ron.__

Harry frowned at the word Pig and the looked up towards the owl and muttered. 'Alright Pig, lets see if you stay still long enough for me to attach a letter to you.' Harry grabbed a piece of parchment and scribbled a note back.

 _Ron,_ _  
 _Muggles say I can come, I used the new magic word; Sirius, just so I could._  
 _See you at five o'clock tomorrow. Can't wait._  
 _Harry.__

Harry caught the tiny owl, to secure the reply to it. The moment it was secure the owl was off again; it zoomed out of the window and out of sight. Harry unfolded the letter she had written to Sirius and added a postscript.

 _Looks like we'll have to rearrange our meeting. Weasley's have invited me over,_ _  
 _for the rest of the Summer! Ron's dad has got tickets for the Quidditch World Cup._  
 _Hope you don't mind. I'll owl if I need you. X.__

With the letter finished, Harry glanced over to her own owl; Hedwig peered at her with her orange eyes.

'Up for a journey? I've got a letter for Sirius,' Harry said to her.

Hedwig hooted in reply.

'Thanks Hedwig,' Harry said attaching the letter to her. 'I'll be at Ron's, I'll see you there OK? Have a safe flight.'

Hedwig nipped her finger affectionately, before soaring out of the open window. Harry watched her fly out of sight, then turned to her room, she pulled her trunk open and began to pack the things she would be needing in it, then she might help herself, to a bit of her birthday cake she had left. In her excitement of leaving tomorrow and going to the Quidditch World Cup, it was hard to worry about what had caused her scar to hurt - not even Lord Voldemort could destroy how happy she was feeling.


	71. Chapter 71

Harry was ready to go by twelve o'clock the next day. She had checked she packed her prized possessions - the Invisibility Cloak she had inherited from her father, the Firebolt - the broomstick she had got from Sirius, and the Marauders Map; which was an enchanted map of Hogwarts she had been given by Fred and George Weasley. She had checked her hiding place under the loose floorboard had been emptied, and that she hadn't forgotten any school books or quills. The atmosphere inside number four Privet Drive was extremely tense. Uncle Vernon looked alarmed when Harry informed him that the Weasleys would be arriving at five o'clock the next day. The imminent arrival at their house of an assortment of wizards made the Dursleys uptight and irritable.

Uncle Vernon had put on his best suit, this wasn't to be confused as a gesture of welcome. Harry knew it was because uncle Vernon wanted to look impressive and intimidating. Though Harry doubted it would last for long once uncle Vernon caught sight of the Weasleys. People her uncle could intimidate, wizards not so much. Lunch had been a silent meal and Dudley looked somehow diminished. Harry doubted it was due to his diet, the last time Dudley had come upon a fully-grown wizard, he had sprouted a pig's tail.

Harry spent most of the afternoon in her bedroom; she couldn't stand watching aunt Petunia peer out through the net curtains every few seconds. Harry stared out of her own bedroom window, watching the cars pass by. Would they be driving Harry thought, it seemed most likely. Finally, at quarter to five, Harry went back downstairs into the living room. Aunt Petunia was straightening out the cushions, uncle Vernon was pretending to read the paper and Dudley was crammed into an armchair. But five o'clock came and went.

'They're late!' uncle Vernon snarled at her.

'I know,' Harry said irritably.

Harry watched the time go past, ten past five ... then quarter past five. Harry was starting to feel very anxious now. At half past there was still no sign of them.

'No consideration at all.'

'We might've had an engagement.'

Uncle Vernon stood up and began pacing the living room. The next moment they heard a loud crash. Harry jumped and the Dursleys scrambled, panic stricken, across the room. Loud banging and scrapings were coming from behind the Dursleys' boarded up fire place, which had a fake coal fire plugged in front of it.

'What is it?' gasped aunt Petunia, she had backed herself into the wall and was staring, terrified towards the fire.

But barely seconds later, voices could be heard from inside the blocked fireplace.

'Ouch! George, no - go back, go back, there's been some kind of mistake - tell Fred not to OUCH! Fred, no, there's no room, go back quickly and tell Ron-'

The Dursleys rounded on Harry who had burst into fits of laughter.

'What is this?' uncle Vernon growled. 'What is going on?'

'They - they tried to get here by Floo powder,' Harry said fighting her laughter. 'They can travel by fire - only you've blocked the fireplace - hang on -'

Harry approached the fireplace and called through the boards.

'Mr Weasley? ... Mr Weasley? Can you hear me?'

The voices stopped talking, someone inside the chimney piece said, 'Shh!'

'Mr Weasley, it's Harry ... the fireplace has been blocked up. You won't be able to get through.'

'Damn!' Mr Weasley's voice said. 'Why on earth would they want to do that for?'

'They've got an electric fire,' Harry explained.

'Really?' Mr Weasley's voice said excitedly. 'Ecklectic, you say? With a plug?'

'DAD! You can ask Anna, how it works when we - ouch, Ron!' the voice of George Weasley said.

'What are we doing here? Has something gone wrong?' a voice asked that Harry, recognised as Ron's voice.

'Oh, no, Ron,' came Fred's voice, very sarcastically. 'No, this is exactly where we wanted to end up.'

'Yeah, we're having the time of our lives here,' George said his voice sounded muffled, as though he was squashed against the wall.

'Boys ...' Mr Weasley said. 'I'm trying to think what to do ... yes ... only way ... Harry stand back.'

Harry retreated to the sofa. Uncle Vernon, however moved forwards.

'Wait a moment!' he bellowed at the fire. 'What exactly are you going -?'

BANG. The electric fire shot across the room as the boarded-up-fireplace burst outwards, expelling Mr Weasley, Fred, George and Ron in a cloud of rubble and loose chippings. Aunt Petunia shrieked, while uncle Vernon gaped, speechless, at the Weasleys.

'That's better,' Mr Weasley panted, brushing dust from his long green robes and straightening his glasses. 'Ah - you must be Harry's aunt and uncle!' Mr Weasley moved towards uncle Vernon, his hand outstretched, but uncle Vernon backed away several paces. Harry mouthed 'sorry about them' in Mr Weasley's direction.

Mr Weasley blinked then lowered his hand, then looked over his shoulder at the blasted fireplace.

'Yes sorry about that, it's my fault, it didn't occur to me that we wouldn't be able to get through,' Mr Weasley said. 'I had your fireplace connected to the Floo Network, you see - just for this afternoon, you know, so we could get Harry. I can put it right in a jiffy, though don't worry. I'll light a fire to send the children back, and then I can repair your fireplace before I Disapparate.'

The Dursleys stood still gaping at Mr Weasley, thunderstruck. Forget the car, the Weasleys should do this every year.

'Hello, Harry, your trunk ready?' Mr Weasley asked her brightly.

'Yeah it's upstairs, in my bedroom,' Harry replied grinning back.

'We'll get it,' George said at once, winking at Harry, then he and Fred left the room.

Mr Weasley glanced around the room. The usually spotless living room was now covered in dust and bits of brick. 'Well - very - erm nice place you've got here.' Mr Weasley said attempting to break the silence, then he noticed Dudley who had been attempting to conceal himself behind his mother and father.

'Ah you must be Harry's cousin, Dudley.' Mr Weasley said. 'Are you having a good holiday, Dudley?'

Harry and Ron exchanged glances and quickly looked away from each other; the temptation to burst out laughing was almost overwhelming. As Mr Weasley spoke to Dudley, Dudley had moved his hands to clutch his bottom tightly and he whimpered in response. Mr Weasley, however, seemed genuinely concerned at Dudley's peculiar behaviour. Fred and George came back into the room, carrying Harry's school trunk. They glanced around as they entered and spotted Dudley. Their faces cracked into identical, evil grins.

'Right, better get cracking then,' Mr Weasley said and the moment he took his wand the Dursleys moved closer to the wall.

' _Incendio!'_ Mr Weasley said, pointing his wand at the hole in the wall behind him. Flames rose at once in the fire place. Mr Weasley took a small drawstring bag from his pocket, untied it, took a pinch of the powder inside and threw it into the flames, which turned emerald green. George helped Fred towards the fire turning the trunk so that Fred could hold it better. Fred said 'The Burrow!' There was a whooshing sound, and Fred had vanished.

'George, you next,' Mr Weasley said.

'Coming,' George said. 'Oh no - hang on-'

A bag of sweets had spilled out of George's pocket and the contents were now rolling in every direction - big, fat toffees in brightly coloured wrappers. George scrambled around, cramming them back into his pocket, then gave the Dursley's a cheery wave, stepped forward and walked right into the fire saying, 'The Burrow!'. There was a second whoosh and George had vanished as well. Ron stepped forward next.

'See you,' Ron said brightly to the Dursleys, he grinned broadly at Harry, the stepped into the fire, shouted 'The Burrow' and disappeared. Now Harry and Mr Weasley remained alone with the Dursleys.

'Well ... bye then,' Harry said to the Dursleys. They didn't say anything at all. Harry moved towards the fire, but as she reached it, Mr Weasley put a hand on her shoulder and held her back. He was looking at the Dursleys in amazement.

'Harry said goodbye to you,' he said. 'Didn't you hear her?'

'It doesn't matter, Mr Weasley,' Harry muttered. 'Honestly, I don't care.'

Mr Weasley did not remove his hand from her shoulder.

'You aren't going to see your niece until next summer,' he said to her aunt and uncle. 'Surely you're going to say goodbye?'

Uncle Vernon face worked furiously. The idea of being taught consideration by a man who had just blasted away half his living room wall seemed to be causing him intense suffering. But Mr Weasley's wand was still in his hand, and her uncle's eyes had darted to it, before he said, very resentfully, 'Goodbye, then.'

Harry putting one foot ward into the green flames, stopped at the sound of horrible gagging from behind her and aunt Petunia started to scream. Harry wheeled around. Dudley was no longer standing behind his parents. He was kneeling beside the coffee table, and he was gagging and spluttering on a foot-long, purple, slimy thing that was protruding from his mouth. Harry realised it was actually his tongue - and a brightly coloured toffee-wrapper lay on the floor beside him. George, Harry thought. There was a reason rule number two existed when it came to the twins, Harry had seen it first hand, back in her first-year. Aunt Petunia hurled herself onto the ground beside Dudley, seized the end of his swollen tongue and attempted to wrench it out of his mouth; unsurprisingly, Dudley yelled and splattered worse than ever. Uncle Vernon was bellowing and waving his arms around, Mr Weasley had to shout to make himself heard.

'Not to worry, I can sort him out!' he yelled, advancing on Dudley with his wand outstretched, but aunt Petunia screamed worse then ever and threw herself on top of Dudley, shielding him from Mr Weasley.

'No, really! I can correct it,' Mr Weasley said desperately but far from being reassured, the Dursleys became more panic-stricken; aunt Petunia was sobbing, Dudley appeared to be suffocating under the combined pressure of his mother and his tongue.

'Harry, go! Just go!' Mr Weasley shouted towards her as her uncle began to throw china at him. 'I'll sort this out!'

Harry didn't want to go at all, she didn't want to miss the fun, but another ornament was thrown and it narrowly missed her left ear, and on balance she thought it was best to leave. She stepped into the fire shouted 'The Burrow!' her last glimpse of the living room was of Mr Weasley blasting another ornament out of uncle Vernon's hand with his wand, aunt Petunia screaming and laying on top of Dudley, and Dudley's tongue lolling around on the floor.

When the spinning sensation had stopped, Harry had tumbled once again out of the Weasleys' kitchen fire.

'Did he eat it?' George said as he caught Harry as she fell out.

'Yeah,' Harry said. 'What was it?'

'Ton-Tongue Toffee,' Fred said brightly. 'George and I invented them, we've been looking for someone to test them on all summer ...'

The tiny kitchen exploded with laughter; Harry looked around and saw that Fred and Ron were sitting at the scrubbed wooden table with two red-haired people Harry had never seen before, though she knew immediately who they must be: Bill and Charlie, the two eldest Weasley brothers.

'How're you doing Harry?' said the nearer of the two, grinning at her, holding out a large hand, which Harry shook, feeling calluses and blisters under his fingers.

'Charlie, right?' Harry said smiling at him. He gave her a surprised look, Charlie worked with dragons in Romania and he was built like the twins, shorter and stockier then Percy and Ron. He had a broad, good-natured face, which was weather-beaten; his arms were muscly, and one of them had a large, shiny burn on it. 'The blisters on your hand and the burn gave it away.' she explained and turned to the eldest Weasley son. 'Which means; you must be Bill.'

'She's good, I like her already,' Charlie said in a rather husky voice.

Bill got to his feet, smiling, and also shook Harry's hand. Bill came as something of a surprise. Harry had known, he worked for the wizarding bank, Gringotts, and that he had been Head Boy of Hogwarts. She had always pictured him as an older version of Percy; fussy about rule breaking and fond of bossing everyone around. Bill, however, was cool, he was tall, with long hair that he had tied back in a ponytail. He was wearing an earring with what looked like a fang dangling from it. He would not have looked out of place at a rock concert though his boots were made out of dragon hide.

Before any of them could say anything else, there was a faint popping noise, and Mr Weasley appeared out of thin air at George's shoulder. He was looking angrier than Harry had ever seen him.

'That was not funny, boys!' he shouted. 'What on earth did you give him George?'

'I didn't give him anything,' George said, with another evil grin. 'I just dropped it ... it was his fault he went and ate it, I never told him to.'

'You dropped it on purpose!' Mr Weasley roared. 'You knew he would eat it, you knew he was on a diet-'

'How big did his tongue get?' Fred asked eagerly.

'It was four-foot long before his parents would let me shrink it!'

Harry and the Weasleys roared with laughter.

'It isn't funny!' Mr Weasley shouted. 'They were so mad, the started throwing ornaments at us, Harianna almost got hurt in the process.'

'You did?' George breathed, turning his head, his speckled eyes etched with concern as he looked at her.

'It missed me, I'm OK.'

'My point is boys, that this sort of behaviour is unacceptable, you like having Harianna stay here with us, right? Well what happens if the Muggles don't let her due to your stupid stunt - what if she had been hurt - do you think her guardians would have want us to have her again, or let her come to us again!' Mr Weasley said. 'You wait until I tell your mother-'

'Tell me what?' said a voice behind them.

Mrs Weasley had just entered the kitchen. She was a short, plump woman with a very kind face, though her eyes were presently narrowed with suspicion.

'Hello, Harry dear,' she said, spotting her and smiling, then her eyes snapped back to her husband. 'Tell me what Arthur?'

Mr Weasley hesitated, Harry could tell that, however angry he was with Fred and George, he hadn't really intended to tell Mrs Weasley what happened. There was a silence, while Mr Weasley eyed his wife nervously. Harry broke the silence with a squeal when two girls appeared in the kitchen doorway. One, with very bushy brown hair was Harry and Ron's best friend, Hermione Granger. The other, who was small and red-haired, was Ron's younger sister, Ginny. Both of them smiling at her, Harry dashed over to hug them both.

The Weasley boys had been staring at them whilst the girly exchanged took place, until Mrs Weasley blinked and repeated, in a dangerous sort of voice. 'Tell me what Arthur?'

'It was nothing Molly,' Mr Weasley mumbled. 'Fred and George just - but I've had words with them-'

'What have they done this time?' said Mrs Weasley. 'If it's got anything to do with Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes-'

'I think this calls for a girly catch up, hope you don't mind my room is a bit cramped with the three of us in it,' Ginny said.

'Sounds perfect,' Harry exclaimed. 'So much to tell you - oh I'll start with the time I was out with Sirius - we'd gone out - and at lunch time - this douche -'

'Douche?' Ginny asked confused.

'Oh Ginny,' Hermione said brightly. 'We've got so much to teach you.'

Harry giggled. 'It's a Muggle expression.'

Hermione lead the way back out towards the stairs. After explaining to Ginny what a douche exactly was, Harry asked. 'So, what is Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes?'

'Mum found this stack of order forms when she was cleaning Fred and George's room. Great long price lists for stuff they've invented. Joke stuff, you know. Fake wands and trick sweets, loads of stuff,' Ginny explained

'The explosions from their room, they were actually making stuff!' Harry said, remembering the last time she had been at the Burrow.

'Yeah, most - well all of it was a bit dangerous and they had planned to sell it at Hogwarts to make some money. Mum was furious, told them they weren't allowed to make any more of it and burnt the forms ... she was furious at them before anyway, they didn't get as many OWLs as she expected.' Ginny said. 'There was a big row over it ... because mum wants them to go into the Ministry of Magic like dad, and they told her all they want do is open a joke shop.'

From the shouts from the kitchen below that echoed up to them, it sounded as though Mr Weasley had told Mrs Weasley about the toffees.

'How is Sirius and Professor Lupin?' Hermione asked, when they reached Ginny's room.

'Oh, they both good, Remus is working hard; trying to keep Sirius out of trouble mainly I think. Sirius is great though,' Harry grinned. 'Where's Crookshanks?' Harry asked puzzled that the large orange cat hadn't been there to greet them.

'Out in the garden, I expect,' she said. 'He likes chasing gnomes, he's never seen any before.'

'Oh,' Harry said

'Did you get our food parcels and everything?' Ginny asked.

'Yeah, I did, thanks a lot,' Harry said.

'I think they've stopped arguing,' Hermione said. 'Shall we go down to help your mum with dinner?'

'Oh, yeah good point,' Ginny said. They went back, down the stairs, to find Mrs Weasley alone in the kitchen, looking extremely bad-tempered and muttering under her breath.

'We're eating out in the garden,' she said when she spotted them. 'There's not enough room for eleven people in here. Could you take the plates and cutlery out girls?'

When they reached the garden, Harry recognised Crookshanks chasing gnomes around the garden. There was a very loud crashing noise coming from the other side of the house. Bill and Charlie both had their wands out, making two battered old tables fly high above the lawn, smashing into each other, each attempting to knock the other's out of the air. Fred and George were cheering, Ron was laughing. Harry and Ginny joined in giggling also; Hermione however looked torn between amusement and anxiety. Bill's table caught Charlie's with another huge bang, and knocked one of its legs off. There was a clatter overhead, and they all looked up to see Percy's head poking out of a window on the second floor.

'Keep it down, will you?' he bellowed.

'Sorry, Perce,' Bill said grinning. 'How're the cauldron bottoms coming along?'

'Very badly,' Percy said, slamming the window shut again. Chuckling Bill and Charlie directed the tables safety onto the grass, end to end, then with a flick of his wand; Bill reattached the table leg, and conjured tablecloths from nowhere.

'Spoils all the fun,' Ron said huffed taking the plates off Harry. 'All he talks about is work, I don't reckon Percy would come home unless dad didn't make him. He's obsessed, just don't talk to him on the subject of his boss. According to Mr Crouch ... Mr Crouch was telling me ... They'll be announcing their engagement any day now.'

By seven o'clock, the two tables were groaning under dishes and dishes of Mrs Weasley's excellent cooking, and the nine Weasleys, Harry and Hermione were settling themselves down to eat beneath a clear, deep-blue sky. Harry listened rather than talked, as she helped herself to chicken and ham pie, boiled potatoes and salad. At the far end of the table, Percy was telling his father all about his report, then spoke about a top-secret event they had to organise, causing Ron to roll his eyes. In the middle of the table, Mrs Weasley was arguing with Bill about his earring and his hair. George who had been sitting beside Harry had been talking about the World Cup with Fred and Charlie, this conversation caught Harry's attention the most, as she had been stuck at Privet Drive for most of it.

'It's got to be Ireland,' said Charlie. 'They flattened Peru in the semi-finials.'

'Bulgaria have got Viktor Krum though,' Fred said.

Harry recognised that name instantly, he was an eighteen-year old Seeker for the Bulgarian team.

'Krum's one decent player,' Charlie said shortly.

'Good looking too,' Harry said without thinking, it was only when she heard choking from besides her, did she realise what she had said. 'Did I say that out loud, sorry.' Harry shrugged apologetically, Hermione and Ginny both shared a look with her, then Hermione pulled face as though she was lost in thought. Ginny had a sort of dreamy expression on her face.

'I suppose, when he doesn't look so grumpy,' Ginny said, 'he is quite handsome.'

'And those muscles,' Hermione exclaimed. 'He must be in really good shape.'

'Umm,' Harry agreed. There was a moment silence then-

'Girls!' Ron chocked out, looking rather flushed in the face. 'I'll never understand them-'

'Aww poor Ronniekins, don't worry,' Harry said, speaking in a small baby voice. 'We'll tell you _all_ about them, when your older.'

Harry, Hermione and Ginny had burst into laughter as Ron's flush faced deepened.


	72. Chapter 72

Harry felt as though she had barely lain down to sleep in Ginny's room when she was being shaken again, Ginny and Hermione looked as groggy as Harry did. They dressed in silence, too sleepy to talk, then, yawning the three of them headed downstairs to the kitchen. Mr Weasley was sitting at the table, checking a sheaf of large parchments tickets. He looked up as the girls entered. He was wearing an old golfing jumper and a very old pair of jeans.

'We're supposed to go incognito,' he said and added rather anxiously. 'What do you think - do I look like a Muggle, Harry? Hermione?'

'Yeah,' said Harry smiling.

'Very good Mr Weasley,' Hermione added.

The boys walked into the kitchen, still looking half asleep.

'Where're Bill, Charlie and Per-Per-Percy?' George said failing to stifle a huge yawn.

Mrs Weasley who had been stirring the contents of a large pot on the stove answered. 'Well they're Apparating aren't they, so they can have a bit of a lie-in.'

'Why can't we Apparate too?' Fred said grumpily. Mrs Weasley heaved the large pot over to the table and started to ladle porridge into bowls.

'Because you're not of age and you haven't passed your test.' Mrs Weasley replied sharply.

'You have to pass a test to Apparate?' Harry asked. 'I didn't know that.'

'Oh yes,' Mr Weasley replied. 'Apparition is a tricky business and when it's not done properly, it can lead to nasty complications - just the other day a couple of people without a licence went and Splinched themselves.'

'Splinched?' Harry said.

'They left half of themselves behind, so of course, they were stuck. Couldn't move either way. Had to wait for the Accidental Magic Reversal Squad to sort them out.' Mr Weasley said.

'So how are we getting to the World Cup?' Ron said having finally woken up.

'Well, we've got a bit of a walk. It's very difficult for a large number of wizards to congregate without attracting Muggle attention-' Mr Weasley began.

'George, what is that in your pocket?' Mrs Weasley said sharply.

'Nothing!'

'Don't you lie to me!' Mrs Weasley pointed her wand at George's pocket and said. ' _Accio!'_ Several small, brightly coloured objects zoomed out of George's pocket; and they sped right into Mrs Weasley's outstretched hand.

'We told you to destroy them!' Mrs Weasley said furiously, holding up what were unmistakably more Ton-Tongue Toffees. 'We told you to get rid of the lot! Empty your pockets, go on both of you!'

It was an unpleasant scene; the twins had evidently been trying to smuggle as many toffees out of the house as possible, it was only by using her Summoning Charm that Mrs Weasley managed to find them all. Toffees zoomed from all sorts of unlikely places, including the lining of George's jacket and the turn-ups of Fred's jeans.

'We spent six months developing those!' Fred shouted at his mother, as she threw the toffees away.

'Oh, a fine way to spend six months!' Mrs Weasley shrieked. 'No wonder you didn't get more OWLs!'

All in all, the atmosphere was not friendly as they made their departure, the twins had each hoisted their rucksacks on their backs and walked off without saying a word. Mrs Weasley kissed her husband on the cheek, then said. 'Have a lovely time, I'll send Bill, Charlie and Percy around midday.'

Mr Weasley, Harry, Ron and Ginny set off across the dark yard after Fred and George. It was chilly and the moon was still out. Only a dull, greenish tinge along the horizon showed that daybreak was drawing closer. Harry was thinking about what Mr Weasley had been saying about it being very difficult for a large number of wizards to congregate with attracting attention.

'So how are we getting to the World Cup, Mr Weasley? You never did say,' Harry asked.

'Oh for those you can't Apparate or don't want to, we use Portkeys. They're objects that are used to transport wizards from one spot to another at a prearranged time. You can do large number groups at a time if you need to. Portkeys can be any object, unobtrusive things, obviously, stuff Muggles think is just litter ... so they don't go picking them up. There have been two hundred Portkeys placed at strategic points around Britain, the nearest one to us is up the top of Stoatshead Hill.'

They trudged down the dark, dank lane towards the village. The sky lightened very slowly as they walked through the village. Then they began to climb Stoatshead Hill. Harry's feet were freezing by the time they reached the top of the hill. A shout filled the air.

'Over here, Arthur! Over here, we've got it!' Two tall figures were silhouetted against the starry sky on the other side of the hilltop.

'Amos!' Mr Weasley said smiling as he strode over to the man who shouted. The rest of them followed. Mr Weasley shook the other man hand. He had a ruddy-face with a scrubby brown beard and holding a mouldy-looking boot in his other hand. The other person Harry knew and she was fighting hard not to blush. Cedric Diggory was an extremely handsome boy, he was in his sixth year at Hogwarts and was captain and Seeker of the Hufflepuff house Quidditch team. The older man he was with must have been his father, Harry's theory proven correct when Mr Weasley introduced the older man.

'This is Amos Diggory, everyone, works for the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures.' Mr Weasley said. 'I think you all know his son Cedric?'

'Hi,' Cedric said, looking around at them all. Harry managed to mumble a reply all with the others expect Fred and George, who merely nodded.

'Long walk Arthur?' Mr Diggory asked. 'We had to get up at two. I'll tell you, I'll be glad when he's passed his Apparition test. Still not complaining ... mind you looks like I got off easy ...' Amos Diggory peered good-naturedly around the three Weasley boys, Harry, Hermione and Ginny. 'All these yours Arthur?'

'We're just over the other side of the village so it wasn't too bad of a walk, and just the red heads,' Mr Weasley said. 'This is Hermione, friend of Ron's - and Harianna, another friend-'

'Merlin's beard,' Amos Diggory said, his eyes widening. 'Harianna? Harianna Potter?'

'Er - yeah,' Harry said. She was used to people looking curiously at her when they met her, used to the way their eyes moved at once to the lightning scar on her forehead, but it just made her feel uncomfortable. Harry had forgotten to use her makeup to cover the scar up, that morning due to the early wake-up call.

'Ced's talked about you, of course. Told us all about playing against you last year ... how you feel off your broom ... poor thing ... Dementors wasn't it ... but I told him that it would be something to tell your grandchildren, that you beat Harianna Potter! Very proud of him we are.' Mr Diggory said.

Fred and George were both scowling and Cedric looked slightly embarrassed.

'You should be proud of son, Mr Diggory,' Harry said and she could feel her face heating up. Mr Diggory was blinking at her in surprise and Harry forced herself not to look at Cedric as she continued. 'Your son tried to do a very noble thing, he felt that he hadn't won the match fairly and tried to get a rematch. It was a very honourable thing for him to do, so yes Mr Diggory you have every right be proud of your son.'

George was now glaring harder at Cedric, as though Cedric had done something to upset him. Mr Diggory continued to stare at her.

'Must be nearly time,' Mr Weasley said quickly, pulling out his watch. 'Do you know whether we're waiting for any more, Amos?'

'No,' Mr Diggory said snapping out his stare and turned towards Mr Weasley. 'Lovegoods have been there for a week already and the Fawcetts couldn't get tickets. There aren't any more of us in this area.'

'Not that I know of, yes, it's a minute off ... we'd better get ready...' Mr Weasley said and turned to look at Harry and Hermione. 'You just need to touch the Portkey, that's all, a finger will do-'

With difficulty, owing to the bulky backpacks, the nine of them crowded around the old boot held out by Amos Diggory. They all stood there, in a tight circle, as a chill breeze swept over the hilltop.

'Three ...' muttered Mr Weasley, one eye still on his watch, 'two... one...'

It happened immediately: Harry felt as though a hook just behind her navel had been suddenly jerked irresistibly forwards. Her feet left the ground; she could feel Ron and Hermione on either side of her, they were speeding forwards in a howl of wind and swirling colour; her forefinger was stuck on the boot as though it was pulling her magnetically onwards then -

Her feet slammed into the ground; Ron staggered onto her and she fell over; the Portkey hit the ground near her head with a heavy thud. Harry looked up, Mr Weasley, Mr Diggory and Cedric were still standing, everybody else was on the ground. Cedric held out a hand to Harry to help her up from the ground and before Harry could say anything, a voice called. 'Seven past five from Stoatshead Hill.'

'Morning Basil,' Mr Weasley said, picking up the boot and handing it to the kilted wizard, who threw it into a large box of used Portkeys beside him.

'Hello, there, Arthur,' Basil said wearily. 'Let's see ... your campsites...' He consulted his parchment list. 'About a quarter of a mile's walk for you Arthur, first field you come to. Site manager's called Mr Roberts. Diggory ... second field ... ask for Mr Payne.'

'Thanks, Basil,' said Mr Weasley, and he beckoned everyone to follow him. They set off across the deserted moor, unable to make out much through the mist. After about twenty minutes, a small stone cottage next to a gate came swam into view. Beyond it, Harry could just make out ghostly shapes of hundreds and hundreds of tents, rising up the gentle slope of a large field towards a dark wood on the horizon. They said goodbye to the Diggorys and approached the cottage door. A man was standing in the doorway, looking at the tents. When he heard their footsteps, he turned his head to look at them.

'Morning!' Mr Weasley said brightly.

'Morning,' said the Muggle.

'Would you be Mr Roberts?'

'Aye I would,' said Mr Roberts. 'And who're you?'

'Weasley - two tents, booked a couple of days ago?'

'Aye,' Mr Roberts said, consulting a list tacked to the door. 'You've got a space up by the woods there. Just the one night?'

'That's it,' Mr Weasley replied.

'You'll be paying now then?' said Mr Roberts.

'Ah - right - certainly-' said Mr Weasley, he retreated a short distance and beckoned Harry towards him. 'Help me, Harry,' he muttered, pulling a roll of Muggle money from his pocket out.

'Just give me the money, Mr Weasley. It will be much quicker.' Harry said softly, once Mr Weasley gave her the money, Harry gestured for Hermione to join her.

Harry and Hermione handed over the amount of money needed.

'Well at least you two lovely young ladies, haven't had any trouble with money,' Mr Roberts said. 'I had two try and pay me with great gold coins the size of hubcaps ten minutes ago.'

'Did you really?' Mr Weasley said having come over with the girls.

Mr Roberts rummaged around in his tin for some change. 'Never been this crowded,' he said suddenly, looking out over the misty field again. 'Hundreds of pre-bookings. People usually just turn up...'

'Is that right?' Mr Weasley said, he held out his hand for the change.

'Aye,' Mr Roberts said. 'People from all over, loads of foreigners and not just foreigners. Weirdos, you know? There's a bloke walking around in a kilt and poncho.'

'Shouldn't he?' said Mr Weasley anxiously.

'It's like some sort of rally,' said Mr Roberts. 'They all seem to know each other. Like a big party.'

At that moment, a wizard in plus-fours appeared out of thin air next to Mr Roberts's front door. ' _Obliviate!'_ he said sharply, pointing his wand at Mr Roberts. Instantly, Mr Roberts's eyes slid out of focus, and a look of dreamy unconcern fell over his face. Harry recognised the symptoms of one who had just had his memory modified.

'A map of the campsite for you,' Mr Roberts said placidly to Mr Weasley.

'Thanks very much,' Mr Weasley said.

The wizard in plus-fours accompanied them towards the gate campsite. He looked exhausted. Once out of ear shot of Mr Roberts, he muttered to Mr Weasley, 'Been having a lot of trouble with him. Needs a memory Charm ten times a day to keep him happy. And Ludo Bagman's not helping, trotting around talking about Bludgers and Quaffles at the top of his voice, not a worry about anti-Muggle security. Blimey, I'll be glad when this is over. See you later, Arthur.' The plus-fours wizard Disapparated.

'Who's Ludo Bagman?' Harry said.

'He's the Head of Magical Games and Sports.' Mr Weasley said.

'Shouldn't he know better than to talk about Bludgers near Muggles,' Ginny said.

'He should, but Ludo's always been a bit ... well ... lax about security. You couldn't wish for a more enthusiastic Head of Sports Department, though. He played Quidditch for England himself, you know. And he was the best Beater the Wimbourne Wasps ever had.'

They trudged up the misty field between long rows of tents. Most of them looked as Muggle-like as possible, but several had slipped up by adding chimneys, or pull bell-pulls or weather-vanes. There were the obvious magical tents each as odd as the next, one tent looked like a miniature palace, with several peacocks tethered at the entrance. They reached the very edge of the wood at the top of the field, and there was an empty space, with a small sign hammered into the ground that read 'Weezly'.

Mr Weasley hoisted his back pack from his shoulders.

'Right,' he said, 'no magic allowed, strictly speaking, not when we're out in these numbers on Muggle land. We'll be putting up these tents by hand! shouldn't be too difficult ... Muggles do it all the time ... here, Hermione, Harry, where do we start?'

Harry had never been camping before but knew the basics, food, wood and shelter. Between her and Hermione they worked out where most of the poles and pegs went. Mr Weasley was more of a hindrance than a help because he got over-excited when it came using the mallet, they finally managed to erect a pair of two-man tents. All of them stood back to admire their handiwork. Though Harry wondered how the boys were going to fit in such a small tent. Hermione seemed to have spotted this problem too; she gave Harry a quizzical look as Mr Weasley dropped to his hands and knees and entered the larger tent. Harry bent down, ducked under the tent flap, and felt her jaw drop. She had walked into what looked like an old-fashioned, three-roomed flat, complete with bathroom and kitchen.

'Right we'll need water and wood for the fire next,' Mr Weasley said as the others entered the tent.

'But we've got an oven,' Ron said, 'why can't we just-'

'Ron, anti-Muggle security!' Mr Weasley said. 'When real Muggles camp, they cook on fires outdoors, I've seen them at it.'

After a quick tour of the girls' tent, which was slightly smaller than the boys, they divided up. The boys went to fetch water while, Harry, Ginny and Hermione gathered the food supplies and wood. Mr Weasley was having no success at all in lighting the fire but it wasn't lack for trying. Splintered matches littered the ground around him, but he looked like he was having the time of his life. Taking pity on him, Harry went over and showed him how to do it properly. At last, they got the fire lit, though it would be a while before they could cook anything. The boys eventually returned with the water, Harry and Hermione made themselves busy by getting the food ready. Mr Weasley brought out a small pan from the tent and they began cooking eggs and sausages when Bill, Charlie and Percy came strolling out of the woods towards them.

'Just Apparated, dad,' Percy said loudly. 'Ah, excellent, lunch!'

Harry shared a knowing look with Hermione and they began preparing more food. When they were half way through their plates of sausages and eggs Mr Weasley jumped to his feet, waving a grinning at a man who was striding towards them. 'Ah!' he said. 'The man of the moment! Ludo!'

Ludo Bagman was easily the most noticeable person Harry had met so far. He was wearing long Quidditch robes in thick horizontal stripes of bright yellow and black. AN enormous picture of a wasp was splashed across his chest. He had the look of a powerfully built man gone slightly to seed; the robes were stretched tightly across a large belly he surely had not had in the days he played Quidditch for England. His nose was squashed, but his round blue eyes, short blond hair and rosy complexion made him look like a very overgrown schoolboy.

'Everyone this is Ludo Bagman, you know who he is, it thanks to him we've got such good tickets-'

Bagman beamed and waved his hand as if to say it had been nothing.

'Ah yes,' Mr Weasley said as Percy rushed forwards with his hand outstretched. 'this is my son Percy, he's just started at the Ministry - and this,' Mr Weasley frowned at twins as though trying to work it out.

'Fred,' Harry chuckled indicating towards Fred, then pointed out George. 'and George.'

'I'd listen to her, dad she never gets them wrong,' Ron said.

Mr Weasley blinked and shook his head. 'My other sons as pointed out, Fred and George, this is Ron and that's Bill and Charlie - my daughter Ginny - Ron's friends, Hermione Granger and the ever helpful Harianna Potter.'

Lugo Bagman blinked at Harry's name, and his eyes widened as he caught sight of her scar.

'Fancy a flutter on the match Arthur?' he eagerly, jingling what seemed to be a large amount of gold in the pockets of his yellow and black robes.

'Oh ... go on then,' Mr Weasley said. 'Let's see ... a Galleon on Ireland to win?'

'A Galleon?' Ludo Bagman looked slightly disappointed but recovered himself. 'Very, well ... any other takers?'

'They're a bit young to be gambling.' Mr Weasley said. 'Molly wouldn't like-'

'We bet thirty-seven Galleons, fifteen Sickles, three Knuts,' Fred said as he and George quickly pooled all their money, 'that Ireland win - but Viktor Krum gets the Snitch.'

'Boys,' said Mr Weasley under his breath, 'I don't want you betting ... that's all your savings ... your mother-'

'Don't be a spoilsport, Arthur!' boomed Ludo Bagman. 'They're old enough to know what they want! You reckon Ireland win but Krum'll get the Snitch? Not a chance boys, not a chance ... I'll give you excellent odds on that one.'

Mr Weasley looked on helplessly as Ludo Bagman whipped a notebook and quill and began jotting down the twins' names.

'Cheers,' said George taking the slip of parchment Bagman handed him and tucking it away. Bagman turned most cheerfully back to Mr Weasley. 'Couldn't do me a brew I suppose? I'm keeping an eye out Barty Crouch. My Bulgarian opposite number's making difficulties, and I can't understand a word he's saying. Barty'll be able to sort it out. He speaks about a hundred and fifty languages-'

'Mr Crouch?' Percy said. 'He speaks over two hundred! Mermish and Gobbledegook and Troll...'

'Anyone can speak Troll,' said Fred dismissively. 'all you have to do is point and grunt.'

Percy threw Fred an extremely nasty look.

'Any news of Bertha Jorkins yet, Ludo? Been missing for a while now hasn't she?' Mr Weasley asked as Bagman settled himself down on the grass beside them all.

'Not a dicky bird,' Bagman said. 'But she'll turn up. Poor old Bertha ... memory like a leaky cauldron and no sense of direction. Lost, you take my word for it.'

'You don't think it might be time to send someone to look for her?' Mr Weasley suggested.

'Barty Crouch keeps saying that,' Bagman said. 'But we really can't spare anyone at the moment. Oh - talk of the devil! Barty!'

A wizard had just Apparated at their fireside, and he could have made more a contrast with Ludo Bagman. Barty Crouch was a stiff, upright, elderly man, dressed in an impeccable crisp suit and tie. The parting in his short grey hair was almost unnaturally straight and his narrow toothbrush moustache looked as though he trimmed it using a slide-rule. His shoes were highly polished.

'Pull up a bit of grass, Barty,' Ludo said brightly.

'No, thank you Ludo,' said Crouch, and there was a bite of impatience in his voice. 'We've been looking for you everywhere. The Bulgarians are insisting we add another twelve seats to the Top Box.'

'Oh, is that what they're after?' Bagman said. 'I thought the chap was asking to borrow a pair of tweezers. Bit of a strong accent.'

'There's two of us, you could have asked. Wasn't you nearby Lord-?'

'Mr Crouch!' Percy said breathlessly. 'Would you like a cup of tea?'

'Oh,' Mr Crouch said looking over Percy in mild surprise. 'Yes - thank you, Weatherby.'

Fred and George chocked into their own cups. Percy, very pink around the ears, busied himself with the kettle.

'So, been keeping busy, Barty?' Bagman said.

'Fairly,' Mr Crouch said dryly. 'Organising Portkeys across five continents is no mean feat, Ludo.'

'I expect you'll both be glad when this is over?' Mr Weasley said

Ludo Bagman looked shocked. 'Glad! Don't know when I've had more fun ... still, it's not as though we haven't got anything to look forward to, eh, Barty? Eh? Plenty left to organise, eh?'

Mr Crouch raised his eyebrows at Bagman. 'We agreed not to make the announcement until all the details-'

'Oh details!' said Bagman, waving the word away like a cloud of midges. 'They've signed, haven't they? They agreed, haven't they? I bet you anything these kids'll know soon enough anyway. I mean it's happening at Hogwarts-'

Another wizard Apparated in front of them. Dressed in leather, with long shabby black hair, grinning wildly at them and his grey eyes light up with delight. Harry excited to see him, rose and hugged him, without a second thought.

'Ah Lord Black,' Crouch said. 'Your young charge and heiress, I take it?' he gestured to Harry, who had let Sirius go.

'Yes, this is my Anna, and it's Sirius, Lord Black was my father.' Sirius said proudly smiling broadly, his hand resting now on Harry's shoulder. 'I came to tell you that the Bulgarians are waiting for you Barty, demanded for you actually - they want an answer on those seats.'

'Ludo, we best go. I'll meet you in Top Box, shortly then Sirius.'

'See you all later!' Bagman said. 'You'll be in up in the Top Box with - I'm commentating!' He waved, Barty Crouch nodded curtly, and both of them Disapparated.

Sirius turned to Harry. 'You OK kiddo?'

'Yeah, I didn't know you were going to be here. I thought you worked in Muggle-relations?' Harry said.

'I do, but I have skills in other areas, like being able to talk in different languages, Barty asked me, if I wouldn't mind helping them out. Besides I wouldn't have wanted to miss this, I was going to invite you to come with me. But your friends got there first,' Sirius said.

'Everyone this is Lord Sirius Black, he's Harry's godfather,' Mr Weasley interrupted. ' I'm truly sorry, Sirius, we should have thought to ask you if you made any plans first.'

'Arthur, it's OK honestly, now let's see if I remember correctly-' Sirius said looking around the Weasleys and Hermione. 'Know who you two are, a bit of a giveaway sorry girls. Hermione, one of Anna's best friends' and Ginny, Anna calls you her backup.'

'That's me,' Ginny said.

'Hello,' Hermione smiled.

'Umm I know the twins are Fred and George -' Sirius said thoughtfully looking them over. 'How ever do you tell them apart Anna? I can't tell the difference.'

'Oh, it's easy,' Harry said. 'But the quickest way, is by what they call me. Fred calls, me Harry, George jumped on the bandwagon and calls me Anna.'

'I like Anna better, it suits you.' George said honestly to Harry.

'That must make you, Ron, Anna's other best friend.' Sirius said shaking Ron's hand. 'Then these are your eldest boys, Arthur; Bill, Charlie and Percy? Right?'

'Yes,' Mr Weasley said indicating his older sons out. 'Bill, that's Charlie and Percy on the end.'

'Lovely to meet you all, thank you for having Anna over to stay with you.' Sirius said checking his watch. 'I best be off,' Sirius glanced at Harry. 'We'll talk later about that letter of yours, for now, enjoy yourself. Do you need anything?'

'No,' Harry said shaking her head. 'I've got gold on me.'

'And your card?' Sirius said.

'In my trunk at the Weasleys. I know no one else can use it but I didn't want to lose it,' Harry said.

'That's my girl,' Sirius grinned. 'I'm in the Top Box, if you need anything-'

'I'll come get you,' Harry replied.

Sirius nodded and Disapparated.

'Harry, you godfather is so cool,' Ginny said.

'Yeah, he is.' Harry replied. 'Well until he embarrasses me, apparently, it's written in the fine print of his god fatherly duties.'


	73. Chapter 73

A sense of excitement rose like a palpable cloud over the campsite as the afternoon wore on. By dusk, the still summer air itself seemed to be quivering with anticipation, and as darkness spread like a curtain over the thousands of waiting wizards, the last vestiges of pretence disappeared; the Ministry seemed to have bowed to the inevitable and stopped fighting the signs of blatant magic now breaking out everywhere. Salesman were Apparating every few feet, carrying trays and pushing carts full of extraordinary merchandise. There were luminous rosettes - green for Ireland, red for Bulgaria, pointed green hats bedecked with dancing shamrocks, Bulgarian scarves adorned with lions that really roared, flags from both countries which played their national anthems as they were waved; there were tiny models of Firebolts and collectable figures of famous players.

'Been saving my pocket money all summer for this,' Ron told Harry and Hermione, as they strolled through the salesman, buying souvenirs. Though Ron purchased himself a dancing shamrock hat and a large green rosette, he also brought a small figure of Viktor Krum, the Bulgarian Seeker.

'Wow, look at these!' said Harry, hurrying over to a cart piled high with what looked like brass binoculars, except that they were covered in all sorts of weird knobs and dials.

'Omnioculars,' the saleswizard said eagerly. 'You can replay action ... slow everything down ... and they flash up a play-by-play breakdown if you need it. Bargain - ten Galleons each.'

'Three pairs,' Harry said firmly to the wizard.

'No - don't bother,' Ron said, going red. He was always touchy about the fact Harry, who had inherited a small fortune, had much more money than he did himself.

'You won't be getting anything for Christmas,' Harry said, thrusting Omnioculars into Ron's and Hermione's hands. 'For about ten years, mind.'

'Fair enough,' Ron said grinning.

'Ohh thanks, Harry,' Hermione said. 'I'll get us some programmes, look-'

Their money bags considerably lighter, they went back to the tents. Bill, Charlie and Ginny were all sporting green rosettes too, and Mr Weasley was carrying an Irish flag. Fred and George had no souvenirs as they had given Bagman all their gold. And then a deep, booming gong sounded somewhere beyond the woods, and, at once, green and red lanterns blazed into life in the trees, lighting a path to the pitch.

'It's time!' said Mr Weasley, looking as excited as any of them. 'Come on, let's go!'

Clutching their purchases, Mr Weasley in the lead, they all hurried into the wood, following the lantern-lit trail. They could hear the sounds of thousands of people moving around them, shouts and laughter, snatches of signing. The atmosphere of feverish excitement was highly infectious; Harry couldn't stop grinning. They walked through the wood for twenty minutes, until at last they emerged on the other side, and found themselves in the shadow of a gigantic stadium. They made their way towards the nearest entrance, which was already surrounded by a swarm of shouting wizards and witches. The stairs into the stadium were carpeted in purple. They clambered upwards with the rest of the crowd, which slowly filtered away through doors into a stand to their left and right. The party kept climbing, and at last, they reached the top of the staircase and found themselves in a small box, set at the highest point of the stadium and situated exactly halfway between each goal posts. Harry followed George into the front seats.

'Harry isn't that Dobby?' Hermione whispered in her ear as they began to sit and indicated behind them.

Harry turned her head, the box so far was empty, except for a tiny creature sitting in the second from last seat at the end of the row behind them. It was certainly a house-elf. It wasn't Dobby, however. Harry shook her head.

'Different house-elf. Dob wears clothes, that one still wearing the mark of being enslaved.'

'Dob?' Hermione said.

'If I call him by his full name, he turns up because he thinks I need him, bless him. So I had to shorten it. Saves a lot of time.' Harry explained

The box filled gradually around them over the next half hour. Mr Weasley kept shaking hands with people who were obviously very important wizards. Cornelius Fudge, the Minister for Magic arrived, along with the Bulgarian Minister and joined by Sirius. Cornelius Fudge greeted Harry like an old friend, Sirius introduced her to the Bulgarian Minister who got a bit over enthusiastic whilst shaking her hand. Then came a cold voice -

'Good day Minister.'

'Lucius,' Fudge greeted.

Harry, Ron and Hermione turned quickly, edging along the second row to three empty seats were non-other than Lucius Malfoy, his son, Draco, and Draco's mother. This was the only part of being Sirius godchild she hadn't liked, the family he had to no fault of his own be related to. The only good thing about it, due to Sirius being Head of the Black family, which was he had much more social standing than the Malfioys, Sirius could keep them in their place. Draco learned quite nastily it was a rather small world, and he wasn't as high in the pecking order as he had thought. At least Harry hadn't had to spend any time with them personally, they had a few occasions where they had bumped into the Malfoys but nothing more than that. Draco greatly resembled his father, his mother, on the other hand, was blonde too; tall and slim. It was a tense moment when Mr Malfoy and Mr Weasley looked at each other, Harry was sure he had been about to say something - that was until he caught sight of her and Sirius. He acknowledged them both and led his family to their seats. Next moment Ludo Bagman had charged into the box.

'Everyone ready?' he said, his face gleaming like a great, excited Edam. Ludo whipped out his wand, directed it his own throat and said ' _Sonorus!'_ and then spoke over the roar of sound that was now filling the stadium. 'Ladies and gentleman ... welcome! Welcome to the final of the four hundred and twenty-second Quidditch World Cup!'

The spectators screamed and clapped. Thousands of flags were waved. The huge blackboard opposite them was wiped clear of its last message and now showed BULGARIA: ZERO, Ireland: ZERO.

'And now, without further ado, allow me to introduce ... the Bulgarian Team Mascots!'

The right-hand side of the stands, which was a solid block of scarlet, roared its approval. 'I wonder what they've brought?' Mr Weasley said, leaning forwards in his seat. 'Ahh! Veela!'

Harry wondered what Veela were, but a hundred Veela were gliding out onto the pitch, and Harry's question was answered for her. Veela were women ... very beautiful women, that Harry had ever seen ... except that they weren't - they couldn't be - human. Their skin shone moon-bright like and their hair fanned out behind them without wind ... and then the music started. The Veela started to dance. Harry exchanged a look with Hermione and Ginny both of which shrugged. Ron seemed to be the most affected, Ron had stood up frozen in an attitude that looked as though he was about to dive from a springboard. Then the music stopped, Harry and Hermione tugged Ron back into his seat. Angry yells were filling the stadium, the crowd didn't want the Veela to go. Ron, meanwhile was absent-mindedly shredding the shamrocks on his hat. Hermione tugged it out of his hands and made a loud tutting noise as Ron was now staring open-mouthed at the Veela, who had now lined up along one side of the pitch.

'And now,' roared Ludo Bagman's voice, 'kindly put your wands in the air ... for the Irish National Team Mascots!' Next moment, what seemed to be a great green-and-gold comet had come zooming into the stadium. It did one circuit of the stadium, then spilt into two smaller comets, each hurtling towards the goalposts. A rainbow arced suddenly across the pitch, connecting the two balls of light. Now the rained faded and the balls of light reunited and merged; they formed a great shimmering shamrock, which rose up into the sky and began to soar over stands. Something like golden rain seemed to be falling from it -

'Excellent!' yelled Ron, as the shamrock soared over their heads, and heavy gold coins rained from it, bouncing off their heads and seats. On the Shamrock, Harry realised that it was actually composed of thousands of tiny little-bearded men with red waistcoats, each carrying a minute lamp of gold or green.

'Leprechauns!' Harry said, over the tumultuous applause of the crowd, many of whom were still fighting and rummaging under their chairs to retrieve the gold. Harry wondered why because leprechaun gold vanished.

'There you go,' Ron said happily, stuffing a fistful of gold coins into Harry's hand. 'For the Omnioculars! Now you've got to buy me a Christmas present, ha!'

'Ron, leprechaun -' Hermione began to say but Harry cut across her.

'Thanks, Ron,' Harry said, then shook her head at Hermione not to say anything.

The great Shamrock dissolved, the leprechauns drifted down onto the pitch on the opposite side from the Veela, and settled themselves to watch the match.

'What's wrong with the gold?' George asked.

'Nothing,' Harry replied.

'Anna!'

'It vanishes, don't tell Ron though,' Harry whispered.

'And now, ladies and gentleman, kindly welcome - the Bulgarian National Quidditch Team! I give you - Dimitrov! Ivanova! Zograf! Levski! Vulchanov! Volkov! aaaaaand - Krum!' Seven scarlet-robed players zoomed out onto the pitch.

'And now, please greet - the Irish National Quidditch Team!' Bagman yelled. 'Presenting - Connolly! Ryan! Troy! Mullet! Moran! Quigley! aaaaand Lynch!' Seven green blurs swept onto the pitch. 'And here, all the way from Egypt, our referee, acclaimed Chairwizard of the International Association of Quidditch, Hassan Mostafa!' A small skinny wizard, wearing robes of pure gold strode out onto the pitch. A silver whistle around his neck and he was carrying a large wooden crate under one arm, his broomstick under the other. Harry watched closely through the Ominoculars as Mostafa mounted his broomstick and kicked the crate open - four balls burst into the air. With a sharp blast on his whistle, Mostafa shot into the air after the balls.

'Thheeey're OFF!' screamed Bagaman. 'And it's Mullet! Troy! Moran! Dimitrov! Back to Mullet! Troy! Levski! Moran!'

It was Quidditch has Harry had never seen it played before. The speed of the players was incredible - the Chasers were throwing the Quaffle to each other so fast that Bagman only had time to say their names. Not wanting to miss anything Harry kept the Omnioculars at normal speed.

'TROY SCORES!' roared Bagman, and the stadium shuddered with a roar of applause and cheers. 'Ten-zero to Ireland!'

'What?' Ron yelled. 'But Levski's got the Quaffle!'

'Ron, if you're not going to watch at normal speed, you're going to miss things!' Hermione shouted. Harry stifled a laugh and watched as Troy did a lap of honour of the pitch. Harry knew enough about Quidditch to see that the Irish Chasers were superb. They worked as a seamless team, appearing to read each other's minds by the way they positioned themselves. And within ten minutes, Ireland had scored twice more, bringing their lead to thirty-zero. The match became still faster, but more brutal. Volkov and Vulchanov, the Bulgarian Beaters, were whacking Bludgers as fiercely as possible at the Irish Chasers, and were starting to prevent them using some of their best moves; twice they were forced to scatter, and then, finally, Ivanova managed to break through their ranks, dodge the Keeper, Ryan, and score Bulgaria's first goal. 'Fingers in your ears boys!' bellowed Mr Weasley, as the Veela started to dance in celebration. The Veela stopped after a few seconds, and Bulgaria were again in possession of the Quaffle.

'Dimitrov! Levski! Dimitrov! Ivanova - oh I say!' roared Bagman. One hundred thousand wizards and witches gasped as the Two Seekers, Krum and Lynch, plummeted through the centre of the Chasers.

'Pull up! Pull up! Krum's feinting!' Harry shouted as they dove.

'They're going to crash!' screamed Hermione, she was half right - at the very last second, Viktor Krum pulled out of the dive and spiralled off. Lynch however, hit the ground with a dull thud that could be heard throughout the stadium.

'It's a time out!' Yelled Bagman's voice. 'As trained mediwizards hurry onto the pitch to examine Aiden Lynch!'

'He'll be ok, he only got ploughed!' Charlie said reassuringly to Ginny, who was hanging over the side of the box, looking horror-struck. 'Which is what Krum was after of course ...'

'That was really dangerous,' Hermione said. 'How did you know Harry?'

'It's called the Wronski Feint and that's the point of it, it's a really dangerous Seeker diversion.' Harry explained. 'And how - well Krum's not the only one whose speciality is dives. Though I doubt I'd have the control he does.'

'No, you'd pull it off better,' George amended her.

Lynch got to his feet after being revived by the mediwizards, Lynch mounted his broom and kicked off into the air. His revival seemed to give Ireland new heart. When Mostafa blew his whistle again, the Chasers moved into action with skill unrivalled by anything Harry had seen so far. After fifteen more, fast and furious minutes, Ireland had pulled ahead by ten more goals. They were now leading by one hundred and thirty points to ten, and the game was starting to dirtier. As Mullet shot towards the goalposts yet again, the Bulgarian Keeper, Zograf, flew out to meet her. Whatever happened was over so quickly Harry didn't catch it, but the scream of rage and Mostafa's long, shrill whistle blast, told her it had been a foal. The leprechauns had risen angrily into the air when Mullet had been fouled, now darted together to form the words 'HA HA HA!' The Veela on the other side had too leapt to their feet, tossed their hair angrily and started to dance again. Hermione began giggling, Harry looked down at the pitch. Hassan Mostafa had landed right in front of the dancing Veela, he was flexing his muscles. Harry burst into laughter as well. A mediwizard came tearing across the pitch, his fingers stuffed in his own ears, and kicked Mostafa hard on the shins. Mostafa seemed to come to himself and began shouting at the Veela. It turned rather nasty as the Bulgarian Beaters, Volkov and Vulchanov, had landed either side of Mostafa, and band began arguing furiously with him. Ireland were awarded two penalties.

Play now reached a level of ferocity beyond anything they had yet seen. The Beaters on both sides were acting without mercy: Volkov and Vulchanov in particular didn't seem to care whether their clubs made contact with Bludger or human. Dimitrov shot straight at Moran, who had the Quaffle, nearly knocking her off her broom. Another penalty was awarded to Ireland. The leprechauns had risen into the air and, this time formed a giant hand, making a very rude sign across the pitch at the Veelva. The Veelva lost control, the launched themselves across the pitch, and began throwing handfuls of fire at the leprechauns. The Veela didn't look beautiful now, their faces were elongating into sharp, cruel-beaked bird heads, and long, scaly wings were bursting from shoulders -

'And that boys,' yelled Mr Weasley. 'is why you should never go for looks alone!' Ministry wizards were flooding onto the field to separate the Veela and leprechauns. Meanwhile, the pitched battle below was nothing to the one above.

'Levski - Dimitrov - Moran -Troy - Mullet - Ivanova - Moran again - Moran - MORAN SCORES!' The game recommenced immediately, the Irish Beater Quigley swung a passing Bludger, towards Krum, who didn't duck quickly enough. It hit him hard in the face. There was a deafening groan from the crowd; Krum's nose looked broken, there was blood everywhere. Then the Irish Seeker Lynch had suddenly gone into a dive.

'He's seen the Snitch!' Harry shouted. 'He's seen it! Look at him go!' Krum was hot on Lynch tail, he was drawing level with Lynch now, as the pair of them hurtled towards the ground again-

'They're going to crash!' Hermione shrieked.

'They're not!' Harry yelled. 'Lynch is!' Lynch hit the ground with tremendous force.

'Where's the Snitch?' bellowed Charlie.

'Krum's got it - it's all over!' shouted Harry. Krum, his red robes shining with blood, was rising gently into the air, his fist held high, a glint of gold in his hand. The scoreboard was flashing: BULGARIA: ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY, IRELAND: ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY, across the crowd, who didn't seem to realise what had happened.

'IRELAND WIN!' shouted Bagman, 'KRUM GETS THE SNITCH - BUT IRELAND WIN - good Lord, I don't think any of us were expecting that!'

'What did he catch the Snitch for?' Ron bellowed, jumping up and down, applauding. 'He ended it when Ireland were a hundred and sixty points ahead, the idiot!'

'He knew they were never going to catch up,' Harry shouted, 'the Irish Chasers were too good - he wanted to end it on his terms, that's all.'

'And the Irish team perform a lap of honour, flanked by their mascots, the Quidditch World Cup itself is brought into the Top Box!' roared Bagman. Harry's eyes were dazzled by blinding white light, as the Top Box was magically illuminated. The Bulgarians came into the box, one by one their Bulgarians filed between the rows of seats in the box, Bagman called out each name of each player as they shook hands with their own Minister and then with Fudge. And then came the Irish team, Lynch was being supported by Moran and Connolly; the second crash seemed to have dazed him, but he grinned happily as Troy and Quigley lifted the Cup into the air and the crowd below thundered their approval. At last, when the Irish team had left the box to perform another lap of honour, Bagman pointed his wand at his throat and muttered 'Quietus'.

'They'll be talking about this one for years,' he said hoarsely, 'a really unexpected twist, that ... shame it couldn't have lasted longer ... ah yes ... yes, I owe you .. how much?' Fred and George had just scrambled over the backs of their seats and were standing in front of Ludo Bagman with broad grins on their faces, their hands outstretched.

'Don't tell your mother you've been gambling,' Mr Weasley implored Fred and George, as they made their way slowly down the purple-carpeted stairs. They were soon caught up in the crowds now flooding out of the stadium and back to their campsites. When they finally reached the tents, nobody felt like sleeping at all and given the level of noise around them, Mr Weasley agreed that they could have one last cup of cocoa together before turning it. It was only when Ginny fell asleep right at the tiny table that Mr Weasley insisted everyone went to bed. Hermione, Ginny and Harry made they're way into the next tent.

Harry wasn't sure if she had actually fallen asleep or not - all she knew was that quite suddenly Mr Weasley was shouting.

'Get up girls - come on now, this is urgent!' Harry jumped off the top bunk. She could tell something was wrong, the noises in the campsite had changed. The singing had stopped, she could hear screams, and the sound of people running. 'Grab a jacket girls and get outside - quickly!' Mr Weasley instructed them, Harry did as she was told and hurried out of the tent, Ron, Fred and George were already waiting outside. By the light of a few fires that were still burning, she could see people running away into the woods, fleeing something that was moving across the field towards them, something that was emitting odd flashes of light, and noises like gunfire. Loud jeering, roars of laughter; then came a burst of strong green light, which illuminated the scene. A crowd of wizards, tightly packed and moving together with wands pointing upwards, were marching slowly across the field. Their heads were hooded and their faces were masked. High above them, floating along in mid-air, four struggling figures were being contorted into grotesque shapes. Two figures were very small, more wizards were joining the marching group, laughing and pointing up at the floating bodies. Tents were crumpled and fell as the marching crowd swelled, once or twice a tent was blasted out of the way, several of the tents caught fire. The screaming grew louder. The floating people were suddenly illuminated as the passed over a burning tent, and Harry recognised one of them - Mr Roberts the site manager. The other three looked as though they might be his wife and children. One of the marchers below flipped Mrs Roberts upside-down with his wand; her nightdress fell down to reveal voluminous drawers; she struggled to cover herself up as the crowd below her screeched and hooted with glee. Bill, Charlie and Percy emerged from the boys' tent fully dressed, with their sleeves rolled up and wands out.

'We're going to help the Ministry,' Mr Weasley told them and then came a shout,

'Anna!' Sirius was running towards their tent.

'Sirius,' Harry called back and Sirius tore straight to her, pulling her into a hug.

'Get into the woods, quickly. I give you permission to use _any_ magic to defend yourself.' Sirius said cupping her face, 'Do you understand?'

'I understand.'

'Good! I'm going to help the Ministry,' Sirius said. 'Stay safe and stay together.'

Bill, Charlie and Percy were already sprinting towards the oncoming marchers; Sirius tore after them.

'Fred, George you're in charge, keep the girls safe.' Mr Weasley shouted over his shoulder, 'I'll come get you when we've sorted this out.' and he too tore off. Ministry wizards were dashing from every direction towards the source of trouble. The crowd beneath the Roberts family was coming ever closer. Fred grabbed Ginny's hand and headed towards the wood. Ron, Hermione, Harry and George followed. They all looked back as they reached the trees. The crowd beneath the Roberts family was larger than ever; they could see the Ministry wizards trying to get through it to the hooded wizards in the centre, but they were having great difficulty. The coloured lanterns that had lit the path to the stadium had been extinguished. Dark figures were blundering through the trees; children were crying; anxious shouts and panicked voices were reverberating around them in the cold night air. Then she heard Ron yell with pain.

'What happened?' Hermione said anxiously. 'Ron, where are you?'

It was so dark that they wouldn't be able to see. 'This is stupid,' Harry said pulling out her wand, ' _Lumos Maxima!'_

Harry's wand illumined and directed its beam across the path. Ron was lying sprawled on the ground. 'Tripped over a tree root,' he said angrily, getting to his feet again.

'Well, with feet that size, hard not to,' said a drawling voice from behind them. Harry, Ron and Hermione turned sharply, Draco Malfoy was standing alone nearby them, leaning against a tree his arms folded.

'Draco, do shut up.' Harry said and she watched as he with much effort, keep his face from sneering at her.

'Of course, Harianna,' he said coldly.

'Fred and George have disappeared, I can't see them,' Hermione said looking around frantically for them.

Draco looked at Harry before speaking. 'There are after Muggles, don't you reckon you should be hurrying along now instead of waiting around? You wouldn't like _her_ spotted, would you?' He nodded at Hermione and the same moment, a blast like bomb sounded from the campsite, and a flash of green light momentarily lit the trees around them.

'What's that meant to mean?' Hermione said defiantly.

'He means that they'll spot a Muggle-born witch,' Harry said. 'We best get moving we're not safe here,' Harry turned towards Malfoy. 'You coming or what? Don't you have to protect me or something?'

'Very well,' Malfoy sneered. 'I do this reluctantly though.'

'I'm sure Sirius would be grateful never less.' Harry replied back just as coldly.

'Harry, what is going on with you two?' Ron said as they started walking through the trees.

'The Malfoy's are related to Sirius, Sirius is Head of the House of Black, that's how he comes to hold the title Lord,' Harry explained.

'What's that got to do with this?' Ron said

'Don't you get it? Harry is Sirius heir making her the next Head of House, if the Malfoys are related, then they would have to respect her as the heiress.' Hermione said, lighting her own wand, like Harry. Ron pulled out his wand also, where Malfoy seemed to have a problem in finding his own.

'Guess you left your wand behind, looks like I'll be protecting you,' Harry muttered as they walked on. A rustling noise made them all jump. The House-elf was they'd seen in the Top Box was fighting a way out of a clump of bushes nearby. The elf was moving in the most peculiar fashion, apparently with great difficulty; it was as though someone invisible was trying to hold her back. 'There is bad wizards about!' the elf squeaked, 'people high - high in the air! Winky is getting out of the way!' And the elf disappeared into the trees on the other side of the path, panting and squeaking as she fought the force that was restraining her.

'Bet she didn't have permission to hide,' Malfoy said. Another loud bang echoed from the edge of the wood. They set off again, they followed the path deeper into the wood, still keeping an eye out for Fred and George and Ginny. They passed a group of goblins, who were cackling over a sack of gold that seemed quite unperturbed by the trouble on the campsite. Further still along the path, they walked into a patch of silvery light, and when they looked through the trees, they saw three tall beautiful Veela standing in a clearing, surrounded by a gaggle of wizards. By the time the sounds of the Veela and their admirers had faded completely, they were in the heart of the wood. They seemed to be alone now; everything was much quieter. Harry looked around. 'I reckon we can just wait here, you know, we'll hear anyone coming a mile off.'

Ron nodded, leading the way off the path to a small clearing, and sitting down on a patch of dry grass at the foot of a tree. Draco opted for leaning against a near-by tree in the near distance, arms folded once more. Hermione and Harry both sat down on the grass near-by Ron. They waited and waited, with no sense of the time, Harry wasn't sure how long they were waiting for. Then sounds much like someone staggering towards their clearing. They waited, listening to the sounds of the uneven footsteps behind the dark trees, but the footsteps came to a sudden halt. Harry got to her feet and peered around the tree. It was too dark to see very far but she could sense somebody standing just beyond the range of her vision. She indicated her head to the others and the began to move slowly, and then without warning, the silence was rent by a voice unlike any they had heard in the wood; it uttered, not a panicked shout, but what sounded like a spell.

' _MORSEMORDE!'_

And something vast, green and glittering erupted from the patch of darkness, it flew up over the treetops and into the sky. It was a colossal skull, composed of what looked like emerald stars, with a serpent protruding from its mouth like a tongue. They watched it rose higher and higher, blazing a haze of greenish smoke, etched against the black sky. Suddenly, the wood all around them erupted with screams. Harry scanned the darkness for the person who had conjured the skull but couldn't see anyone.

'Harianna, move, come on!' Malfoy said tugging at her arm pulling her along.

'What's the matter?' Harry said, Malfoy was paler than usual if she didn't know any better Harry would have said he looked terrified.

'It's the Dark Mark Harry!' Hermione moaned following behind her. 'You Know Who's sign!'

'Voldemort's -?'

'Harianna, come on!' Draco said pulling her across the clearing, they hadn't got too far when Malfoy stopped. By Harry's wand light she could see something lying on the floor.

'My wand!' Malfoy said picking it up and lighting it up. 'How?'

'You must have dropped it. Maybe whoever cast that spell picked it up and used it?' Harry suggested but before she or anyone else could say anything else, a series of popping noises announced the arrival of twenty wizards, appearing from thin air. Harry whirled around, and in a split second, she registered one fact: each wizard had his wand out, and every wand was pointing right at them. Without pausing to think, she yelled 'DUCK!' and fell to onto the ground, the others copying her.

'STUPEFY!' roared twenty voices - there was a blinding series of flashes and Harry felt the hair on her head ripple as though a powerful wind had swept the clearing.

'Stop!' yelled a voice she recognised. 'STOP! That's my son!'

Harry's hair stopped blowing about, she raised her head a little higher. The wizard in front of her lowered his wand. Mr Weasley was striding towards them looking terrified.

'Ron - Harry - Hermione - Mr Malfoy - are you all right?' he said in a shaky voice.

'Out of the way Arthur,' said a cold, curt voice. It was Mr Crouch, he and the other Ministry Wizards were closing in on them. Harry got to her feet to face them. Mr Crouch's face was taut with rage.

'Which of you did it?' he snapped, his sharp eyes darting between them. 'Which of you conjured the Dark Mark?'

'We didn't do that!' said Harry gesturing up to the skull. 'You can check our wands if you like, all you'll find is the Illumination Charm to have been used.'

'Barty,' whispered a witch in a long woollen dressing-gown, 'they're just kids, they'd never have been able to-'

'Look at who you are excusing Barty ... Harianna Potter ...' said a wizard.

'Where did the Mark come from?' Mr Weasley said quickly

'Over there.' Hermione said.

'There was someone behind the trees ... they shouted words - an incantation -' Harry said pointing at the place they heard the voice. 'We were trying to get away.'

The Ministry wizards apart from Mr Crouch, raised their wands again, and were pointing in the direction Harry had indicated, squinting through the dark trees.

'We're too late,' said the witch in the woollen dressing gown, shaking her head. 'They'll have Disapparated.'

'I don't think so,' said a wizard with a scrubby brown beard. It was Amos Diggory, Cedric's father. 'Our Stunners went right through those trees ... there's a good chance we got them...'

Mr Diggory squared his shoulders, raised his wand, marched into the darkness. A few seconds later, they heard Mr Diggory shout. They heard snapping of twigs, the rustling of leaves, and then crunching footsteps as Mr Diggory re-emerged from behind the trees. He was carrying a tiny, limp figure in his arms. Harry recognised the tea-towel at once. It was Winky. Mr Crouch did not move or speak as Mr Diggory deposited Mr Crouch's elf on the ground at his feet. The other Ministry wizards were all staring at Mr Crouch.

'This - cannot - be,' he said jerkily. 'No-' He moved quickly around Mr Diggory and strode off towards the place where he found Winky.

'You can't be serious, Amos, the Dark Mark's a wizard's sign. It requires a wand,' Mr Weasley said

'I know, but there was no one else in the area,' Mr Diggory replied. Mr Crouch returned empty-handed. His face was ghostly white. He raised his wand, pointed it at Winky and said, ' _Enervate!'_

Winky stirred feebly, her great brown eyes opened and she blinked several times, she raised herself shakily into a sitting position. Slowly she raised her eyes to stare up at Mr Crouch; then more slowly still, she looked up into the sky. She gave a gasp, looked wildly around the crowded clearing and burst into terrified sobs.

'Elf!' said Mr Diggory sternly. 'Do you know who I am? I'm a member of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures!' Winky began to rock backwards and forwards on the ground.

'As you see elf, the Dark Mark was conjured here short moments ago,' Mr Diggory said. 'And you were discovered moments later, right beneath it, An explanation, if you please!'

'I - I - I is not doing it sir!' Winky gasped. 'I is not knowing how sir!'

'It wasn't her!' said Hermione. 'Winky's got a squeaky voice and the voice we heard was much deeper!' She looked around at Harry and Ron for support. 'It didn't sound anything like Winky, did it?'

'No,' Harry said, shaking her head. 'It definitely sounded human.'

'Yeah it was a human voice.'

'If you're accusing my elf, you're accusing me, Diggory!' Mr Crouch shouted. 'And I trust you remember the many proofs I have given, over a long career, that I despise and detest the Dark Arts and those who practice them?'

'Of course, everyone knows-' muttered Mr Diggory

'Where else would she have learnt to conjure it?'

'Whoever conjured the Mark could have Disapparated after they'd done it,' Mr Weasley suggested. 'It's the only likely explanation.'

'Then, she could have been feet away from the real culprit!' Mr Diggory said. 'Elf? Did you see anyone?'

Winky began to tremble worse than ever, her eyes flicked from Mr Diggory to Mr Crouch. Then she gulped, and said, 'I is seeing no one sir ... no one...'

'Amos,' said Mr Crouch curtly, 'I am fully aware that, in the ordinary course of events, you would want to take Winky into your department for questioning. I ask you, however, to allow me to deal with her.'

Mr Diggory looked as though he didn't think much of this suggestion at all, but it was clear that Mr Crouch was such an important member of the Ministry that he did not dare refuse him.

'You may rest assured that she will be punished,' Mr Crouch added coldly.

'M-m-master ...' Winky stammered, looking up at Mr Crouch, her eyes brimming with tears.

'Winky has behaved tonight in a manner I would not have believed possible,' he said slowly. 'I told her to remain in the tent. I told her to stay there while I went to sort out the trouble. And I find she disobeyed me. This means clothes.'

Harry knew that the only way to turn a house-elf free was to present them clothes.

'I think it's best that I'll get this lot back, I'm sure Lucius is looking for his son,' Mr Weasley said quietly. Winky was crying so hard that her sobs echoed around the clearing. 'Come on, you four.'

Hermione looked like she wasn't going to move, Harry tugged her to follow and muttered in Hermione's ear. 'I'll sort it, if she's a free elf, I know one that will be able to help her.'

They followed Mr Weasley out of the clearing off through the trees. Malfoy walking behind them.

'I told you she didn't have permission to hide,' he said coldly then asked. 'Why did you suggest Priori Incantatem? You offered to have our wands checked - they would have seen-'

'That the last spell cast was Lumos Maxima,' Harry muttered in reply. 'You cast, it after all, the spell only shows the last incantation after all.'

Malfoy looked at her shock written on his face. 'You mean you actually have a brain Potter?'

'And it just saved your arse Malfoy,' Harry replied. 'Don't forget that.'

Mr Weasley led them through the woods, buy the time they reached the other side there was a large crowd of wizards, Mr and Mrs Malfoy among them looking around for signs of Draco. Draco headed off towards his parents nodding curtly and without a sneer or look of disgust at Harry as he went. Mr Weasley waited watching, until Draco had re-joined his parents, then he led the way back to the campsite. All was quiet now; there was no sign of masked wizards, though several ruined tents were still smoking. Charlie's head was poking out of the boys' tent. 'Dad, what's going on?' he called through the dark, 'Fred, George and Ginny got back OK, but the others-'

'I've got them here,' Mr Weasley said, bending down.

'Lord Black is here also,' Charlie added. 'We pulled in three extra beds, and the girls things.'

Charlie moved out of the way and let them enter. Bill was sitting at the small kitchen table, holding a bed-sheet to his arm, which was bleeding. Charlie had a large rip in his shirt, and Percy was sporting a bloody nose. Sirius had a spilt lip and a gash on his cheek. Fred, George and Ginny looked unhurt though shaken.

'Did you get them dad?' Bill said sharply. 'The person who conjured the Dark Mark?'

'No,' Mr Weasley said. 'Must have Disapparated after doing so.'

'Dad why was everyone ... so tense like that back there under that skull thing?'

'It's You Know Who's symbol, Ron,' Hermione said. 'I read about it in _The rise and Fall of the Dark Arts.'_

'And it hasn't been seen for thirteen years,' Mr Weasley said quietly. 'Of course, people panicked ... it was almost like seeing You Know Who back again.'

'But it's only a shape in the sky...'

'Ron, You Know Who and his followers sent the Dark Mark into the air whenever they killed,' Mr Weasley said. 'The terror it inspired ... you have no idea, you're too young. Just picture coming home finding the Dark Mark hovering above your house, and knowing what you're about to find inside ...' Mr Weasley winced. 'Everyone's worst fear ... the very worst...'

'It didn't help us tonight, whoever conjured it. It scared the Death Eaters away the moment they saw it. They all Disapparated before we'd got near enough to unmask any of them. We caught the Roberts' before they hit the ground. They're having their memories modified right now.' Bill said removing the sheet from his arm to check on the cut.

'Death Eaters?' Harry said

'Voldemort's,' there were several winces as Sirius spoke. 'supporters Anna, it's what they called themselves. We saw what's left of them - the ones who managed to keep themselves out of Azkaban, anyway.'

'Levitating Muggles is their idea of fun, Anna. Half the Muggle killings back when Vol - You Know Who was in power were done for fun.' Sirius added.

'Now it's very late and we only have a few more hours before our Portkey out of here,' Mr Weasley said. 'I suggest we rest up. Girls I'd like you to stay in here where we can keep an eye on you.' Mr Weasley flicked his wand and cleared the furniture to one side creating space in the middle of the tent. 'I'll stand guard just in case.'

'No need Arthur, I'll be able to hear anything in my other form, sensitive hearing an all,' Sirius said. 'I'll bark twice if there's trouble.'

Before Mr Weasley could say anything, Sirius had transformed into the huge black shabby dog. As Harry, Hermione and Ginny began piling pillows and blankets to the centre of tent. Fred, George and Ron steered them towards the bunk beds. Harry was forced into the bottom bunk, she recognised George's backpack at the bottom of the bed. Instead of arguing with the boys who were now sorting out the blankets and pillows to make themselves comfortable, Harry took off her jacket and pulled up the bed sheet. Sirius in dog form lay by the side of bed she was in. There was a musky smell from the sheets and pillow but Harry didn't seem to mind it, she was too tired to think about it and too tired to even say good night, she fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.


	74. Chapter 74

Mr Weasley woke them up after only a few hours' sleep. He used magic to pack up the tent. Sirius walked with them to the moor. They heard urgent voices as they approached the spot where the Portkeys were lay and, when they reached it, they found a great number of witches and wizards gathered around Basil, the keeper of the Portkeys, all clamouring to get away from the campsite as quickly as possible. Sirius made arrangements to meet up with Harry to purchase her school things before they're Portkey left. They walked from Stoatshead Hill before the sun had really risen, through the village of Ottery St Catchpole towards the Burrow, and as it came into view, a cry echoed along the damp lane.

'Oh thank goodness, thank goodness!' Mrs Weasley, who had evidently been waiting for them in the front yard, came running towards them, still wearing her bedroom slippers, her face pale and strained, clutching a copy of the _Daily Prophet_ in her hand. 'Arthur - I've been so worried - _so worried -_ '

She flung her arms around Mr Weasley's neck, and the _Daily Prophet_ fell out of her hand. Looking down, Harry saw the headline: SCENES OF TERROR AT THE QUIDDITCH WORLD CUP, complete with a twinkling, black and white photograph of the Dark Mark over the tree-tops. 'You're all right,' Mrs Weasley muttered, she released Mr Weasley and was staring around them with red eyes, 'you're alive ... oh, _boys_...' And to everybody's surprise, she seized Fred and George and pulled them both into such a tight hug that their heads banged together.

' _Ouch!_ Mum - you're strangling us -'

'I shouted at you before you left!' Mrs Weasley said, starting to sob. 'It's all I've been thinking about! What if You Know Who had got to you, and the last thing I ever said to you was that you didn't get enough OWLs?'

'Come on, Molly, we're all perfectly ok,' said Mr Weasley soothingly, prising her off the twins and leading her back towards the house. 'Bill, pick up that paper, I want to see what it says ...'

When they were all crammed into the tiny, and Hermione had made Mrs Weasley a cup of very strong tea, Bill handed his father the newspaper. Mr Weasley scanned the front page.

'I knew it,' said Mr Weasley heavily. ' _Ministry blunders ... culprits not apprehended ... lax security .. Dark wizards running unchecked ... national disgrace ..._ Who wrote this? Ah ... of course ... Rita Seeker.' Mr Weasley sighed. 'I best go in, this is going to take some smoothing over.'

'I'll come with you father,' Percy said importantly. 'Mr Crouch will need all hands-on deck.'

'Arthur, you're supposed to be on holiday! This hasn't got anything to do with your office, surely they can handle this without you?' Mrs Weasley said looking most upset.

'I best go, Molly,' said Mr Weasley, 'I'll just change into my robes and I'll be off ... oh, before I forget I told Lord Black, we'd go shopping in Diagon Alley on Wednesday, for the children's school things.'

The trip to Diagon Alley was delayed, neither Mr Weasley or Percy was home much over the following week. Both left the house each morning before the rest of the family got up, and returned well after dinner every night. Harry hadn't heard from Sirius either, she supposed that he was too helping the Ministry out. And she really wanted to talk to him, about her scar; amongst other things. She had been getting stomach cramps the last couple of days, and they happened at the different times. Harry had gone to bed early it had caused her that much pain and in the morning when she woke, she had realised the reason why she had been getting the cramps. Slightly annoyed at herself, she tore into the bathroom. She had known what happened, it still didn't stop her from freaking out slightly. Her aunt had refused to speak to her at all in the past, so it wasn't like she had a woman to confide in and Mrs Weasley as kind as she was, Harry didn't want to talk to her either. As embarrassing as the situation was she really wanted Sirius. But Dobby would have to do, Harry called for her elf and got herself sorted out, speaking to Sirius would have to wait. It wasn't like she could just write to him telling him what was wrong and she would not know where to start.

A few mornings later when she appeared for breakfast, Hedwig had shown up with a letter for Mrs Weasley, asking if Sirius could take her shopping in Diagon Alley the very next day. 'I don't see why not,' Mrs Weasley said. 'I was going to get your school things myself. So, you might as well come with me to Diagon Alley and we can meet back up later.' So, the next morning Harry left with just Mrs Weasley to Diagon Alley as she deemed it would be too busy for them all to go, Bill had been left in charge. Sirius was waiting for them with a broad grin at Gringotts bank, he greeted Mrs Weasley and Harry waved a farewell as they made their way down the street. They had collected all of Harry school things apart from a formal evening dress, which had been added to her school list this year and they were having very little success so far finding one, mostly because Harry hadn't liked them or Sirius kept picking out long hideous dresses that covered every inch of skin. They had not spoken much, though Harry had told Sirius about her scar and dream.

'Care to tell me why you're so quiet?' Sirius said as they sat down to eat some lunch. His eyebrows were raised into an inquiring look. 'Is it your scar again?'

'No, it hasn't bothered me since.' Harry replied softly, shaking her head.

'Is it anything to do with you calling Dobby the other day?' Sirius said, 'he seemed quite - concerned about you-'

Harry's face heated up. 'It was nothing, I just freaked is all - I didn't know what else to do without causing a scene-'

'Anna,' Sirius said taking a breath, 'talk to me kiddo, I don't care what it's about - just tell me - I'd be a crap godfather if I didn't even listen to you - when you so clearly need to talk about it.'

'It's a bit embarrassing,' Harry replied, turning her head so not to look at him she muttered. 'I - started - you know - my monthly - I knew it was going to happen - just spooked me a little.'

'Your aunt never spoke to you about that!'

Harry shook her head, risking a glance she turned her head back again. 'I never did anything girly with aunt Petunia, first time I went shopping for my own things, I was alone -'

'Kiddo, I'm not exactly the best person to speak to about it-' Sirius muttered, his face was slightly pale and he looked taken aback.

'You're the best one I've got,' Harry said. 'I just needed to talk about it, not the details - just so I knew that I'd be OK - sounds silly - I know - it's just - some things you can't just put in a letter-'

There was silence, Sirius had a thoughtful expression on his face. 'I've got something that can fix that. I still don't think I'm best the person, in that department, but know that if I can I will do anything to help you. Even if it's to tell you that it's completely natural part of becoming a young woman and that you're going to be OK.'

Harry laughed, 'Thanks, Sirius, that's just what I needed to hear.'

Sirius took two parcels from his robes and handed them to her, Harry raised her eyebrows at him. 'Your Birthday present,' he explained. 'I hadn't forgotten, I would just be haunted if I'd lost them, so I wanted to give you them in person - but with everything that's gone on, I haven't had much chance to - go on open them.'

Harry tore the larger one open first, it was an old brown leather covered book, with a swirl pattern surrounding the edges covering the book cover. It looked in excellent condition, the pages were blank.

'It belonged to your mother, passed down in her family, never understood why she had a blank book - said it was important though. I think she must have enchanted it in some way - maybe you can figure out how-' Sirius said as Harry stared puzzlingly at the blank book. The next package was smaller and it contained a piece of jewellery. It was a necklace, hanging from a black velvet choker was a silver five pointed star, that covered a circle.

'That was also your mothers, I had to get it altered to the choker though, your mother used-'

'To wear it on a chain, I've seen - I remember seeing it in pictures,' Harry got up from her seat to hug him, holding out the necklace to Sirius so he could put it on for her. 'This is brilliant, thanks, Sirius - I've never had something that belonged to mum before.' Harry said as the necklace was secured around her neck.

'You're welcome kiddo,' Sirius grinned as she sat back down, Sirius inclined to the necklace. 'What's say we do a bit of girly shopping find, you a dress to go with your necklace.'

'Sounds good to me,' Harry grinned back. 'But could you please stop picking out ugly dresses - I'm out of my comfort zone as it is - wearing a dress - could you not make it any worse.'

Sirius chuckled, 'I guess you're not the only one that's having difficulties with you becoming a young woman.' he said sheepishly running a hand through his hair. 'Let's finish up then and I swear not to point out any more ugly dresses.'

'I'm going to hold you to that.'

Harry's feet were sore and they only had half an hour before they were due to meet Mrs Weasley, they still had not had any luck finding Harry a dress. They had just about given up as they walked towards Gringotts bank when a shop caught Harry's attention. It wasn't one she had noticed before it was a boutique dress shop from the looks from the dresses shown in the store's window. Harry tugged on Sirius' elbow and indicated to the store, they entered it. The dresses were truly beautiful and the sales assistant was most helpful but Harry spotted a dress in the corner of the room on a sale rack. It was a plain simple long creased emerald green dress, that had a creased shoulder strap on the left side of it.

'I look ridiculous,' Harry muttered as she walked out the changing room to Sirius, who had been waiting for her outside. He looked rather bored until she had spoken, 'don't I?'

Sirius's eyes softened and there was a small smile on his face. 'Not at all Anna, you look beautiful.'

...

There was a definite end of theholidays's gloom in the air when Harry woke the next morning. Heavy rain was splattering against the window as she got dressed. As she, Ginny and Hermione reached the first-floor landing on their way down to breakfast, Mrs Weasley appeared at the foot of the stairs, looking harassed.

'Arthur!' she called up the staircase, 'Urgent message from the Ministry!'

Harry flattened herself against the wall as Mr Weasley came clattering past and hurtled out of sight. When they entered the kitchen, they saw Mrs Weasley rummaging anxiously in the dresser drawers. Amos Diggory's head was sitting in the middle of the flames. Harry recognised it as a Fire-call, Mr Diggory's head was talking very fast.

'...Muggle neighbours heard bangs and shouting, so they went and called those what-d'you-call-'ems - please-men. Arthur, you've got to get over there -'

Mr Weasley, pushed a piece of parchment, a bottle of ink and a crumpled quill into Mr Weasley's hands.

'What did Mad-eye say that happened?' asked Mr Weasley, unscrewing the ink bottle and preparing to take notes.

Mr Diggory's head rolled its eyes. 'Says he heard an intruder in his yard. Says they were creeping towards the house, but they were ambushed by his dustbins.'

'What did the dustbins do?' Mr Weasley asked, scribbling away.

'Made one hell of a noise and fired rubbish everywhere, as far as I can tell,' Mr Diggory said. 'Apparently one of them was still rocketing around when the please-men turned up-'

Mr Weasley groaned. 'And what about the intruder?'

'Arthur, you know Mad-Eye, someone is always creeping into his yard at the dead of night?' said Mr Diggory's head, rolling its eyes again. 'More likely there's a very shell-shocked cat wandering around somewhere, covered in potato peelings. But if the Improper Use of Magic lot gets their hands on Mad-Eye, he's had it - think of his record - we've got to get him off on a minor charge, something in your department - what are exploding dustbins worth?'

'Might be a caution, Mad-Eye didn't use his wand? He didn't actually attack anyone?' Mr Weasley said his brow furrowed.

'I'll bet he leapt out of bed and started jinxing everything he could reach through the window,' said Mr Diggory, 'but they'll have a job proving it, there aren't any casualties.'

'All right, I'm off,' Mr Weasley said stuffing the parchment with his notes into his pockets and dashed out of the kitchen again. Mr Diggory's head vanished with a small _pop,_ Harry could hear Mr Weasley calling hurried goodbyes to the boys. Within five minutes, he was back in the kitchen, dragging a comb through his hair.

'I'd better hurry - have a good term, girls,' Mr Weasley said to Harry, Ginny and Hermione, dragging a cloak over his shoulders and preparing to Disapparate. 'Molly, are you going to be all right taking the kids to King's Cross?'

'Of course, I will,' she said. 'You just look after Mad-Eye, we'll be fine. I'll call for some taxis.'

As Mr Weasley vanished, Bill and Charlie entered the kitchen.

'Did someone say Mad-Eye?' Bill asked. 'What's he been up to now?'

'He says someone tried to break into his house last night,' Mrs Weasley said

'Mad-Eye Moody?' George said entering the kitchen with Fred. 'Isn't he that nutter-'

'Your father thinks very highly of Mad-Eye Moody,' Mrs Weasley said sternly.

'He was a great wizard of his time,' Bill said

'He's an old friend of Dumbledore's, isn't he?' Charlie said 'I met him once when Dad took me into work with him. He was an Auror - one of the best ... a Dark-wizard-catcher,' he added, seeing Harry's blank look. 'Half the cells in Azkaban are full because of him. He made himself loads of enemies, though ... the families of the people he caught ... and I heard he's getting really paranoid in his old age. Doesn't trust anyone any more. Sees Dark wizards everywhere.'

Bill and Charlie decided to come see everyone off. Mrs Weasley braved using the telephone in the next village Post Office to order three ordinary taxis as she herself couldn't drive. Harry stood in the rain-washed yard, watching the taxi drivers heaving six heavy Hogwarts trunks into their cars. The journey was uncomfortable, owning to the fact that they were jammed into the taxis with their trunks. They were relieved to get out at King's Cross, even though the rain was coming down harder than ever, and they got soaked carrying their trunks across the busy road into the station. Harry was used to getting onto platform nine and three-quarters by now. But she did have a rather pleasant surprize waiting for her opposite the barrier dividing the platforms nine and ten. Sirius and Remus had been waiting for her.

'Hay,' Harry grinned walking up to them. 'What are you doing here?'

'What,' Sirius said looking a bit offended, 'did you think I wasn't going to come see you off?'

Harry laughed and walked through the barrier with him, Remus walking behind them. The Hogwarts Express, a gleaming scarlet steam engine, was already there, clouds of steam billowing from it. Harry waited for Hermione and the Weasleys to appear through the platform before stowing their luggage in a compartment. Then they hopped back down onto the platform, to say goodbye to Mrs Weasley, Bill, Charlie, Sirius and Remus.

'I might be seeing you all sooner than you think,' Charlie said, grinning as he hugged Ginny goodbye.

'Why?' Fred said keenly.

'You'll see,' Charlie said. 'Just don't tell Percy I mentioned it.'

'Yeah, I sort of wish I was back at Hogwarts this year,' said Bill, hands in his pockets, looking almost wistfully at the train.

'Why?' George said impatiently.

'You're going to have an interesting year,' Bill said, his eyes twinkling. 'I might even get time off and watch a bit of it...'

'A bit of what?' said Ron.

Harry looked at Sirius. 'Oh no kiddo, don't look at me. You'll find out soon enough.'

'You'll find out this evening, I expect,' Mrs Weasley said smiling. 'It's going to be very exciting - mind you, I'm very glad they've changed the rules-'

'What rules?' said Harry, Ron, Fred and George together.

'I'm sure Professor Dumbledore will tell you ... now, behave, won't you? _Won't_ you Fred? And you George?' Mrs Weasley said.

Harry meanwhile hugged Sirius and Remus. 'Thanks for seeing me off.'

'Oh, before I forget,' Sirius said handing over a small brown package. 'This is a two-way mirror. It's enchanted so you can contact me anytime you want kiddo. Without the need to use an owl. Just say my name and it will connect to my one. James, I used to use these all the times in detentions.'

That saved her one issue at least. It meant a lot Harry hugged Sirius hard. 'Thank you so much, for everything.'

'Anything for you. Go cause some mischief for me.'

'SIRIUS!' Remus scolded. This caused Harry to giggle.

'There's that smile. Try and stay out of trouble, have a good time. Umm, I think I covered everything,' Sirius said thoughtfully.

Remus chuckled beside him added, 'Keep up with your studies. Have a lovely time won't you.'

'I will. I'll see you both in the holidays. Yeah?'

'That's if you want to come and stay with me. I was young once I know what it felt like having to spend time with the old folks,' Sirius said causing Remus to scowl at him

'Just try and stop me. Besides neither of you are old folks.'

'I expect you're all going to want to stay at Hogwarts, what with ... one thing and another or I would have invited you all for Christmas.' Mrs Weasley said and at moment the whistle blew, and Mrs Weasley chivvied them towards the train doors.

'Thanks for having us to stay, Mrs Weasley,' Hermione said as they climbed on board.

'Yeah thanks for everything, Mrs Weasley,' Harry said. 'I'll see you soon,' Harry added in the direction of Remus and Sirius. 'bye Remus, bye Sirius.'

'Bye Anna,' Remus called.

'See you kiddo,' Sirius shouted. 'If you need anything let me know Anna, I love you.'

The pistons hissed loudly, and the train began to move. 'Tell us what's happening at Hogwarts!' Fred bellowed out from the window, as they sped away from Mrs Weasley, Bill, Charlie, Sirius and Remus. But Mrs Weasley only smiled and waved, before the trained had rounded the corner, they had all Disapparated. Harry, Ron and Hermione went back to their compartment.

'Bagman was going to tell us at the World Cup, remember?' Ron said flinging maroon coloured robes over Pig's cage. 'Wonder what-'

'Shh!' Hermione whispered suddenly, pressing her finger to her lips and pointing at the next compartment. Harry and Ron listened and heard a familiar drawling voice drifting through the open door.

'...Father actually considered sending me to Durmstrang rather than Hogwarts, you know. He knows the Headmaster, you see, well, you all know his opinion of Dumbledore - the man's such a Muggle-born lover -'

'Careful what you say now Draco,' sniggered a female voice. 'You wouldn't want the heiress to your Head of House hearing you talking badly about Mudbloods now -'

'Drop it, Pansy,' said another female voice, 'Potter's the heiress to my Head of House too. I don't hear you saying anything to me.'

'I'm very aware of what Potter is able to do, so like Daphne said shut up.'

Hermione got up, tiptoed to the compartment door, and slid it shut, blocking out the next compartment voices. 'So, he thinks Durmstrang would have suited him, does he?' she said angrily. 'I wish he had gone, then we wouldn't have had to put with him.'

'Durmstrang's another wizarding school?' Harry said.

'Yes,' Hermione said, 'and it's got a horrible reputation.'

'I think I've heard of it,' Ron said vaguely. 'Where is it? What country?'

'Well nobody knows, do they?' Hermione said, raising her eyebrows. 'Traditionally there's been a lot of rivalry between all the magic schools. Durmstrang and Beaxbatons like to conceal their whereabouts so nobody can steal their secrets.'

'Come off it,' Ron said, starting to laugh. 'Durmstrang's got to be about the size as Hogwarts, how are you going to hide a dirty great castle?'

Harry rolled her eyes. 'Do you want to tell him, or should I?'

'Hogwarts is hidden, Ron,' Hermione explained as Ron looked between them. 'It's bewitched, if a Muggle looks at it, all they see is a mouldering old ruin with a sign over the entrance saying DANGER, DO NOT ENTER, UNSAFE.'

'So, Durmstrang'll just look like a ruin to an outsider, too?'

'Maybe, they could have used all sorts of Charms like a Muggle-Repelling Charms or they could have made it Unplottable-' Harry said.

'Come again?'

'You can enchant a building so it's impossible to plot on a map. That's what Sirius did when he brought Runewald.'

The rain became heavier as the train moved further north. The lunch trolley came rattling along the corridor, and Harry brought a large stack of Cauldron Cakes for them to share. Several of their friends looked in on them as the afternoon progressed, including Seamus Finnigan, Dean Thomas and Neville Longbottom. Seamus was still wearing his Ireland rosette, after half an hour or so Hermione, growing tired of the endless Quidditch talk, buried herself in _The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 4,_ and started trying to learn a Summoning Charm. Neville listened jealously to the others' conversation as they relived the Cup match.

'And Harry knew that Krum was feinting and began to shout it out,' Ron said

'Shame Gran didn't want to go,' Neville said miserably. 'It sounded amazing though.'

'It was,' Ron said. 'Look at this, Neville...' Ron rummaged in his trunk up in the luggage rack and pulled out the miniature figure of Viktor Krum.

'Oh wow,' Neville said enviously, as Ron tipped Krum onto his pudgy hand.

'We saw him right up close, as well,' said Ron 'We were in the Top Box-'

'For the first and last time in your life, Weasley.'

Draco Malfoy had appeared in the doorway. Behind him stood Crabbe and Goyle, his enormous, thuggish cronies, both of whom appeared to have grown at least a foot during the summer. Evidently, they had overheard the conversation through the compartment door, which Dean and Seamus had left open.

'I don't recall asking you to join us, Draco,' Harry said coolly.

'Just doing my family duty,' Malfoy said stepping to the side and Harry recognised the girl standing next to him. Daphne Greengrass, she was in Harry's Arithmancy class. 'Harianna, meet Daphne Greengrass, Daphne meet Harianna.' Malfoy introduced them to each other. 'There family duty done -' Malfoy blinked like something caught his attention, then his lips curled into a smirk. 'Weasley ... what on earth is that?' Malfoy said pointing at Pig's cage. A sleeve of Ron's robes was dangling from it, the mouldy lace cuff very obvious. Ron made to stuff the robes out of sight, but Malfoy was too quick for him; he seized the sleeve and pulled. 'Weasley, you weren't thinking of wearing these, were you? I mean - they were very fashionable in about 1890 -'

'Draco, shut up.' Harry said, snatching the robes back out of Malfoy's grip. Malfoy howled with laughter; Crabbe and Goyle guffawed stupidly.

'So ... going to enter Weasley? Going to try and bring a bit of glory to the family name? There's money involved as well, you know ... you'd be able to afford some decent Dress robes if you won ...'

'What are you talking about?' snapped Ron

'Are you going to enter?' Malfoy repeated. 'I suppose you will, Harianna, you never miss a chance to show off, do you?'

'Either explain what you're on about or go away, Malfoy,' Hermione said testily, over the top of her book.

A gleeful smile spread across Malfoy's face. 'Don't tell me you don't know?' he said delightedly. 'You've got a father and brother at the Ministry, even Lord Black and you don't even know? My God, my father told me about it ages ago ... heard it from Cornelius Fudge. But then Father's always associated with top people at the Ministry ...'

'Draco - you do just realise you just insulted your Head of House. I'd keep quiet before you say anything further.'

Malfoy looked at her wide eyed, then disappeared, Crabbe and Goyle following him. Daphne Greengrass turned to Harry.

'He's not taking it all too well - you pushed him off his pedestal. I'll introduce you to my younger sister Harianna, she's been looking forward to meeting you.' and she too disappeared.

'What was that about?' Ron said.

'I think she was trying to say, in a round about way; not to let Malfoy, get to us.' Harry said running a hand through her hair.

'If you say so...' Ron shrugged.

As the train doors opened, there was a rumble of thunder overhead. Hermione bundled Crookshanks up in her cloak and Ron left his Dress robes over Pig's cage as they left the train, heads bent and eyes narrowed against the downpour.

'Hi, Hagrid!' Harry yelled, seeing a gigantic silhouette at the far end of the platform.

'All right, Harry?' Hagrid bellowed back. 'See you at the feast if we don't drown!'

First-year traditionally reached Hogwarts castle by sailing across the lake with Hagrid.

'Oooh, I wouldn't fancy crossing the lake in this weather,' Hermione said fervently shivering as they inched slowly along the dark platform with the rest of the crowd. Harry, Ron, Hermione and Neville climbed into one of the carriages that stood waiting for them outside the station.

* * *

 ** _A.N. In regards to Harry's necklace before anyone points it out. I borrowed the symbol associated with pagan witchcraft. I just happened to like the symbol ... I'm going to use it for something completely different ..._** _ **though perhaps: If you're clever, like Hermione or my fem Harry or like my beta reader who's always reading my bits, you may know where this is heading, but regardless I hope you continue to enjoy what you read.** _


	75. Chapter 75

The Great Hall looked its usual splendid self, decorated for the start-of-term feast. Golden plates and goblets gleamed by the light of hundreds of candles, floating over tables in mid-air. The four long house tables were packed with chattering students; at the top of the Hall, the staff sat along one side of a fifth table, facing their pupils. It was much warmer in here. Harry, Ron and Hermione walked past the other tables, and sat down with the rest of the Gryffindors, Harry taking her usual place next to George. The Sorting of the new students into houses took place at the start of every school year, but by unlucky combination of circumstances, Harry hadn't been present at one since her own and she was quite looking forward to it. Just then, a highly excited, breathless voice called down the table.

'Hiya, Harry!'

It was Colin Creevey, a third-year to whom Harry was something of a hero.

'Hi, Colin,' Harry replied.

'Harry, guess what? Guess what, Harry? My brother's starting! My brother Dennis!'

'Oh - good,' said Harry.

'He's really excited!' Colin said, practically bouncing up and down in his seat. 'I just hope he's in Gryffindor! Keep your fingers crossed, eh, Harry.'

'Sure.' Harry said and then she looked up at the staff table. There seemed to be rather more empty seats than usual. Hagrid, of course, was still fighting his way across the lake; Professor McGonagall was probably waiting in the Entrance Hall, but there was another empty chair, too.

'Where's the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher?' Harry muttered they had yet to have a Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher last longer than a year. Harry's favourite by far had been Remus, who had resigned last year.

'Maybe they couldn't get anyone!' said Hermione looking very anxious. Harry scanned the table more carefully. Tiny Professor Flitwick, the Charms teacher, was sitting beside Professor Sprout, the Herbology teacher. Professor Sinistra of the Astronomy department was talking away with Professor Vector, the Arithmancy teacher. Which was Harry's best subject as she would be taking her OWL this year. Then there was Snape, the Potions master. Professor Snape and Harry had not seen eye to eye when she first started, the animosity between them had dropped over the last few years after Harry thanked him for saving her life. The trouble right now he was giving her, a rather calculating look and she had no idea into the reason why. Professor Dumbledore, the Headmaster sat in the very centre of the table; he was resting his chin upon his fingers, staring up at the ceiling through his half-moon spectacles as though lost in thought. Harry too glanced up at the ceiling, it was enchanted to look like the sky outside, but she had never seen it look this stormy. Black and purple clouds were swirling across it, and another thunderclap sounded outside, a fork of lightning flashed across it.

The doors of the Great Hall opened, and silence fell. Professor McGonagall was leading a long line of first-years up to the top of the Hall. The first-years looked socked, it appeared that they had swum across the lake rather than sailing. All of them were shivering with a combination of cold and nerves. The smallest boy of the lot with mousey hair, was wrapped in what Harry recognised as Hagrid's moleskin coat. The coat was too big for him, his small face protruded from over the collar, looking almost painfully excited. When he lined up with his terrified looking peers, he caught Colin Creevey's eye, gave a double thumbs-up and mouthed, 'I fell in the lake!' Professor McGonagall placed a three-legged stool on the ground before the first years and, on top of it, an extremely old, dirty, patched wizard's hat. The first-years stared at it, so did everyone else. For a moment, there was silence, then a brim opened wide like a mouth, and the hat broke into song. Harry glanced across the table at Hermione who was sitting next to Ron and sent her a knowing look and smile. Hermione went pink and looked away, trying not to laugh. Ron and Ginny gave them both puzzling looks, but Harry shook her head at them. Neither Harry or Hermione had spoken to them about their first thoughts of the hat back in their first-year. Hermione had wondered how some old hat was meant to sort them into their houses and Harry to this day had not forgotten her reply to her friend. Hermione was now glaring at her and Harry smiled in return and mouthed. 'I'm thinking that's not just any old hat.' Hermione almost laughed and had to bury her head in her hand against the table. The hat finished it's song and the Great Hall rang with applause.

''That's not the song it sang when it sorted us,' Harry said clapping along with everyone else.

'Sings a different one every year,' said Ron. 'It's got to be a pretty boring life, hasn't it, being a hat? I suppose it spends all year making up the next one.'

Professor McGonagall was now unrolling a large scroll of parchment. 'When I call out your name, you will put on the Hat and sit on the stool,' she told the first-years. 'When the Hat announces your house, you will go and sit at the appropriate table. 'Ackerley, Stewart!' and he was sorted into Ravenclaw. Colin's brother Dennis was indeed sorted into Gryffindor. Hagrid sidled into the Hall as Dennis was being sorted, through a door behind the teacher's table. He winked in at Harry, Ron and Hermione as he sat down at the end of the staff table, clapping along with the Gryffindors, as Dennis hurried over to join his brother.

'Colin I fell in!' he said shrilly, throwing himself into an empty seat. 'It was brilliant! And something in the water grabbed me and pushed me back in the boat!'

'Cool,' Colin said just as excitedly. 'It was probably the giant squid, Dennis!'

'Wow!' said Dennis, as though nobody in their wildest dreams could hope more than being thrown into a storm-tossed, deep lake, and pushed out again by a giant sea-monster.

'Dennis! Dennis! See that girl down there? The one with the black hair, next to the boy and girl with red hair? See her? _Know who she is,_ Dennis?'

Harry looked away, glancing towards George who was grinning mischievously. 'Don't even think of starting up a Harry Potter, fan club again or I'll do more than hex your hair green.' Harry warned him.

' _I_ would never do something like that,' George said, sounding offended.

'Nice try Charming, it's not going to work.'

'I wouldn't I swear,' George said earnestly, 'It's already been done once, Princess,' he waved it off as though it was nothing, then he winked at her. 'I'd think of something much better instead.'

'Remind me why I put up with you again?' Harry said gesturing towards him.

'Because I'm your devilishly handsome, daring, Charming Prince.'

'You keep telling yourself that,' Harry said patting his shoulder.

'Am I not your Charming Prince then?'

'Yeah I call you that, but I never said any of the other stuff.' Harry said shaking her as she turned back to watch the rest of the sorting.

Dumbledore had got to his feet as Professor McGonagall picked up the Hat and the stool, and carried them away. He was smiling at the students, his arms opened wide in welcome. 'I have two words to say to you,' he told them, his deep voice echoing the Hall. 'Tuck in.'

The empty dishes filled magically before their eyes. Nearly Headless Nick floated past them, watching them mournfully as Harry, Ron and Hermione loaded their plates.

'Aahh, 'at's be'er,' said Ron, with his mouth full of mashed potato. Harry rolled her eyes.

'You're lucky there's feast at all tonight, you know,' said Nearly Headless Nick. 'There was trouble in the kitchens earlier.'

'Why? wha' 'appened?' said George, through a sizeable chunk of steak.

'Peeves, of course,' said Nearly Headless Nick. 'The usual argument, he wanted to attend the feast - well, it's quite out of question, you know what he's like, utterly uncivilised-'

'He isn't the only one,' Harry muttered rolling her eyes at the boys. 'Sorry Nick, do continue.'

'Well we held a ghost' council and the Bloody Baron put his foot down. So, Peeves wreaked havoc and mayhem. Pots and pans everywhere. Terrified the house-elves out of their wits-'

Hermione knocked over her golden goblet. Pumpkin juice spread steadily over the tablecloth but Hermione paid no attention to it.

'There are house-elves here? Here at Hogwarts?' she said, staring Horror struck.

'Certainly,' said Nearly Headless Nick, looking surprised at her reaction. 'The largest number in any dwelling in Britain, I believe over a hundred.'

'I've never seen one!' said Hermione.

'Well, they hardly ever leave the kitchen by day, do they? They come out at night to do a bit of cleaning ... you're not supposed to see them, are you? That's the mark of a good house-elf, isn't it, that you don't know it's there?'

Hermione stared at him. 'They get paid? They get holidays, don't they? Sick leave and pensions and everything?'

'Sick leave and pensions?' said Nearly Headless Nick. 'House-elves don't want sick leave and pensions!'

Hermione looked down at her hardly touched plate of food, then put her knife and fork down upon it and pushed it away from here. 'Slave labour,' she said breathing hard through her nose. 'That's what made this. Slave labour.'

'Hermione, listen to me,' Harry said. 'I know it's unkind and I know it's not fair and whatever it is your thinking of doing, don't. OK. Don't! House-elves don't know anything else apart from serving their masters, it makes them happy. Even if they are doing something they don't like.'

'But Dobby, he likes freedom,' Hermione said back.

'Yes, he does, but he only got that because Mr Malfoy gave him clothes, you won't be able to trick them into being freed Hermione. Only the owner of them can free them and most house elves think that is a disgrace. That it is a disgrace to be free.'

'But-'

'No listen OK. It took me two whole weeks to get Dob to stop himself from punishing himself. Two weeks! He'd do it at random times, say something bad about his old family and punish himself. They are taught not to forget their place, not to insult us. Do you really want to insult them? Because refusing to eat is not going to help them. Besides I highly doubt Dumbledore treats them with anything but kindness.'

'It's still slavery.' Hermione said softly pulling her plate back towards her and taking a small bite.

'Then go into the laws that deals with creatures and do something about it that way. Maybe you could take a look at the Dark creature laws and help a certain friend of ours whilst you're at it.'

'I - I, hadn't thought of that,' Hermione said thoughtfully.

When the puddings, had been demolished, Albus Dumbledore got to his feet again. The buzz of chatter filling the Hall ceased almost at once. 'So,' he said. 'Now that we are all fed and watered, I must once ask for your attention, while I give out a few notices. Mr Filch, the caretaker, has asked me to tell you that list of objects forbidden inside the castle has been extended to include Screaming Yo-yos, Fanged Frisbess and Ever-Bashing Boomerangs. The full list comprises some four hundred and thirty-seven items, I believe, and can be viewed in Mr Filch's office, if anybody would like to check it.'

'You're going to check it out, aren't you?' Harry muttered into George's ear, the only response Harry got was a low chuckle.

'As ever,' Dumbledore continued. 'I would like to remind you all that the Forest in the grounds is out-of-bounds to students, as is the village of Hogsmeade to all below third-year. It is also my painful duty to inform you that the inter-house Quidditch Cup will not take place this year.'

Harry looked around at her fellow Quidditch team, they too were mouthing soundlessly at Dumbledore, apparently too appalled to speak. And then Harry noticed something, not one of them was wearing the Captain's badge and with Oliver Wood gone, they would need a new one.

Dumbledore continued once more. 'This is due to an event that will be starting in October, and continuing throughout the school year, taking up much of the teachers' time and energy - but I am sure you will all enjoy it immensely. I have great pleasure in announcing that this year at Hogwarts-'

But at that moment, there was a deafening rumble of thunder, and the Great Hall banged open. A man stood in the doorway, leaning upon a long staff, shrouded in a black travelling cloak. Every head in the Great Hall swivelled towards the stranger. He lowered his hood, shook out a long mane of grizzled, dark grey hair, then began to walk up towards the teachers' table. A dull clunk echoed through the Hall on his every other step. He reached the end of the top table, turned right and limped heavily towards Dumbledore. There was a flash of lightning that crossed the ceiling. The lightning had thrown the man's face into sharp relief, and it was a face unlike any Harry had ever seen. It looked as though it had been carved out of weathered wood by someone who had only the vaguest idea of what human faces should look like, and none too skilled with a chisel. Every inch of skin seemed to be scarred. The mouth looked like a diagonal gash, and a large chunk of the nose was missing. But it was the man's eyes that made him frightening. One of them was small, dark and beady. The other was large, round as a coin, a vivid, electric blue. The blue eye was moving ceaselessly, without blinking and rolling up, down and from side to side. The stranger reached Dumbledore, the stranger sat down into the empty seat Dumbledore had gestured to, after shaking his hand.

'May I introduce our new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher,' Dumbledore said brightly into the silence. 'Professor Moody.'

It was usual for new staff members to be greeted with applause, but none of the staff or students clapped expect Dumbledore and Hagrid. Everyone else seemed too transfixed by Moody's bizarre appearance to do more than stare at him.

'Moody?' Harry muttered to Ron. 'Mad-Eye Moody? The one your dad went to help this morning?'

'Must be,' said Ron in a low, awed voice.

Dumbledore cleared his throat. 'As I was saying, we are to have the honour of hosting a very exciting event over the coming months, an event which has not been held for over a century. It is my great pleasure to inform you that the Triwizard Tournament will be taking place at Hogwarts this year.'

'The Triwizard Tournament ... well, some of you will not know what this Tournament involves, so I hope those who do know forgive me for given a short explanation. It was first established some seven hundred years ago, as a friendly competition between the three largest European school of wizardry - Hogwarts, Beauxbatons and Durmstrang. A champion was selected to represent each school, and the three champions competed in three magical tasks. The schools took it in turns to host the Tournament once every five years, and it was generally agreed to be a most excellent way of establishing ties between young witches and wizards of different nationalities - until, that is, the death toll mounted so high that the Tournament was discontinued.'

'There have been several attempts over the centuries to reinstate the Tournament, none of which have been successful. However, our own Departments of International Magical Co-operation and Magical Games and Sports have decided the time is ripe for another attempt. We have worked hard over the summer to ensure that, this time, no champion will find themselves in mortal danger. The Heads of Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will be arriving with their short-listed contenders in October, and a selection of the three champions will take place at Halloween. An impartial judge will decide which students are most worthy to compete for the Triwizard Cup, the glory of their school, and a thousand Galleons personal prize money.'

'I'm going for it!' Fred hissed down the table. He wasn't the only person who seemed to be visualising themselves as Hogwarts champion. At every house table, Harry could see people whispering fervently or gazing raptly at Dumbledore.

'Eager though I know all of you will be to bring the Triwizard Cup to Hogwarts, the Heads of the participating schools, along with the Ministry of Magic, have agreed to impose an age restriction on contenders this year. Only students who are of age - that is to say, seventeen years or older - will be allowed to enter. This is a measure we feel is necessary, given that the Tournament tasks will still be difficult and dangerous, whatever precautions we take, and it is highly unlikely that students below sixth and seventh year will be able to cope with them. I will personally be ensuring that no underage student hoodwinks our impartial judge into making them Hogwarts champion. I, therefore, beg you not to waste your time submitting yourself if you are under seventeen.' Dumbledore said, his light-blue eyes twinkled as they flickered over Fred and George's mutinous faces.

'The delegates from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will be arriving in October, and remaining with us for the greater part of this year. I know that you will all extend every courtesy to our foreign guests while they are with us, and give your whole-hearted support to the Hogwarts champion when he or she is selected. Now it is late, and I know how important it is to you all to be alert and rested as you enter your lessons tomorrow morning. Bedtime! Chop, chop.'

Dumbledore sat down again and turned to talk to Mad-Eye Moody. There was a great scraping and banging as all the students got to their feet.

'They can't do that!' George said, joining the crowd of students leading them up to the staircase. 'We're seventeen in April, why can't we have a shot?'

'They're not going to stop me entering,' Fred said stubbornly, 'The champions'll get to do all sorts of stuff you'd never be allowed to do normally. And a thousand Galleons prize money.'

'I'm entering too ... reckon an Ageing Potion would fool this impartial judge?' George said

'It just might, George. It just might.' Fred said eagerly.

'Boys I hate to be the one to tell you this, but ...' Harry said as they walked up the moving staircases. 'it would take a genius to outwit Dumbledore.'

'Harry's right,' Hermione added. 'Dumbledore is not going to be fooled by something so dimwitted.'

'But it's not Dumbledore we have to fool now it is,' Fred said.

'It's the impartial judge,' George added.

They made their way up to the entrance to Gryffindor Tower, which was concealed behind a large portrait of a fat lady in a pink silk dress. 'Password's balderdash,' Ginny shouted from behind them, 'a Prefect downstairs told me.'

'Reckon you'll go for it? If Fred and George find out a way to enter the Tournament?' Ron said. 'I might ...'

'Nah -,' Harry shrugged heading towards the girls' dorms. 'I've got other things on my mind, like my mothers' book - I haven't had a chance to look at it and,' Harry said glancing around to check it was just themselves around. 'my Arithmancy OWL to concentrate on.'

'Oh, yeah I forgot about that,' Ron said sheepishly.

'I haven't,' Harry replied grinning. 'I'm looking forward to having a normal year for once.'

...

The storm had blown itself out by the following morning, though the ceiling in the Great Hall was still gloomy. Harry, Ron and Hermione examined their new timetables at breakfast. Next, to them Fred, George and Lee Jordan were discussing magical methods of ageing themselves and bluffing their way into the Triwizard Tournament.

'Today's not bad ... outside all morning,' Ron said, as he was running his finger down the Monday column of his timetable, 'Herbology with the Hufflepuffs and care of Magical Creatures ... damn it, we're still with the -' he said glancing up, and nudged Harry's elbow. 'Slytherins.'

Harry too looked up and walking towards the Gryffindor table was a small net of Slytherins. Two Harry recognised from her year Daphne Greengrass and Blaise Zabini, a third from her year she didn't know and a younger smaller girl who looked like a second-year.

'Umm - morning.' Harry said as they approached her seat.

'Morning Harianna,' Daphne acknowledged. 'I wish to introduce to fellow members of the family and a friend. If I may?'

'Sure …' Harry replied.

'This is my sister, I was speaking to you about - Astoria,' Daphne gestured to the small girl, with brown curls and brown eyes. If Daphne hadn't introduced her as her sister Harry wouldn't have realised they were related. Apart from the eye colour, and curly hair, Daphne unlike her sister had blonde hair.

'Hello.' Harry nodded.

'Is it true you live with Muggles?' Astoria blurted out. Harry admired her bravery, though Daphne didn't seem best pleased her sister had brought that up.

'Yeah, I do - for the moment anyhow.' Harry replied and she watched as Daphne's expression relaxed and she gestured to the boy Harry didn't know. 'This is Theodore Nott, also a member of our line.' Harry received a curt nod from him, which she returned. Daphne introduced the last Slytherin. 'And this is our friend Blaise Zabini, you may recall that he takes Arithmancy with us.'

'Hi and yeah I remember that.' Harry said.

'We'll leave you to your breakfast then,' Daphne said urging her sister away. 'Blaise and I will see you in Arithmancy after lunch.'

Harry watched them disappearing back towards the Slytherin table, she could hear Daphne scolding Astoria 'I told you not to ask that - now what will she think of us and Lord Black goodness knows what he'll say -'

'Harry, do you want to tell us what that was about?' Seamus asked as Harry turned back around. 'I'd never thought I'd see the day that Slytherin would voluntarily wonder over and speak to one of us ... _nicely.'_

'Didn't you know?' Neville suddenly said. 'Lord Black is Harry's godfather, he's the Head of one of the Ancient and noble Pureblooded houses. Harry as his godchild as he has no children and isn't married himself is his heir.'

'So, the Slytherin's have to play nice?' Dean said.

'No,' Harry replied, 'well a few - what that just was - they were trying to make themselves look good to Sirius - Lord Black by introducing themselves first they think they'll be able to do that.'

'Like that would work,' Ron snorted. 'We're Gryffindors - Sirius is a Gryffindor-'

'Exactly.'

'Besides name me one Slytherin that turned out to be good.' Ron said.

Harry laughed. 'You really should read your Chocolate Frog cards more often. Merlin.'

'What?'

'Merlin, greatest wizard of all time was a Slytherin.' Harry shrugged. 'What? You asked me to name one, and I did.'

In Herbology Professor Sprout showed the class the ugliest plants Harry had ever seen. They looked less like a plant than thick black giant slugs, protruding vertically out of the soil. Each was squirming slightly, and several large, shiny swellings upon it, which appeared to be full of liquid.

'Bubotubers,' Professor Sprout told them. 'They need squeezing. You will collect the pus-'

'The what?' said Seamus, sounding revolted.

'Pus, and it's extremely valuable, so don't waste it. You will collect the pus. Wear your dragon-hide gloves, it can do funny things to the skin when undiluted, Bubotuber pus.' Professor Sprout said.

By the end of the lesso, they had collected several pints. A booming bell echoed from the castle across the grounds, signalling the end of the lesson, and the class separated; the Hufflepuffs climbing the stone steps for Transfiguration, and the Gryffindors heading in the other direction, down the sloping lawn towards Hagrid's small wooden cabin. Hagrid was standing outside his hut, there were several open wooden crates on the ground at his feet. As they drew nearer, an odd rattling noise reached their ears, punctuated by what sounded like minor explosions.

'Morning!' Hagrid said grinning at Harry, Ron and Hermione. 'Better wait for the Slytherins, they won't want to miss this -Blast-Ended Skrewts!'

'Come again?' said Ron. Hagrid pointed down into the crates.

'Eurgh!' squealed Lavender Brown, jumping backwards.

'Eurgh' just about summed up the Blast-Ended Skrewts, in Harry's opinion. They looked like deformed, shell-less lobsters, horribly pale and slimy-looking, with legs sticking out in very odd places and no visible heads. There were about a hundred of them in each crate, each six inches long, crawling over each other, bumping blinding into sides of the boxes. Nothing but deep affection for Hagrid could have made Harry, Ron and Hermione pick up squelchy handfuls of frogs' liver and lower them into crates to tempt the Blast-Ended Skrewts.

Harry was glad when lunch time came around, though they didn't see Hermione for long, she ate so fast that Harry and Ron stared at her then disappeared and they amused she had gone to the library. Harry set off to Arithmancy waving a farewell to Ron as he set of for Divination. This year in Arithmancy they were considering the magic behind withheld in numbers and they would for the rest of the year be doing their own project upon this. Harry had o stop herself from grinning magical theories was what she liked best. Hermione and Harry joined up with Ron again as he was descending the staircase back to the Great Hall for dinner. They reached the Entrance Hall, which was packed with people queuing for dinner. They had just joined the end of the line, when a loud voice rand out from behind them.

'Weasley! Hey Weasley!'

Harry, Ron and Hermione turned. Malfoy had been joined by Crabbe and Goyle and they were standing there, each looking thoroughly pleased about something.

'Your dad's in the paper, Weasley!' said Malfoy, brandishing a copy of the _Daily Prophet,_ speaking very loudly, so that everyone in the packed Entrance Hall could hear. 'Listen to this!'

 _FURTHER MISTAKES AT THE MINISTRY OF MAGIC._

 _It seems as though the Ministry of Magic's troubles are not yet at an end, writes Rita Skeeter,_

 _Special Correspondent. Recently under fire for its poor crowd control at the Quidditch World Cup,_

 _and still unable to account for the disappearance of one of it's witches, the Ministry was plunged_

 _into fresh embarrassment yesterday by the antics of Arnold Weasley, of the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office._

Malfoy looked up. 'Imagine them not even getting his name right, Weasley, it's almost as though he's a complete nonentity, isn't it?' he crowed. Everyone in the Entrance Hall was listening now. Malfoy read on:

 _Arnold Weasley, was yesterday involved with a tussle with several Muggle law-keepers ('policemen')_

 _over a number of highly aggressive dustbins. Mr Weasley appears to have rushed_ _to the aid of_

 _'Mad-Eye' Moody, the aged ex-Auror who retired from the Ministry when no longer able to tell_ _the difference between a handshake and attempted Murder. Unsurprisingly, Mr Weasley found,_

 _upon arrival ay Moody's heavily guarded house, that Mr Moody had once again raised a false alarm._

 _Mr Weasley was forced to modify several memories before he could escape from the policemen,_

 _but refused to answer Daily Prophet questions about why he had involved the Ministry in such_

 _an undignified and potentially embarrassing scene._

'And there's a picture, Weasley!' said Malfoy, flipping the paper over and holding it up. 'A picture of your parents outside their house - if you can call it a house! Your mother could do with losing a bit of weight, couldn't she?'

Ron was shaking with fury and Harry was just glad that her and Hermione just had one furious Weasley to deal with.

'You were staying with them this summer, weren't you, Potter?' sneered Malfoy. 'Tell me, is his mother really that porky, or is it just the picture.'

Harry and Hermione grabbed the back of Ron's robes to stop him launching himself at Malfoy. Harry glared at Malfoy, turning away.

'Don't turn away from me,' Malfoy shouted. BANG!

Several people screamed - Harry felt something white hot graze the side of her face - she plunged her hands into her robes for her wand, but before she'd even touched it, she heard a second loud BANG, and a roar which echoed through the Entrance Hall.

'OH, NO YOU DON'T, LADDIE!'

Harry spun around, Professor Moody was limping down the marble staircase. His wand was out and it was pointing right at a pure white ferret, which was shivering on the stone-flagged floor, exactly where Malfoy had been standing… There was a terrified silence in the Entrance Hall. Nobody but Moody was moving a muscle. Moody turned to look at Harry - at least, his normal eye was looking at Harry; the other one was pointing into the back of his head.

'Did he get you?' Moody growled. His voice low and gravelly.

'No,' said Harry, 'not really.'

'LEAVE IT!' Moody shouted.

'Leave what?' Harry said bewildered.

'Not you - him!' Moody growled, jerking his thumb over his shoulder at Crabbe, who had just frozen, about to pick the white ferret up. It seemed that Moody's rolling eye was magical and could see out the back of his head. Moody started to limp towards Crabbe and Goyle and the ferret, which gave a terrified squeak and took off, streaking towards the dungeons.

'I don't think so!' roared Moody, pointing his wand at the ferret again - it flew into the air, fell with a smack to the floor, and the bounced upwards once more.

'I don't like people who attack when their opponent's back is turned,' Moody growled, as the ferret bounced higher and higher, squealing in pain. 'Stinking, cowardly, scummy thing to do...'

The ferret flew, through the air, it's legs and tail flailing helplessly. 'Never - do - that - again -' said Moody, speaking each word as the ferret hit the stone floor and bounced upwards again.

'Professor Moody!' said a shocked voice. Professor McGonagall was coming down the marble staircase with her arms full of book.

'Hello, Professor McGonagall,' said Moody calmly, bouncing the ferret still higher.

'What - are you doing?' said Professor McGonagall, her eyes following the bouncing ferret's progress through the air.

'Teaching,' said Moody.

'Teach- Moody, is that a student?' shrieked Professor McGonagall, the books spilling out of her arms.

'Yep,' said Moody.

'No!' cried Professor McGonagall, running down the stairs and pulling out her wand; a moment later, with a loud snapping noise, Draco Malfoy had reappeared, lying in a heap on the floor. 'Moody, we never use Transfiguration as a punishment!' Professor McGonagall said weakly. 'Surely Professor Dumbledore told you that?'

'He might've mentioned it,' said Moody, 'but I thought a good sharp shock-'

'We give detentions, Moody! Or speak to the offender's Head of house!'

'I'll do that then,' said Moody, staring at Malfoy with great dislike. Malfoy was muttering something in which the words 'my father' were distinguishable, as he looked malevolently up at Moody.

'Oh yeah?' said Moody quietly, limping forward a few steps. 'Well, I know your father of old, boy ... you tell him Moody's keeping a close eye on his son ... you tell him that from me ... now, your Head of house'll be Snape, will it?'

'Yes,' Malfoy said resentfully.

'Another old friend,' growled Moody 'I've been looking forward to a chat with old Snape ... come on you ...' And he seized Malfoy's upper arm and marched him off towards the dungeons.

'Don't talk to me,' Ron said quietly to Harry and Hermione as they sat down at the Gryffindor table a few minutes later, surrounded by excited talk on all sides about what had just happened.

'Why not?' said Hermione in surprise.

'Because I want to fix that in my memory forever,' said Ron, his eyes closed and an uplifted expression on his face. 'Draco Malfoy, the amazing bouncing ferret ...'

Harry and Hermione both laughed. Both Harry and Hermione began eating their food at top speed.

'Don't tell me, that,' Ron said watching them, 'you're both heading to the library?'

'Well I am,' Hermione replied. 'Got loads to do.'

'I'll be up in the dorm,' Harry said grinning widely. 'I've got to tell Sirius about this - he'll laugh his head off.'

Hermione vanished five minutes later, Harry would have joined her but as she got up from the table, she had been pulled into a very tight hug. 'Umm hi George ... would you mind ... you're squishing me...'

'We just had Moody,' Fred explained sitting down next to Ron. 'Never had a lesson like it.'

'He knows, man,' Lee said sliding into another empty seat, leaving a space for George.

'Knows what?' Ron said, leaning forwards.

'Knows what it's like to be out there _doing_ it,' said Fred impressively.

'Doing what?' said Harry.

'Fighting the Dart Arts,' George whispered.

'He's seen it all,' Fred said.

''Mazing,' said Lee.

Ron dived into his bag for his timetable. 'We haven't got him 'till Thursday!' he said in a disappointed voice.

'It gives you something to look forward to while we're in Potions with the Slytherins then, doesn't?' Harry said extracting herself from George's arms. 'I best be off, things to do, people to speak to an all...'

'Just who have you got to speak to?' George enquired with raise eyebrows.

'Sirius, I've got to tell him about today, before I forget.' Harry replied picking up her bag she had dropped to the floor.

'Princess, you could write an owl like everyone else does.'

'Aaahhh but then that would spoil all my fun.' Harry said laughing. 'See you later.'

Harry wondered out of the Hall to the Gryffindor tower, once in the girls dorm she opened up her trunk. The mirror was still wrapped up, her mother's book laying underneath it. Harry pulled the brown wrapping off -

'Ouch!' Harry muttered looking at her finger, she had managed to cut her finger along the edge of the mirror. At least it was only a paper cut, nothing to worry about. Then she spotted a few drops of blood on her mothers' book and before her eyes it disappeared. Just like how Voldemort's diary had done with the ink. But this was slightly different, the front cover had changed. In the middle of the brown cover was the same symbol as her mother's necklace. The necklace she had been wearing - opening the book up, Harry found that is was no longer blank - it contained magic spells, antidotes and other types of magic - Harry spotted by the looks of it a recipe labelled cretura potio sommum. Harry snapped the book shut, this time carefully placing the mirror in her hands.

'SIRIUS BLACK,' she called out to it and Sirius face came into view.

'Hey kiddo no need to shout, what's up?' Sirius replied. 'Didn't think you would be using the mirror this early!'

'Can you Charm a book to be concealed by Blood Magic?' Harry asked bluntly.

'I suppose so,' Sirius said. 'Why?'

'I - that's what mum book was enchanted by - I cut my finger and a few drops of blood hit the book - I can read it Sirius -it's no longer blank.'

'That means who ever owned the book, in the first place you would have to be related to-' Sirius said thoughtfully.

'But then how did mum, come to have it?' Harry said just as thoughtfully. 'She was a Muggle-born witch and you said this was passed down in her family.'

'It was kiddo - hay is that a cut on your cheek?' Sirius said anxiously.

'Oh yeah - I've got something funny to tell you,' Harry said grinning. 'That's why I called in the first place - now listening closely as I tell you all about Draco Malfoy, "the amazing bouncing ferret" as Ron dubbed it, it was brilliant Sirius.'

'OK Anna ... what happened?'


	76. Chapter 76

The next two days passed without an incident and it wasn't unusual to find Harry and Hermione to spend their time in the library. Harry was determined to find out what the symbol on her mothers, book and necklace meant. She had examined the book more thoroughly and found at the front of the book a long chart of names. A family tree and Harry could only include who the book had been passed down through as only her mothers' name had been on it, her aunts hadn't not appeared. There were only a few male names on the tree, the very first name on the tree being one being male, a man named: Eugene. M. Averhill. Harry wasn't having much luck finding the symbol of her mother's necklace or book and it had to be magical. How could it not the book was enchanted by Blood Magic.

So as excited as Harry was for their first lesson with Moody, both her and Hermione had just arrived in time for their lesson with him. Ron had rolled his eyes at them and they hurried into three chairs right in front of the teacher's desk, took out their copies of _The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection,_ and waited. Soon they heard Moody's distinctive clunking footsteps coming down the corridor, and he entered the room.

'You can put those away,' he growled, stumping over to his desk and sitting down, 'those books. You Won't need them.'

They returned the book to their bags, Ron looking excited. Moody took out the register, his normal eye moving steadily down the list while his magical eye swivelled around, fixing upon each student as he or she answered. 'Right then,' he said, when the last person had declared themselves present, 'I've had a letter from Professor Lupin about this class. Seems you've had a pretty thorough grounding in tackling Dark creatures - you've covered Boggarts, Red Caps, Hinkypunks, Grindylows, Kappas and werewolves, is that right?'

There was a murmur of assent. 'But you're behind - very behind - on dealing with curses,' said Moody. 'So, I'm here to bring you up to scratch on what wizards can do to each other. I've got one year to teach you how to deal with Dark -'

'What, aren't you staying?' Ron blurted out. Moody's magical eye spun to stare at Ron.

'You'll be Arthur Weasley's son, eh?' Moody said. 'Your father got me out of a very tight corner a few days ago ... yeah, I'm staying just the one year. Special favour to Dumbledore ... one year, and then back to my quiet retirement.' He gave a harsh laugh, then clapped his gnarled hands together.

'So - straight into it. Curses. They come in many strengths and forms. Now, according to the Ministry of Magic, I'm supposed to teach you counter-curses and leave it at that. I'm not supposed to show you what illegal Dark curses look like until you're in the sixth year. You're not supposed to be old enough 'til then. But Professor Dumbledore's got a higher opinion of your nerves, he reckons you can cope, and I say the sooner you know what you're up against, the better. How are you supposed to defend yourself against something you've never seen? A wizard who's about to put an illegal curse on you isn't going to tell you what he's about to do. He's not going to do it nice and polite to your face. You need to be prepared. You need to be alert and watchful.'

'So ... do any of you know which curses are most heavily punished by wizarding law?'

Several hands rose tentatively into the air, including Ron's and Hermione's. Moody pointed at Ron.

'Er,' said Ron tentatively, 'my dad told me about one ... the Imperius curse.'

'Yes, your father would know that one. Gave the Ministry a lot of trouble at one time, the Imperious curse.' Moody said and he got to his feet, opened his desk drawer and took out a glass jar. Three large, black spiders were scuttling around inside it. Harry saw Ron recoil slightly from them - Ron hated spiders. Moody reached into the jar, caught one the spiders and held it in the palm of his hand so that they could see it. He pointed his wand at it, and muttered, ' _Imperio!'_

The spider leapt from Moody's hand on a fine thread of silk, and began to swing backwards and forwards as though on a trapeze. It stretched out it's legs rigidly, then did a backflip, breaking the thread and landing on the desk, where it began to cartwheel in circles. Moody jerked his wand, and the spider rose onto its hind legs and went into what was unmistakable a tap dance. It should have been funny, Harry thought as everyone had laughed at the spider but it just wasn't. There was nothing funny about it at all.

'Think it's funny, do you?' Moody growled. 'Then why Miss Potter are you not laughing?'

'You could make it do anything, you've got total control over it. You could make it jump out of the window, drown itself ... the possibilities are endless ... I wouldn't like it done to me.'

The laughter died almost instantly. 'Very true ... years back, there were a lot of witches and wizards being controlled by the Imperius curse,' said Moody and Harry knew he was talking about the days in which Voldemort had been all powerful. 'Some job for the Ministry, trying to sort out who was being forced to act, and who was acting of their own, free will. The Imperius curse can be fought, and I'll be teaching you how, but it takes real strength of character, and not everyone's got it. Better avoid being hit with it if you can. CONSTANT VIGILANCE!' he barked, and everyone jumped. Moody picked up the somersaulting spider and threw it back into the jar. 'Anyone else know one? Another illegal curse?'

Hermione's hand flew into the air again and so, to Harry surprise, did Neville's. The only class in which Neville usually volunteered information was Herbology, which was easily his best subject.

'Yes?' said Moody, his magical eye rolling over to fix on Neville.

'There's one - the Cruciatus curse,' said Neville in a small but distinct voice. Moody was looking very intently at Neville, this time with both eyes.

'Your name's Longbottom?' he said, his magical eye swooping down to check the register again. Neville nodded nervously, but Moody made no further enquires. Turning back to the class, he reached into the jar for the next sider and placed it upon the desktop, where it remained motionless, apparently too scared to move.

'The Cruciatus curse,' said Moody. 'Needs to be a bit bigger for you to get the idea,' he said pointing his wand at the spider. ' _Engorgio!'_ The spider swelled. It was now larger than a tarantula. Abandoning all pretence, Ron pushed his chair backwards, as far away from Moody's desk as possible. Moody raised his wand again, pointed it at the spider, and muttered: ' _Crucio!'_ At once the spider's legs bent upon its body; it rolled over and began to twitch horribly, rocking from side to side. No sound came from it, but Harry was sure that it did have a voice, it would have screaming. Harry stared at the spider as it started to shudder and jerk more violently. This curse - was torturing the spider. Her dad journal had spoken about this curse, not the name but the curse itself. _Frank and Alice Longbottom_ they had been captured and tortured by Voldemort's supporters. Her father had said he was surprised they hadn't just been killed, that it would have been better. Harry now understood why her father thought that, it was horrible to watch, she had to turn her head away.

'Stop it!' Hermione said shrilly. Harry looked at her, Hermione was not looking at the spider, but at Neville, and Harry following her gaze, saw that Neville's hands were clenched upon the desk in front of him, his knuckles white, his eyes wide and horrified. Moody raised his wand. The spider's legs relaxed, but it continued to twitch.

' _Reducio,'_ Moody muttered, and the spider shrank back to its proper size. He put it back into the jar. 'Pain, you don't need thumbscrews or knives to torture someone if you can perform the Cruciatus curse ... that one was very popular once too. Right ... anyone know any others?'

Harry looked around, from the looks on everyone's faces, she guessed they were all wondering what was going to happen to the last spider. Hermione's hand shook slightly as, for the third time, she raised it into the air.

'Yes?' said Moody looking at her.

' _Avada Kedavra,'_ Hermione whispered. Several people looked uneasily around at her, including Ron.

'Ah,' Moody said, 'yes, the last and worst. _Avada Kedavra ..._ the killing curse.' He put his hand into the glass jar, and almost as though it knew what was coming, the third spider scuttled frantically around the bottom of the jar, but Moody trapped it, and placed it upon the desktop. It started to scuttle across the wooden surface. Moody raised his wand and roared ' _Avada Kedavra!'_ There was a flash of green light and rushing sound - instantaneously the spider rolled over onto its back, unmarked, but unmistakably dead. Several of the girl stifled cries; Ron had thrown himself backwards and almost toppled off his seat as the spider skidded towards him. Moody swept the dead spider off the desk onto the floor. 'Not nice, not pleasant. And there's no counter-curse. There's no blocking it. Only one known person has ever survived it, and she's sitting right in front of me.'

Moody's eyes both of them looked into her own and Harry felt her face redden. She could feel everyone else looking around at her, too. Harry stared at the blank blackboard as though fascinated by it, but not really seeing it at all ... the last curse had been how her parents had died. Ever since she found out they had been murdered, that her mother tried to save her, how her father had tried to hold him off. That was why she was so interested in learning about ancient magic it had saved her, her mother had used it according to Dumbledore to save her. Moody was speaking again and with a massive effort, Harry pulled herself back to the present, and listened to what Moody was saying.

'Avada Kedavra's a curse that needs a powerful bit of magic behind it you could all get your wands out now and point them at me and say the words, and I doubt I'd get so much as a nose-bleed. But that doesn't matter. I'm not here to teach you how to do it. Now, if there's no counter-curse, why am I showing you? _Because you've got to know._ You've got to appreciate what the worst is. You don't want to find yourself in a situation where you're facing it. CONSTANT VIGILANCE!' he roared, and the whole class jumped again.

'Now ... those three curses - Avada Kedavra, Imperius and Cruciatius - are known as the Unforgivable Curses. The use of any one of them on a fellow human being is enough to earn a life sentence in Azkaban. That's what you're up against. That's what I've got to teach you to fight. You need preparing. You need arming. But most of all, you need to practise _constant, never-ceasing vigilance._ Get out your quills ... copy this down ...'

They spent the rest of the lesson taking notes on each of the Unforgivable Curses. No one spoke until the bell rang - but when Moody dismissed them and they left the classroom, a torrent of talk burst forth. Harry dashed out, looking for Neville. She spotted him, standing alone, halfway up the passage, staring at the stone wall opposite him with the same horrified, wide-eyed look he had worn when Moody had demonstrated the Cruciatus curse. Harry pulled him into an unused classroom away from prying eyes, Neville just let himself be led blindly.

'I know this is a stupid question,' Harry said, 'but are you all right?'

'Oh, yes, I'm fine,' Neville gabbled, in a much higher voice than usual. 'Very interesting dinner - I mean lesson - what's for eating?'

'I'm not sure, don't quite fancy it myself,' Harry replied softly.

'Do you - do you-' Neville stuttered.

'Yeah I know, I won't say anything,' Harry said. 'Just know if you ever want to talk, you can always speak to me. I've got your back.'

An odd clunking noise sounded behind them, and they turned to see Professor Moody limping into the unused classroom.

'Ah I was looking for you two,' he said to them. 'Why don't you come up to my office? Come on ... we can have a cup of tea ...'

'I'm fine Professor,' Harry said, almost defiantly. 'I've got some thing I want to check up on. I was just checking on Neville.'

Moody's blue eye quivered slightly in it socket as it surveyed Harry, then he said. 'It seems harsh, maybe, but you've got to know. No point pretending ... well .. come on, Longbottom, I've got some books that might interest you.'

Neville looked pleadingly at Harry, but allowed himself to be steered away, one of Moody's gnarled hands on his shoulder. Harry not in the mood for food went to the Gryffindor common room, pulling out her mothers book, flicking through the pages and then Harry stopped at a page that caught her attention -

 ** _Sacrificial Spells and Sacrificial Protection._** _They both are an ancient, powerful, and long-lasting counter-charms. These charms unlike others has no incantation and is endowed when one person ultimately sacrifices his or her own life willingly and out of deep and pure love to save the life of one or more people. Depending upon the emotions of the person when they make the sacrifice dies, will vary the use of this powerful counter-charm. The protection lives on in the intended victims veins. In order for sacrificial protection to form, the victim must be given the option to live, but consciously choose death. Sacrificial protection can be conferred on a single beneficiary or on a group of them. In cases involving a single person, the protection prevents whoever murdered the person who sacrificed their life from physically touching the person saved without experiencing excruciating pain, and will cause a curse cast at the saved person by the murderer to rebound. In cases involving multiple beneficiaries, the extent of the protection is not known, but it seems that it is less than in single-beneficiary cases, so that spells cast by the murderer at those beneficiaries will simply wear off more quickly rather than be reflected back. Spells cast upon a sacrifice are just as powerful, it focuses on the intent of the victim, to cast their last spell._

Harry stared at the page, this book , these spells, this spell. It just couldn't be ... her mother had given Sirius the answer, all this time, all that searching and her mother had inherited the book Harry had needed. Ancient magic. This book was full of Ancient magic.

'Hay Princess, you all right?' George said sitting down opposite her, his eyes searching her own.

'I dunno,' Harry said blinking at the book. So much for the Killing Curse not having a counter-curse. Neville came in moments later, looking a good deal calmer than at the end of Moody's lesson, though still not entirely normal. His eyes were rather red, within his hands he was holding a book.

'Hi Neville, what've you got there?' Harry said pointing at the book.

'Oh yeah, Professor Moody gave it to me,' Neville said holding up the book: _Magical Mediterranean Water_ - _Plants and Their Properties._

'Apparently, Professor Sprout told Professor Moody I'm really good at Herbology,' Neville said. There was a faint note of pride in his voice that Harry rarely heard there before. 'He thought I'd like this.'

Telling Neville what Professor Sprout had said, Harry thought, had been a very tactful way of cheering Neville up, for Neville very rarely heard that he was good at anything. It was the sort of thing Remus would have done.

'Want to join me? I'm reading also.' Harry said gesturing to the chair next to her. Neville looked at George instead though.

'Oh, don't mind me,' George said. 'Fred will be up in a minute with Lee. We're going to discuss tactics.' he said while rubbing his hands together and an evil grin on his face.

'It's ok Neville, you're safe,' Harry said shaking her head. 'It's the impartial judge for the Tournament that isn't.'

Neville very cautiously sat down and kept checking George's whereabouts every few minutes as he began to read. Harry couldn't blame him. True to George's word Fred and Lee had appeared moments later joined by Ron.

'Mind if I join you, I've got to do my Divination homework,' Ron said already sitting down.

'Well I'd love to say no,' Harry said. 'but I'm not mean enough to make you get back up again.'

Ron huffed, got up and came back moments later with his Divination stuff, sat back down again. An hour later, he had made little progress, though the table was littered with bits of parchment bearing sums and symbols. 'I think this calls for the old Divination stand by ...' Ron muttered looking down at his book. His hair was all on end because of all the times he had run his fingers through it in frustration.

'The old Divination standby?' Neville repeated.

'He's going to make it up,' Harry explained as Ron began to make up predictions. Crookshanks wandered over to them, leapt lightly into an empty chair, and stared at them inscrutable. 'Don't look at me like that ... I'm not the one who's not doing my homework properly.' Harry told him.

Harry looked up the common room had slowly emptied around them and Harry hadn't even realised, she did see Fred and George sitting together against the opposite wall, heads together, quills out, poring over a single piece of parchment. They way they were sitting reminded Harry of the way they sat when they planned pranks. It was unusual to see them hidden away in a corner though and working silently; they usually liked to be in the thick of things, and the noisy centre of attention. There was something secretive about the way they were working on the piece of parchment. Harry wondered if it was anything to do with the Triwizard Tournament, if it had been, they would have surely have let Lee Jordan in on it. As Harry watched, George shook his head at Fred, scratched something out with his quill and said in a very quiet voice that nevertheless carried across the almost deserted room, 'No - that sounds like we're accusing him. Got to be careful ...'

Then Fred nudged George and inclined his head backwards. George looked up and looked around and saw Harry watching him, Harry smiled then returned to her mother's book. She didn't want the twins to think she was eavesdropping. Shortly after that, the twins rolled up their parchment, said goodnight and went off to bed. About ten minutes later the portrait hole opened again and Hermione climbed into the common room, carrying a sheaf of parchment in one hand and a box whose contents rattled as she walked, in the other.

'Hello,' she said, 'I've just finished!'

'So have I!' said Ron triumphantly throwing down his quill. Hermione sat down, laid the things she was carrying in an empty armchair and pulled Ron's predictions towards her.

'Not going to have a very good month, are you? she said sardonically.

'Ah well, at least I'm forewarned,' Ron yawned.

'You seem to be drowning twice,' Hermione pointed out.

'Oh, am I?' said Ron, peering down at his predictions. 'I'd better change one of them to getting trampled by a rampaging Hippogriff.'

'Don't you think it's a bit obvious you've made these up?' said Hermione.

'How dare you! said Ron in mocked outrage. 'I've been working like house-elf here!'

Hermione raised her eyebrows.

'It's just an expression,' Ron said hastily. 'Right I'm going to bed, night.'

'I'll head up with you, night Hermione, Harry,' Neville said. 'Oh and Harry ... thanks.' he said with a small smile.

Harry nodded, turning her attention back into Hermione. 'So what's in the box?'

Hermione took off the lid, and showed her the contents, inside were fifty badges, all different colours, but bearing the same letters: S.P.E.W.

'Spew?' Harry said picking up a badge and looking at it.

'Not spew,' Hermione said impatiently. 'It's S - P - E - W. Stands for the Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare.'

'Me and my big mouth,' Harry muttered. 'Oh god - I've turned into Ron.'

Hermione raised her brows once more. 'Of course, you haven't you just gave me the idea for it. I've been researching into our fellow magical creatures and well, elf enslavement goes back centuries. I can't believe no one's done anything about it before now ... did you sort out Winky?'

'Yeah I spoke with Dob, she's at Runewald ... she's not taking it well ... Sirius said he'd keep an eye on her.' Harry said.

'You're paying her like Dobby, right? Clothes? And everything?'

'Hermione, we are working on it ... one thing at a time, one thing at a time. I don't want overwhelm the poor thing.'

'Good, so I thought we could start by recruiting members,' Hermione said happily. 'I thought two sickles to join - that buys a badge - and the proceeds can fund our leaflet campaign. I'm going to ask Ron to be treasurer and I thought you could be secretary.'

Harry put her things into her bag. 'Right ... well, I'm going to head up, try to not stay up all night researching...'

...

Over the next couple weeks, their lessons were becoming more difficult and demanding than ever before, and for Harry, it was both Arithmancy, in which she was taking her OWL in this year, often she covered a table in the common room, with her work and Defence Against the Dark Arts. To their surprise, Professor Moody had announced that he would be putting the Imperius curse on each of them in turn, to demonstrate its power and see whether they could resist its effects. Moody beckon students' forwards in turn and put the Imperius curse upon them. Harry watch as, one by one, her classmates did the most extraordinary things under its influence. Dean Thomas hopped three times around the room, singing the national anthem. Lavender Brown imitated a squirrel. Neville performed a series of quite astonishing gymnastics he would certainly not have been capable of his normal state. Not one of them seemed to be able to fight the curse off, and each of them recovered only when Moody had removed it.

'Potter,' Moody growled. 'you next.'

Harry moved forward into the middle of the classroom, into the space Moody had cleared of desks. Moody raised his wand, pointed it at Harry, and said, _'Imperio.'_ It was the most wonderful; feeling, Harry felt a floating sensation as every thought and worry in her head was wiped gently away leaving nothing but a vague, untraceable happiness. She stood there feeling immensely relaxed, only dimly aware of everyone watching her. And then she heard Mad-Eye Moody's voice, echoing in some distant chamber of her empty brain: _Jump onto the desk ... jump onto the desk ..._ Harry bent her knees obediently, preparing to spring.

 _Jump onto the desk ..._

Why, though? Another voice had awoken in the back of her brain. Stupid thing to do, really, said the voice.

 _Jump onto the desk ..._

No, I don't think I will, thanks, said the other voice, a little more firmly ... no, I really don't want to ...

 _Jump! NOW!_

The next thing Harry felt was considerable pain. She had fallen to the fall, trying to jump and prevent herself from jumping.

'Now, that's more like it!' growled Moody's voice, and suddenly Harry felt the empty, echoing feeling in her head disappear. She remembered exactly where she was and exactly what was happening.

'Look at that you lot ... Potter fought! She fought it, and she damn near beat it! We'll try again, Potter, and the rest of you, pay attention, Potter, very good indeed! They'll have trouble controlling you!'

Harry rubbed the side of her legs as she hobbled out of the Defence Against the Dark Arts class an hour later, Moody had insisted on putting Harry through her paces, until she could throw the curse off entirely. 'The way he talks,' Harry muttered, 'you'd think we were all going to be attacked any second.'

All the forth-years had noticed a definite increase in the amount of work they were required to do this term. Professor McGonagall explain it was due to their OWL drawing closer and they needed all the preparation they could get. Professor Moody though it seemed was not the only one with surprises, Professor Vector the Arithmancy teacher had asked Harry to go to her classroom, after dinner. When she got there she found her Professor already waiting, and Draco Malfoy stood also at her desk and he smirked at her.

'Ahh Miss Potter, come along now,' Professor Vector said.

Harry walked over, stopping by her desk, wondering what this was all about.

'Now, I was just explaining to Mr Malfoy, that he needed to improve on his grade greatly. I believe some tutoring is in order.' Professor Vector said.

Harry glanced between her Professor and Malfoy. So he thought that she was here to be spoken to about tutoring as well.

'I believe Mr Malfoy could learn something from, our highest-grade student.'

'No,' Harry and Malfoy said at the same time.

'With all due respect Professor, Draco, already tried to curse me ...'

'And I won't spend any more time than necessary with Granger,' Malfoy said.

Professor Vector gave Malfoy a stern look. 'Miss Granger is indeed quite clever, but she is not my best student, that right remains with Miss Potter, if she is agreeable.'

'Wait,' Malfoy said shocked. 'You mean Potter's the Arithmancy genius.'

Professor Vector ignored him and turned to Harry, smiling at her kindly. 'Will you tutor him.'

'I guess so,' Harry sighed.

'Very good, do behave Mr Malfoy,' Professor said. Malfoy's eyes were wide eyed and his mouth was trying to think of something to say.

'Fine.' he sneered at Harry. 'Library, Friday evenings after dinner Potter. Tell no one.' And he walked out of the classroom briskly.

A week before, the end of October, Harry, Ron and Hermione arrived in the Entrance Hall, they found themselves unable to proceed owing to large crowd of students congregated there, all milling around a large sign which had been erected at the foot of the marble staircase. Ron, the tallest of the three, stood on tiptoe to see over the heads in front of the and read the sign aloud.

 _TRIWIZARD TOURNAMENT_

 _The delegations from Beaxbatons and Durmstrang will be arriving at 6 o'clock on Friday 30th of October._

 _Lessons will end half an hour early, students will return their bags and books to their dormitories and_ a _ssemble in front of the castle to greet our guests before the Welcoming feast._

'Brilliant!' Ron said afterwards. 'It's Potions last thing on Friday! Snape won't have time to poison us all!'

'Only a week away!' said Ernie Macmillan of Hufflepuff, emerging from the crowd, his eyes gleaming. 'I wonder if Cedric knows Think I'll go tell him ...'

'Cedric?' said Ron blankly, as Ernie hurried off.

'Cedric Diggory,' Harry said. 'He must be entering the Tournament.'

'That idiot, Hogwarts champion?' said Ron as they pushed their way through the chattering crowd.

'He's not an idiot Ron,' Harry said.

'You just don't like him because he beat Gryffindor at Quidditch,' Hermione said. 'I've heard he's a really good student.'

'The only reason why you both like him, is because you think he's handsome,' Ron said scathingly.

'Excuse me, I don't like people just because they're handsome!' said Hermione indignantly.

Ron gave a loud false cough, which sounded oddly like 'Lockhart!'

The appearance of the sign in the Entrance Hall had a marked effect upon the inhabitants of the castle. During the following week, there seemed to be only one topic of conversation, no matter where Harry went: the Triwizard Tournament. Rumours were flying from student to student: who was going to try for Hogwarts champion, what the Tournament would involve, how the students from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang differed from themselves. Harry noticed, that the castle seemed to be undergoing an extra-thorough cleaning. Members of staff seemed oddly tense. Professor McGonagall barked at Neville at the end of one lesson, asking him not to inform anyone from Durmstrang that he couldn't perform a simple Switching Spell, as they had been using it to transfigure one animal into another.

When they went down for breakfast on the morning of the thirtieth of October, they found that the Great Hall had been decorated overnight. Enormous silk banners hung from the walls, each of them representing a Hogwarts house. Behind the teachers' table, the largest banner of all bore the Hogwarts coat of arms; lion, eagle, badger and snake united around a large letter 'H'. Fred and George were at the Gryffindor table, once again they were sitting apart from everyone else and conversing in low voices. Ron led the way over.

'It's a bummer all right.' George said gloomily to Fred. 'But if he won't talk to us in person, we'll have to send him the letter after all. Or we'll stuff it into his hand, he can't avoid us for ever.'

'Who's avoiding you?' said Ron sitting down at the table, Harry sat down next to George, Hermione next to her.

'Wish you would,' said Fred looking irritated at the interruption.

'What's a bummer?' Ron asked George.

'Having a nosy git like you for a brother,' said George.

'Well if you want,' Harry said interrupting. 'you guys can borrow Hedwig, if you need to send a letter. She'll love the flight.'

'Thanks, Anna.' George said.

'So have you two got any ideas on The Triwizard Tournament yet?' Hermione asked. 'Thought you were trying to outwit Dumbledore.'

'I asked McGonagall how the champions were selected, but she wouldn't say,' George said bitterly. 'She just told me to shut up and get on with Transfiguring my raccoon.'

'Wonder what the task are going to be?' said Ron thoughtfully. 'You know, I bet we could do them, Harry, we've done dangerous stuff before ..'

'Not in front of a panel of judges, you haven't' said Fred, 'McGonagall says the champions get awarded points according to how well they've done the tasks.'

'Who are the judges?' Harry asked.

'Well, the Heads of the participating schools are always on the panel.' said Hermione and everyone looked at her, rather surprised, 'because all three of them were injured during the Tournament of 1792.'

There was a pleasant feeling of anticipation in the air that day. Nobody was very attentive in lessons, being more interested in the arrival that evening of people from Beaxbatons and Durmstrang; even Potions was more than bearable than usual. When the bell rang early, Harry, Ron and Hermione hurried up to Gryffindor Tower, deposited their bags and books as they had been instructed, pulled on their cloaks and rushed back downstairs into the Entrance Hall. Professor McGonagall was waiting for them. They filed down the front steps and lined up in front of the castle. It was a cold, clear evening; dusk was falling.

'Nearly six,' said Ron, checking his watch. 'How d'you reckon they're coming? The train?'

'I doubt it,' said Hermione.

They scanned the darkening grounds excitedly, then Harry spotted something large, much larger than a broomstick hurtling across the deep blue sky towards the castle, growing larger all the time. As the gigantic black shape skimmed over the treetops of the Forbidden Forest, they saw a gigantic, powder-blue, horse-drawn carriage, the size of a large house pulled through the air by a dozen winged horses, all palominos, and each the size of an elephant. It came to land with a tremendous speed - then, with an almighty crash, the horses' hooves hit the ground. A second later, the carriage landed too, bouncing upon its vast wheels, while the golden horses tossed their enormous heads. The carriage door bore a coat of arms, two crossed wands, each emitting three stars before the door opened. A shining, high-heeled black shoe emerged from inside of the carriage, followed by the largest woman she had ever seen. Harry had only ever seen one person as large as this woman, and that was Hagrid. She had an olive-skinned face, large black eyes and a rather beaky nose. Her hair was drawn back in a shining knob at the base of her beck. She was dressed from head to foot in black satin. Dumbledore started to clap; the students, following his lead, broke into applause too. Her face relaxed into a gracious smile, and she walked forwards towards Dumbledore, extending a hand.

'My dear Madame Maxime,' he said kissing her hand. 'Welcome to Hogwarts.'

'Dumbly-dorr,' said Madame Maxime in a deep voice. 'I 'ope I find you well?'

'On excellent form, I thank you,' said Dumbledore.

'My pupils,' said Madame Maxime, waving one of her enormous hands carelessly behind her. A dozen boys and girls - all by the look of them, in their late teens - had emerged from the carriage and were now standing behind Madame Maxime. They were shivering, which was unsurprising, given that their robes seemed to be made of fine silk, and none of them were wearing cloaks.

''As Karkaroff arrived yet?' Madame Maxime asked.

'He should be here any moment,' said Dumbledore. 'Would you like to wait here and greet him or would you prefer to step inside and warm up a trifle?'

'Warm up, I think.' Madame Maxime said. 'But ze 'orses -'

'Our Care of Magical Creatures teacher will be delighted to take care of them,' Said Dumbledore, 'the moment he has returned from dealing with a slight situation which has arisen with some of his other - er - charges.'

'Skrewts,' Ron muttered to Harry, grinning.

Then came a loud and oddly eerie noise drifting towards them, a muffled rumbling and sucking sound, as though an immense vacuum cleaner was moving along a river-bed ...

'The lake!' yelled Lee Jordan, pointing down at it.

From their position at the top of the lawns over looking the grounds, they had a clear view of the smooth black surface of the water - except that the surface was suddenly not smooth at all. Some disturbance was taking place deep in the centre; great bubbles were forming on the surface, waves were now washing over muddy banks - and then out in the very middle of the lake, a whirlpool appeared. What seemed to be a long, black pole began to rise slowly out of the heart of the whirlpool ... and then Harry saw the rigging. Slowly, magnificently, the ship rose out of the water. It had a strange skeletal look about it, as though it was a resurrected wreck. Finally, with a great sloshing noise, the ship emerged entirely, bobbing on the turbulent water, and began to glide towards the bank. A few moments later, they heard the splash of an anchor, and a thud of a plank being lowered onto the bank. People were disembarking; all of them wearing cloaks of some kind of shaggy, matted fur. The man who was leading them up to the castle was wearing furs of a different sort; sleek and silver, like his hair.

'Dumbledore!' he called heartily, as he walked up the slope. 'How are you, my dear fellow, how are you?'

'Booming, thank you, Professor Kararoff,' Dumbledore replied.

Karkaroff was tall and thin like Dumbledore, but his white hair was short, and his goatee did not entirely hide his rather weak chin. He reached Dumbledore, shook hands with both of his own.

'Dear old Hogwarts.' he said looking up at the castle and smiling, his teeth were rather yellow and his smile did not extend to his eyes. 'How good it is to be here, how good ... Viktor, come along, into the warmth ... you don't mind, Dumbledore? Viktor has a slight head cold ...'

Karkaroff beckoned forwards one of his students. As the boy passed, Harry caught a glimpse of a prominent, curved nose and thick black eyebrows. She didn't need the punch in the arm Ron gave her, or the hiss in her ear, to recognise that profile.

'Harry - it's Krum!'


	77. Chapter 77

As they re-crossed the Entrance Hall, heading for the Great Hall, Harry saw a few of the students trying to get a better look of Viktor Krum. Several sixth-year girls were frantically searching their pockets as they walked. Harry didn't remember causing this much of a stir, when she started, the only person that had asked her to sign anything had been Colin Creevey. It was nice not being the centre of attention. They walked over to the Gryffindor table and sat down. Ron took care to sit on the side facing the doorway, because Krum and his fellow Durmstrang students were still gathered around it. The Beauxbatons had chosen seats at the Ravenclaw table, they were looking around the Great Hall with glum expressions on their faces.

Viktor Krum and his fellow students had settled themselves at the Slytherin table. Harry could see Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle looking very smug about this, as she watched, Malfoy bend forwards to speak to Krum. The Durmstrang students were pulling off their heavy furs, their robes were a deep, blood red. Up at the staff table, Filch, the caretaker was adding chairs. But he added four chairs, two on either side of Dumbledore's.

'Who else is coming?' Harry said. 'Filch's added two extra chairs.'

'Eh?' said Ron vaguely, he was still staring avidly at Krum.

When all the students had entered the Hall, and settled down at their house tables, the staff entered, last in line were Professor Dumbledore, Professor Karkaroff and Madame Maxime. Dumbledore remained standing, as Karkaroff and Madame Maxime took their seats.

'Good evening, ladies and gentleman, ghosts and most particularly guests,' said Dumbledore, beaming around at the foreign students. 'I have great pleasure in welcoming you all to Hogwarts. I hope and trust that your stay here will be both comfortable and enjoyable. The Tournament will be officially opened at the end of the feast, I now invite you all to eat, drink, and make yourselves at home!'

The dishes in front of them filled with food as usual, but there was a greater variety of dishes in front of them, including several that were definitely foreign.

'What's that?' said Ron, pointing at a large dish of some sort of shellfish stew.

'Bouillabaisse,' Hermione said

'Bless you,' said Ron.

'It's French, Ronald,' Hermione said, 'I had it on holiday last year, it's very nice.'

'I'll take your word for it,' Ron said, helping himself to black pudding.

Hagrid sidled into the Hall through the door behind the staff table, twenty minutes after the start. He slid into his seat at the end and waved at Harry, Ron and Hermione with a heavily bandaged hand.

'Looks like the Skrewts are thriving,' Harry said.

'Yeah it looks like they found a food they finally like,' Ron said, 'Hagrid's fingers.'

At that moment, a voice said, 'Excuse me, are you wanting ze bouillabaisse?'

It was a girl from Beauxbatons, a long sheet of silvery blonde hair fell almost to her waist, she had large, deep blue eyes, and very white, even teeth. Ron went purple, he stared up at her, opened his mouth to reply, but nothing came out expect a faint gurgling noise.

'You can have it,' Harry said pushing the dish towards the girl.

The girl picked up the dish and carried it carefully off to the Ravenclaw table. Ron was still goggling at the girl as though he had never seen one before. Harry started to laugh. The sound seemed to jog Ron back to his senses.

'She's a Veela!' he said hoarsely.

'Of course, she isn't!' said Hermione tartly. 'I don't see anyone else gaping at her like an idiot!'

'I don't think that's entirely true,' Harry said. Because as the girl crossed the Hall, many boys' heads turned, and some of them seemed to have become temporarily speechless, just like Ron.

'I'm telling you, that's not a normal girl!' Ron said leaning sideways so he could keep a clear view of her. 'They don't make them like that at Hogwarts!'

'When you've put your eyes back in,' Hermione said briskly, 'you'll be able to see who's just arrived.'

Hermione was pointing up at the staff table, the two remaining seats had just been filled. Ludo Bagman and Mr Crouch were now sitting at it.

'What are they doing here?' said Ron.

'They organised the Triwizard Tournament, didn't they?' said Hermione. 'I suppose they wanted to be here to see it start.'

Once the golden plates had been wiped clean, Dumbledore stood up again. A pleasant sort of tension seemed to fill the Hall now. Even Fred and George were leaning forwards, staring at Dumbledore with concentration.

'The moment has come,' said Dumbledore, smiling around. 'The Triwizard Tournament is about to start. I would like to say a few words of explanation before we bring in the casket. Just to clarify the procedure which we will be following this year. But firstly, let me introduce, for those who do not know them, Mr Bartemius Crouch, Head of the Department of International Magical Co-operation, and Mr Ludo Bagman, Head of the department of Magical Games and Sports.'

'Mr Bagman and Mr Crouch have worked tirelessly over the last few months on the arrangements for the Triwizard Tournament,' Dumbledore continued, 'and they will be joining myself, Professor Karkaoff and Madamine Maxime on the panel which will judge the champions' efforts.'

At the mention of the word 'champions', the attentiveness of the listening students seemed to sharpen. Perhaps Dumbledore had noticed their sudden stillness, for he smiled and said, 'The casket, then, if you please Mr Filch.'

Filch, who had been lurking unnoticed in a far corner of the Hall, now approached Dumbledore, carrying a great wooden chest, encrusted with jewels.

'The instructions for the tasks the champions will face this year have already been examined by Mr Crouch and Mr Bagman,' said Dumbledore, as Filch placed the chest on the table before him, 'and they have made the necessary arrangments for each challenge. There will be three tasks, spaced throughout the school year, and they will test the champions in many different way ... their magical prowess - their daring - their powers of deduction - and of course, their ability to cope with danger.'

'As you know, three champions compete in the Tournament, one from each of the participating schools.' Dumbledore went on calmly, 'They will be marked on how well they perform each of the Tournaments tasks and the champion with the highest total after task three will win the Triwizard Cup. The champions will be chosen by an impartial selector ... the Goblet of Fire.'

Dumbledore now took out his wand, and tapped three times upon the top of the casket. Dumbledore pulled out a large, wooden cup. It was full to the brim with dancing, blue-white flames. Dumbledore closed the casket and placed the Goblet carefully on top of it.

'Anybody wishing to submit themselves as champion must write their full name and school clearly upon a slip of parchment, and drop it into the Goblet. Aspiring champions have twenty-four hours in which to put their names forward. Tomorrow night, Halloween, the Goblet will return the names of the three it had judged most worthy to represent their schools. The Goblet will be placed in the Entrance Hall tonight, where it will be freely accessible to all those wishing to compete. To ensure that no underage students yields temptation.' Dumbledore said. 'I will be drawing an Age Line around the Goblet of Fire once it has been placed in the Entrance Hall. Nobody under the age of seventeen will be able to cross this line. Finally, I wish to impress upon any of you wishing to compete that this Tournament is not to be entered into lightly. Once a champion has been selected by the Goblet of Fire, he or she is obligated to see the Tournament through to the end. The placing of your name in the Goblet constitutes a binding magical contract. There can be no change of heart once you have become champion. Please be very sure, therefore, that you are whole-heartedly prepared to play, before you drop your name into the Goblet. Now, I think it is time for bed. Good night to you all.'

'An Age Line!' Fred Weasley said, his eyes glinting, as they all made their way across the Hall to the doors. 'Well, that should be fooled by an Ageing Potion, shouldn't it? And once your name's in that Goblet, you're laughing - it can't tell whether you're seventeen or not!'

Karkaroff was leading his students towards the Hall door, reaching them at exactly the same moment as Harry, Ron. Hermione, Fred and George. Harry stopped to let him walk through first.

'Thank you,' said Karkaroff carelessly, glancing at her. His students followed him, several heads of boys glanced over Harry and Hermione, including Viktor Krum's.

'Now they don't make boys like that at Hogwarts,' Hermione muttered in her ear.

Harry's eye caught sight of Cedric Diggory also waiting for the Durmstrang students to leave. 'They make them OK at Hogwarts.'

As the next day was Saturday, most students would normally have breakfasted late. Harry, Ron and Hermione, however, were not alone in rising much earlier then they usually did. When they went down into the Entrance Hall the Goblet of Fire had been placed in the centre of the hall on the stool that normally bore the Sorting Hat. A thin golden line had been traced on the floor, forming circle ten feet around it in every direction.

'Anyone put their name in yet?' Ron asked a third-year girl eagerly.

'All the Durmstrang lot,' she replied 'But I haven't seen anyone from Hogwarts yet.'

Fred, George and Lee Jordan came hurrying down the staircase, all of them looking extremely excited.

'Done it,' Fred said in a triumphant whisper to Harry, Ron and Hermione. 'Just taken it.'

'What?' said Ron.

'The Ageing Potion, dungbrain,' said Fred.

'One drop each,' said George, rubbing his hands together with glee. 'We only need to be a few months older.'

'We're going to spilt the thousand Galleons between us, if one of us wins,' said Lee, grinning broadly.

Harry and Hermione exchanged looks with each other.

'Do by all means,' Hermione said gesturing to the Goblet, 'go right ahead.'

'We've got to wait around to see the result of this,' Harry muttered under her breath.

Fred pulled a slip of parchment out of his pocket out of his pocket, walked right up to the age line. Then with the eyes of every person in the Entrance Hall upon him, he took a great breath and stepped over the line. For a spilt second, Ron clearly thought it worked as he sent Harry and Hermione a smug smile - George had certainly thought so as well, for he let out a yell of triumph and leapt after Fred - but next moment, there was a loud sizzling sound, and both twins were hurled out of the golden circle. They landed painfully, ten feet away on the cold stone floor, and add insult to the injury, there was a loud popping noise, and both of them sprouted identical, long white beards. The Entrance Hall rang with laughter, even Fred and George joined in, once they had got to their feet, and taken a good look at each other's beards.

'We did warn you,' Hermione said in an amused voice. 'Maybe you should go and see Madam Pomfrey.'

'I think that makes it, Harry and Hermione: One,' Harry said laughing, 'Fred and George: Zero. Maybe next time try listening to us.'

...

When they entered the candlelit Great Hall that evening for the Halloween feast, the Great Hall was almost full. The Goblet of Fire had been moved; it was now standing in front of Dumbledore's empty chair at the teachers' table. Fred and George - clean shaven again - seemed to have taken their disappointment fairly well.

'Looking much better Charming,' Harry said sliding down into her usual place next to George.

'Glad you think so,' George replied.

'We've been talking about the Hogwarts champion, we're hoping Angelina gets it.' Fred said.

'Who else do you know that's entered?' Hermione said.

'Cedric Diggory and Warrington.'

Harry, who had played Quidditch against Warrington, shook her head. 'We can't have a cheating Slytherin as Hogwarts champion.'

The Halloween feast seemed to take much longer than usual. Perhaps because it was their second feast in two days, Harry didn't seem to fancy the extravagantly prepared food as much as she normally would have done. When Dumbledore got to his feet the level of noise in the Hall died almost instantly.

'Well the Goblet is almost ready to ready to make its decision,' said Dumbledore. 'I estimate it requires one more minute. Now, when the champions' names are called, I would ask them to please to come up to the top of the Hall, walk along the staff table, and go through into the next chamber-' Dumbledore indicated the door behind the staff table, 'where they will be receiving their first instructions.'

He took out his wand and gave a great sweeping wave with it; at once, all the candles expect those inside the carved pumpkins were extinguished, plunging them all into a state of semi-darkness. The Goblet of Fire now shone more brightly than anything in the whole Hall, the sparkling bright, bluey-whiteness of the flames almost painful on the eyes. The flames inside the Goblet turned suddenly red, sparks began to fly from it. Next moment, a tongue of flame shot into the air, a charred piece of parchment fluttered out of it. Dumbledore caught the piece of parchment and held it at arm's length.

'The champion for Durmstrang,' he read, 'will be Viktor Krum.' A storm of applause and cheering swept the Hall. Harry saw Viktor rise from the Slytherin table, and slouch up towards Dumbledore, he walked along the staff table and disappeared through the door into the next chamber. The clapping and chatting died down. Now everyone's attention was focused again on the Goblet, which, seconds later, turned red once more. A second piece of parchment shot out of it, propelled by the flames.

'The champion for Beaxbatons,' said Dumbledore, 'is Fleur Delacour!' The girl who greatly resembled a Veela got gracefully to her feet, shook back her sheet of silvery blonde hair and swept up between the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tables. When Fleur Delacour, too, had vanished into the side chamber, silence fell again. The Hogwarts champion would be next ... And the Goblet of Fire turned red once more; sparks showering out of it; the tongue of flame shot high into the air, and from its tip Dumbledore pulled the third piece of parchment. 'The Hogwarts champion ... is Cedric Diggory!'

There was an uproar from the next table, every single Hufflepuff had jumped to his or her feet, screaming and stamping as Cedric made his way past them, grinning broadly, and headed off towards the chamber behind the teachers table. The applause for Cedric went on so long that it was some time before Dumbledore could make himself heard again.

'Excellent!' Dumbledore called happily, as at last the tumult died down. 'Well we now have our champions. I am sure I can count upon you all, including the remaining students from Beaxbatons and Durmstrang, to give your champions every ounce of support you can muster. By cheering your champion on, you will contribute in a very real -'

But Dumbledore had stopped speaking, and it was apparent to everybody what had distracted him. The fire in the Goblet had just turned red again. Sparks were flying out of it. A long flame shot suddenly into the air, and borne upon it was another piece of parchment. Dumbledore reached out for it, he held it out and stared at the name written upon it. There was a long pause, during which Dumbledore stared at the slip in his hands, and everyone in the room stared at Dumbledore. Dumbledore cleared his throat, and read out - ' _Harianna Potter.'_

Harry sat there, aware every head in the Great Hall had turned to look at her. She was stunned, she felt numb and incredibly angry. There was no applause, not that she had expected one. Harry turned to Ron and Hermione; beyond them, she saw the long Gryffindor table all watching her, open mouthed.

'I didn't put my name in,' Harry said blankly. 'You know I didn't.' She looked up. 'I need to go, I need to sort this - not everything is impossible - there must be a way out of it - there must be.'

Harry got to her feet, it felt like an immensely long walk as she set off between the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff table. The top table didn't seem to be getting any near at all, and she could feel hundreds and hundreds of eyes upon her. Dumbledore wasn't smiling, Hagrid didn't give any of his usual greeting as she passed him, like everyone else he stared at her looking completely astonished. Harry went through the door out of the Great Hall, and found herself in a smaller room, lined with paintings of witches and wizards. Viktor Krum, Fleur Delacour and Cedric Diggory were grouped around the fire, only Fleur looked around when Harry walked in.

'What is it?' she said. 'Do zey want us back in ze Hall?'

She had thought Harry had come to deliver a message. Words failed Harry and she didn't now how to explain. There was a scurrying sound of feet behind her, and Ludo Bagman entered the room. He took Harry's arm and lead her forwards.

'Extraordinary!' he muttered. 'Absolutely extraordinary! Ladies and gentleman ... may I introduce - incredible though it may seem - the fourth Triwizard champion'

Viktor Krum straightened up. His face darkened as he surveyed Harry. Cedric looked nonplussed, he looked from Bagman to Harry as though he must had misheard what Bagman had said. Fleur however, tossed her hair, smiling, and said, 'Oh, vairy funny joke, Meester Bagman.'

'Joke?' Bagman repeated. 'No, no, not at all! Harianna's name just came out of the Goblet of Fire!'

Krum's thick eyebrows contracted slightly, looking Harry over as though trying to figure out whether, it was who, he thought she was, was actually her. Cedric was still looking politely bewildered. Fleur frowned. 'But evidently zair 'as been a mistake, look at 'er, she is too young to compete.'

'Well ... it is amazing,' said Bagman. 'But as you all know; the age restriction was only imposed this year as an extra safety measure. And her name's come out of the Goblet ... I mean, I don't think there can be any ducking out at this stage ... it's down in the rules, you're obliged ... Harianna will just have to do the best she -'

The door opened behind them again, and a large group of people came in: Professor Dumbledore, followed closely by Mr Crouch, Professor Karkaroff, Madame Maxime, Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape. Harry heard the buzzing of hundreds of students on the other side of the wall, before Professor McGonagall closed the door.

'Madame Maxime!' said Fleur at once, striding over to her Headmistress. 'Zey are saying zat zis little girl is to compete also!'

'What is ze meaning of zis, Dumbly-dorr?' Madame Maxime said imperiously.

'I'd rather like to know that myself, Dumbledore,' said Professor Karkaroff. 'Two Hogwarts champions? I don't remember anyone telling me the host school is allowed two champions - or have I not read the rules carefully enough?' He gave a short and nasty laugh.

' _C'est impossible,'_ said Madam Maxime. ''Ogwarts cannot 'ave two champions. It is most unjust.'

'We were under impression that your Age Line would keep out younger contestants, Dumbledore,' said Karkaroff. 'Otherwise, we would, of course, have brought along a wider selection of candidates from our own schools.'

Professor Dumbledore, however, was ignoring them, he was looking down at Harry, who looked right back at him, trying to discern the expression of the eyes behind the half-moon spectacles.

'Did you put your name into the Goblet of Fire, Harry?' Dumbledore asked calmly.

'No,' Harry said. She was very aware of everybody watching her closely. 'I'll take whatever test you want to prove so, I didn't do it.'

'Did you at all ask an older student to put it into the Goblet of Fire for you?'

'No,' Harry said firmly.

'Ah but of course she's lying!' cried Madame Maxime.

'She could not have crossed the Age Line,' Professor McGonagall said sharply. 'I'm sure we are all agreed on that -'

'Dumbly-dorr must 'ave made a mistake wiz ze line,' said Madame Maxime shrugging.

'It is possible, of course,' said Dumbledore politely.

'Headmaster, you know perfectly well you did not make a mistake!' said Snape. 'Potter must have thought of another way across.'

'I doubt even with Miss Potter's talents she could not have thought of a way to do so within twenty-four hours, Professor Snape.' said Professor McGonagall angrily. 'And as Professor Dumbledore believes that she did not persuade an older student to do it for her, I'm sure that should be good enough for everybody else!'

'Mr Crouch ... Mr Bagman,' said Karkaroff. 'You are our - er - objective judges. Surely you will agree that this is most irregular?'

Bagman, looked at Mr Crouch. 'We must follow the rules, and the rules state clearly that those people whose names come out of the Goblet of Fire are bound to compete in the Tournament.'

'Well, Barty knows the rule-book back to front,' said Bagman

'I insist upon resubmitting the names of the rest of my students,' said Karkaroff. 'You will set up the Goblet of Fire once more, and we will continue adding names until each school has two champions. It is only fair, Dumbledore.'

'But Karkaroff, it doesn't work like that,' said Bagman. 'The Goblet of Fire's just gone out - it won't re-ignite until the start of the next Tournament -'

'- in which Durmstrang will most certainly not be competing!' exploded Karkaroff. 'After all our meetings and negotiations and compromises, I little expected something of this nature to occur! I have half a mind to leave now!'

'Empty threat, Karkaroff,' growled a voice near the door. 'You can't leave your champion now. He's got to compete. They've all got to compete. Binding magical contract, like Dumbledore said, Convenient, eh?'

Moody just entered the room, he limped towards the fire.

'Convenient?' said Karkaroff. 'I'm afraid I don't understand you, Moody.'

'Don't you?' said Moody. 'It's quite simple really, Karkaroff. Someone put Potter's name in that Goblet knowing she'd have to compete if it came out.'

'Evidently someone 'oo wished to give 'Ogwarts two bites at ze apple!' said Madame Maxime.

'I quite agree, Madame Maxme,' said Karkaroff. 'I shall be lodging complaints with the Ministry of Magic and the International Confederation of Wizards -'

'If anyone's got a reason to complain, it's Potter,' growled Moody, 'But ... funny thing ... I don't hear her saying a word ...'

'I'm still trying to figure out, how to get out of this magical binding contract,' Harry muttered.

'There is no way, Harry,' Dumbledore said softly.

'You mean it's impossible, impossible?' Harry asked looking up at him. 'As in no spell can bring back the dead impossible?'

'Indeed, that is what I mean.' Dumbledore said.

And Harry for the first time swore under her breath. 'Shit!'

'Why should she complain?' Fleur Delacour burst out 'She 'as a chance to compete, 'asn't she? We 'ave all been 'oping to be chosen for weeks and weeks! Ze honour for our schools! A thousand Galleons in prize money zis is a chance many would die for!'

Harry huffed at the words prize money, like she needed any more gold, Harry had no use for more money. This girl was starting to get on her nerves, first calling her a little girl and now insinuating that she was after the money.

'Maybe someone's hoping Potter is going to die for it,' said Moody.

Ludo Bagman, was looking very anxious indeed. 'Moody, old man ... what a thing to say ... she hardly needs the money ... the Black and Potter fortunes ... Harianna is the sole heiress to them. What a thing to say indeed.'

'We all know Professor Moody considers the morning wasted if he hasn't discovered six plots to murder him before lunchtime,' said Karkaroff loudly. 'Apparently, he is now teaching his students to fear assassination, too. An odd quality in Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, Dumbledore, but no doubt you had your reasons.'

'Imaging things, am I?' growled Moody. 'Seeing things, eh? It was a skilled witch or wizard who put the girl's name in that Goblet.'

'Ah, what evidence is zere of zat?' said Madame Maxime, throwing up her huge hands.

'Because they hoodwinked a very powerful magical object!' said Moody. 'It would have needed an exceptionally strong Confundus Charm to bamboozle that Goblet into forgetting that only three schools compete in the Tournament ... I'm guessing they submitted Potter's name under a fourth school, to make sure she was the only one in her category ...'

'You seem to have given this a great deal of thought, Moody, and a very ingenious theory it is-' said Karkaroff.

'It was once my job to think the way Dark wizards do, Karkaroff - as you ought to remember ...'

'Alastor!' said Dumbledore warningly. Harry wondered who he was speaking to for a moment until she realised that 'Mad-Eye' could hardly be Moody's real first name.

'How this situation arose, we do not know,' said Dumbledore speaking to everyone in the room. 'It seems to me, however, that we have no choice but to accept it. Both Cedric and Harry have been chosen to compete in the tournament. This, therefore, they will do ...'

'Ah, but Dumbly-dorr-'

'My dear Madame Maxime, if you have an alternative, I would be delighted to hear it.'

Dumbledore waited, but Madam Maxime did not speak.

'Well, shall we crack on then?' Bagman said rubbing his hands together and smiling around the room. 'Got to give our champions their instructions, haven't we? Barty, want to do the honours?'s in the Tournament

Mr Crouch looked up. 'Yes,' he said, 'instructions ... the first task ...'

He moved towards them, he looked a little ill Harry thought. here were dark shadows beneath his eyes, and a thin, papery look about his wrinkled skin that had not been there at the Quidditch World Cup.

'The first task is designed to test your daring,' he told Harry, Cedric, Fleur and Krum, 'so we are not going to be telling you what it is. Courage in the face of the unknown is an important quality in a wizard ... very important ... the first task will take place on November the twenty-fourth, in front of the other students and panel of judges. The champions are not permitted to ask for or accept help of any kind from their teachers to complete the tasks in the Tournament. The champions will face the first challenge armed only with their wands. They will receive information about the second task when the first is over.' Mr Crouch turned to look at Dumbledore. 'I think that's all, is it Albus?'

'I think so,' said Dumbledore, who was looking at Mr Crouch with mild concern. 'Are you sure you wouldn't like to stay at Hogwarts tonight, Barty?'

'No Dumbledore, I must get back to the Ministry,' said Mr Crouch.

Madame Maxime had put her arm around Fleur's shoulder and was leading her swiftly out of the room. Harry could hear them both talking very fast in French as they went off. Karkaroff beckoned to Krum, and they, too, exited, though in silence.

'Harry, Cedric, I suggest you go up to bed,' said Dumbledore. 'I'm sure Gryffindor and Hufflepuff are waiting to celebrate with you, and it would be a shame to deprive them of this excellent excuse to make a great deal of mess and noise.'

The Great Hall was deserted now. 'So,' Cedric said from behind her and Harry turned. Cedric had a slight smile on his face. 'We're playing against each other again!'

'I s'pose!' said Harry.

'So ... tell me ...' Cedric said as they reached the Entrance Hall. 'How did you get your name in?'

'I didn't,' Harry said staring up at him. 'I was telling the truth ... I didn't.'

'Ah ... OK,' said Cedric. Harry couldn't tell if Cedric believed her or not.

Was anyone except Ron and Hermione going to believe her, or would they all think she'd put herself in for the Tournament? The blast of noise that met Harry's ears when the portrait opened almost knocked her backwards. Next thing she knew, she was being wrenched inside the common room.

'You should've told us you'd entered!' bellowed Fred, he looked half annoyed, half deeply impressed.

'Oh, if it couldn't be me, at least it's a Gryffindor-' Ange said.

'I DIDN'T PUT MY NAME IN!' Harry shouted at the noisy common room. 'I tried to get out, but there's no way, I've got to compete ...'

'You really expect us to believe you, the Arithmancy genius,' Ron said into the deadly quiet room. 'isn't that what the subject's all about ... theories.'

'Geez thanks, Ron, just tell everyone ...' Harry said annoyed. 'I didn't do it; do you really think twenty-four hours is enough time to outwit Dumbledore?'

'I dunno,' Ron shrugged. 'You're the genius, you tell us.'

'Oh, grow up, Ron.' Harry said frustrated.

'Harry couldn't be - I thought for sure that it was Hermione -' Dean said. 'that was the Arithmancy genius.'

'No,' Hermione said softly. 'I kept telling you all, it wasn't me.'

'Then how did you do it?' Seamus said.

Annoyed Harry left, the common room and went to the girls' dorms.

'You OK?' Hermione asked a few moments later.

'No.'

The next morning Harry was up early, earlier than everyone else. Which has Harry hated early wake-up calls was by means no easy feat. She left quickly and headed outside for fresh air. She wasn't in the mood to deal with Ron's jealousy. She heard footsteps approaching and turned watching as George and Hermione walked to sit down beside her. Hermione brought some toast out with her.

'Thanks,' Harry said taking the toast from her. 'Your brother's an idiot!' Harry mentioned to George before taking a bite.

'Which one?' George said. 'I've got two idiot brothers, you know.'

'Ron doesn't really believe you entered Harry,' Hermione said.

'I've worked out his jealous Hermione,' Harry said. 'It wasn't a hard deduction.'

'We, of course, knew you hadn't entered yourself,' Hermione said gesturing towards George.

'The look on your face Princess was enough, to tell me all I needed to know.'

'The question is who did put it in?' Hermione said.

'I dunno,' Harry shrugged. 'I need to contact Sirius, tell him what's going on, I'll do it tonight I think.'

...

If Harry had thought matters would improve once everyone got used to the idea of her being a champion, the following day showed her how mistaken she was. She could no longer avoid the rest of the school - and thanks to Ron blurting out her Arithmancy secret, it only made matters worse. The Hufflepuffs, who were usually on excellent terms with the Gryffindors, had turned remarkably cold towards the whole lot of them. Ernie Macmillion and Justin Finch-Fletchly, with whom Harry normally got on well with, did not talk to her at all, even though they were re-potting Bouncing Bulbs at the same tray. Hermione kept trying to force conversation between Harry and Ron, but neither of them avoided speaking with each other. Harry had even taken to sitting next to Neville instead in Potions, apparently, this worked out in Neville's favour because since she had been not once had Neville blown up or ruined his Potion. Malfoy was getting irritable and kept trying to aggravate her. At least Hagrid had believed her. The next few days became some of Harry's worst. It was the closest she had ever come to feeling like this had been during her second year, when the large part of the school had suspected her of attacking her fellow students. She could understand the Hufflepuffs' attitudes, even if she didn't like it; they had their own champion to support.

Potions with the Slytherin's had been when Harry lost her cool. When Harry and Hermione arrived outside Snape's dungeon after lunch, they found the Slytherins waiting outside, each one of them wearing a large badge on the front of his or her robes. They all bore the same message, in luminous red letters.

 _Support CEDRIC_ _DIGGORY_ -

 _the REAL Hogwarts Champion!_

'Like them, Potter?' Malfoy said loudly, as Harry approached. 'And this isn't all they do - look!' He pressed his badge into his chest, and the message upon it vanished, to be replaced by another one, which glowed green:

 _POTTER STINKS_

The Slytherins howled with laughter. Each of them pressed their badges too, until the message Potter Stinks was shining brightly all around Harry.

'So, I stink, do I?' Harry shouted. 'I didn't hear you complaining when I tutored you last Malfoy.'

'Shut up, Potter,'

'I don't think so, I've had enough of your shit,' Harry said. 'find someone else, because until you learn to grow up, I'm not tutoring you.'

Malfoy pulled his wand and screamed ' _Densaugeo!_ only Harry ducked and the spell hit Hermione instead.

'Fifty points I think,' came a cold voice belonging to Snape. 'from Gryffindor for such foul language. Granger, take yourself to the Hospital wing.'

'Worth it,' Harry muttered as she entered the classroom behind Snape.

'That comment just earned you a detention also,' Snape said.

'Antidotes!' said Snape, looking around at them all as they sat down. 'You should all have prepared your recipes now. I want you to brew them carefully, and then we will be selecting someone on whom to test one ...'

Snape's eyes met Harry's and she was reminded of how much he used to look at her like that, back in her first-year. A knock came on the Dungeon door, it was Colin Creevey; he edged into the room, beaming at Harry, and walked up to Snape's desk.

'Yes?' Snape said curtly.

'Please sir, I'm supposed to take Harianna Potter upstairs.'

Snape stared down his hooked nose at Colin. 'Potter has another hour of Potions to complete,' said Snape coldly. 'She will come upstairs when this class is finished.'

Colin went pink. 'Sir - sir, Mr Bagman wants her, all the champions have got to go, I think they want to take photographs ...'

Harry would have given anything to have stopped Colin from saying those last few words.

'Very well, very well,' Snape snapped. 'Potter, leave your things here, I want you back down here later to test your antidote.'

'Please, sir - she's got to take her things with her,' squeaked Colin. 'All the champions -'

'Very well!' said Snape. 'Potter - take your things and get out of my sight!'

Harry piled her things into her bag leaving a copy of her notes for the antidote behind for Neville. Harry followed Colin out and closed the dungeon door behind her.

'So, they want photos?' Harry asked Colin

'Yeah for the _Daily Prophet_ I think!'

'Great,' Harry said. 'Exactly what I needed more publicity.'

'Good luck!' said Colin, when they had reached the right room.

Harry knocked on the door and entered. She was in a very small classroom. Ludo Bagman was sitting on a chair chatting to a witch Harry had never seen before, who was wearing magenta robes. Viktor Krum was standing moodily in a corner and not talking to anybody. Cedric and Fleur were in conversation. Bagman suddenly spotted Harry, got up quickly and bounded forwards. 'Ah, here she is! Champion number four! in you come, Harianna, in you come ... nothing to worry about, it's just the Wand Weighing ceremony, the rest of the judges will be here in a moment -'

'Wand Weighing?' Harry repeated nervously.

'We have to check that your wands are fully functional, no problems, you know, as they're your most important tools in the tasks ahead,' said Bagman. 'The expert's upstairs now with Dumbledore. And then there's going to be a little photo shoot. This is Rita Skeeter,' he added, gesturing towards the witch Harry did not know, 'she's doing a small piece on the Tournament for the _Daily Prophet ...'_

'Maybe not that small, Ludo,' said Rita Skeeter, her eyes on Harry. Her hair was set in elaborate and curiously rigid curls that contrasted oddly with her heavy-jawed face. She wore jewelled spectacles. The thick fingers clutching her crocodile-skin handbag ended in two-inch nails, painted crimson.

'I wonder if I could have a little word with Harianna before we start?' she said to Bagman, but still gazing fixedly at Harry. 'The youngest champion, you know ... to add a bit of colour?'

'Certainly!' cried Bagman. 'That is - if Harianna has no objection?'

'Er-' said Harry

'Lovely,' said Rita Skeeter, and in a second, she had seized Harry's upper arm and was steering her out of the room again opening a nearby door. Harry stared at her, Rita Skeeter had just put them in a broom cupboard. She unsnapped her handbag and pulled out a handful of candles, which she lit so they could see what they were doing.

'You don't mind, Harianna, if I use a Quick-Quotes Quill? It leaves me free to talk to you normally ...'

'A what?'

Rita Skeeter's smile widened. She removed long acid-green quill and a roll of parchment. She put the tip of the green quill into her mouth, sucked it for a moment with apparent relish, then placed it upright on the parchment. 'Testing ... my name is Rita Skeeter, _Daily Prophet_ reporter.'

Harry looked down quickly at the quill. The moment Rita Skeeter had spoken, the green quill had started to scribble: _Attractive blonde Rita Skeeter, forty_ -three, _whose savage quill has punctured many inflated reputations_ -

'Lovely,' said Rite Skeeter, and she ripped the top piece of parchment off and stuff it into her bag. No, she leant towards Harry and said, 'So Harianna ... what made you enter the Triwizard Tournament?'

'Er-' said Harry, she was distracted by the quill. Even though she wasn't speaking, it was dashing across the parchment, she could make out its sentence: _An ugly scar, souvenir of a tragic past, disfigures the otherwise delightful face of Harianna Potter, whose eyes_ -

'Ignore the quill Harianna,' said Rite Skeeter firmly. 'Now - why did you decide to enter the Tournament, Harianna?'

Harry glared at her. 'I'm not talking to you until you tell me, exactly what a Quick-Quotes Quill is.'

'How do you feel about the tasks ahead?' Rita Skeeter asked ignoring her. 'Excited? Nervous?'

Harry in return ignored her.

'Come now,' Rita Skeeter said. 'the quill doesn't matter. Now champions have died in the past, have you thought about that at all?'

Harry still refused to answer.

'Of course, you've looked death in the face before, haven't you?' Rita Skeeter said, watching her closely. 'How would you say that's affected you?'

Rita Skeeter continued to watch her. 'Do you think that the trauma in your past might have made you keen to prove yourself? To live up to your name? Do you think that perhaps you were tempted to enter the Triwizard Tournament?'

Harry was starting to feel irritated.

'Do you remember your parents at all?' said Rita Skeeter, 'Do you think they'd feel if they knew you were competing in the Triwizard Tournament Proud? Worried? Angry?'

Harry was really annoyed now. She avoided Skeeter's gaze and looked down at the words the quill had just written: _Tears fill those startling green eyes as our conversation turns to the parents she can barely remember._

'You want to know what I think.' Harry said looking Rita Skeeter in the eye. 'I think that if you try to print one damn word of the quill has written, I'll make sure that you'll never be able to write for another paper again.'

Harry pushed the cupboard door open, Albus Dumbledore had been about to approach the cupboard.

'Come along now, Harry,' Dumbledore said. 'the wand weighing is about to start.'

'Who's the expert that's checking the wands, Professor?' Harry said

'Ah, that would be, Mr Ollivander, Harry,' Dumbledore said. 'I believe you're already acquainted.'

'We've met.' Harry replied, walking back into the room, the thing was she wasn't sure now whether she wanted to be stuck back in the cupboard with Rita Skeeter or not, especially after the last time she saw Mr Ollivander, it had been a strange meeting ... come to think of it, it had also been a rather strange birthday...


	78. Chapter 78

**_A.N. This is a flashback chapter ..._**

...

 _Diagon Alley 1991._

Harry, as she liked to be known as had just woken up from the strangest dream ... a giant man called Hagrid had come to tell her that she was going to a school for wizards and witches ... she was sure when she opened her eyes that she would be at home in her cupboard. It was no dream however, as eleven-year-old Harry got up, Hagrid's heavy coat fell off her. She was still in the hut, her aunt and uncle had tried hiding away in, the thing they had been hiding from had been who was sending Harry letters; wizards. All her life she had been told that magic wasn't real and now to find out it actually was, had been mind blowing. Then there was the fact Hagrid had told her that everyone in the wizarding world knew her name, when she had hardly ever heard it being pronounced properly a few times, and that she was famous for surviving a curse no one else had been able to. That as a baby she had somehow managed to defeat a really Dark Wizard.

A tapping on the window of the hut, snapped Harry out of her wondering thoughts, it was an owl and it had a newspaper in its beak. Harry opened the window up and the owl swopped in, dropped the newspaper on top of Hagrid, who didn't wake up. The owl then fluttered on to the floor and began to attack Hagrid's coat.

'Don't do that.' Harry tried to wave the owl out of the way, but it snapped its beak fiercely at her and carried on savaging the coat.

'Hagrid!' Harry said loudly. 'There's an owl-'

'Pay him,' Hagrid grunted.

'What?'

'He wants paying for delivering the paper. Look in the pockets.'

Hagrid's coat seemed to be made nothing of nothing but pockets - bunches of keys, slug pellets, balls of string ... finally, Harry pulled out a handful of strange-looking coins.

'Give him five Knuts,' said Hagrid.

'Knuts?'

'The little bronze ones.'

Harry counted out five little bronze coins and the owl held out its leg so he could put the money into a small leather pouch tied to it. Then it flew off through the open window. Hagrid yawned loudly, sat up and stretched.

'Best be off, Harianna, lots to do today, gotta get up to London and buy all your stiff for school.'

Harry was turning over the wizard coins and looking at them. She had just thought of something ...

'I haven't got any money - and you heard uncle Vernon last night - he won't pay for me to go learn magic.'

'Don't worry about that,' said Hagrid. 'Do you think your parents didn't leave you anything?' Hagrid said. 'First stop Gringotts. Wizards' bank.'

'Wizards have banks?'

'Just the one. Gringotts. Run by Goblins.'

Harry wasn't sure she heard right, 'Goblins?'

'Yeah - so you'd be mad to try and rob it, I'll tell you that. Never mess with Golins, Harianna. Gringotts is the safest place in the world for anything you want to keep safe - 'cept maybe Hogwarts. As a matter of fact, I gotta visit Gringotts anyway. For Dumbledore. Hogwarts business.' Hagrid said. 'He usually gets me to do important stuff for him, fetching you - getting things from Gringotts - he knows he can trust me, see.'

Harry followed Hagrid out on to the rock. The sky was quite clear now and the sea gleamed in the sunlight. The boat uncle Vernon had hired was still there, with a lot of water in the bottom after the storm.

'How did you get here?' Harry said looking around for another boat.

'Flew,' said Hagrid.

' _Flew?'_ Harry repeated.

'Yeah - but we'll go back in this. Not supposed to use magic now I've got you.'

They settled down in the boat, Harry still staring at Hagrid wondered exactly how he flew.

'Seems a shame to row, though,' said Hagrid, giving Harry another of his sideways looks. 'If I was to - er - speed things up a bit, would you mind not mentioning it at Hogwarts?'

'Of course, not,' Harry said eager to see magic again. Hagrid pulled out the pink umbrella again, tapped it twice on the side of side of boat and they sped towards land.

'Why would you be mad to try and rob Gringotts?' Harry asked.

''Spells - enchantments,' said Hagrid, unfolding his newspaper as he spoke. 'They say there's dragons guarding the high-security vaults. And then you got to find you way - Gringotts is hundreds of miles under London, see. Deep underground. You'd die of hunger trying to get out, even if you did manage to get your hands on something.'

Harry sat and thought about this while Hagrid read his newspaper, the _Daily Prophet._ Harry learnt from uncle Vernon that people liked to be left alone while they did this, but it was very difficult, she'd never had so many questions in her life and she was pretty sure she could see the people in the photograph on the front page of the paper moving.

'Ministry of Magic messing things up as usual.' Hagrid muttered.

'There's a Ministry of Magic?' Harry asked.

'Course,' said Hagrid.

'What does the Ministry of Magic do?'

'Well, their main job is to keep it from Muggles that there's still witches and wizards up and down the country.'

'Why?'

'Why? Blimey, Harianna, everyone would be wanting magic solutions to their problems. Nah, we're best left alone.'

At this moment, the boat bumped gently into the harbour wall. Hagrid folded up his newspaper and they clambered up the stone steps on to the street. Passers-by stared a lot at Hagrid as they walked through the little town to the station. Harry couldn't blame them.

'Harry,' Harry panted a bit trying to keep up. 'I prefer Harry. So you say there are dragons at Gringotts?'

'Well, so they say,' Hagrid said. 'Crikey, I'd like a dragon.'

'You'd like one?'

'Wanted one ever since I was a kid - here we go.'

They reached the station. There was a train to London in five minutes' time. Harry had never been to London before. Although Hagrid seemed to know where he was going. Hagrid had led her to a tiny, grubby-looking pub. If Hagrid hadn't pointed it out Harry wouldn't have noticed it was there. The people hurrying by didn't glance at it. Hagrid steered her inside, the pub was dark and shabby. A few old women were sitting in a corner, drinking tiny glasses of sherry. One of them was smoking a long pipe. A little man in top hat was talking to the old barman, who was quite bald and looked like a gummy walnut. The low buzz of chatter stopped when they walked in. Everyone seemed to know Hagrid; they waved and smiled at him, and the barman reached for a glass, saying, 'The usual Hagrid?'

'Can't, Tom, I'm on Hogwarts business,' Hagrid said, clapping his great hand on Harry's shoulder and making her knees buckle.

'Good Lord.' said the barman, peering at Harry, 'is this - can this be -?'

The Leaky Cauldron had suddenly gone completely still and silent.

'Bless my soul,' whispered the old barman. 'Harianna Potter ... what an honour.' He hurried out from behind the bar, rushed towards Harry and seized her hands, tears in his eyes. 'Welcome back, Miss Potter, welcome back.'

Harry had no clue what to say, everyone was looking at her. Harry being the shy person she was felt the option of hiding was about to become less likely, the woman with the pipe was puffing on it without realising it had gone out. Hagrid was beaming. Then there was a great scraping of chairs and, next moment, Harry found herself shaking hands with everyone in the Leaky Cauldron.

'Doris Crockford, Miss Potter, can't believe I'm meeting you at last.'

'So, proud, Miss Potter, I'm just so proud.'

'Always wanted to shake your hand - I'm all a flutter.'

'Delighted, Miss Potter, just can't tell you. Diggle's the name, Dedalus Diggle.'

It took almost ten minutes to get away from everyone in the pub, Harry was completely overwhelmed.

'Told you, didn't I? Told you that you were famous.'

Hagrid tapped the wall, in the courtyard after they walked through the pub. The brick he touched quivered - it wriggled - in the middle, a small hole appeared - it grew wider and wider - a second later they were facing an archway large enough even for Hagrid, an archway on to a cobbled street which twisted and turned out of sight.

'Welcome,' said Hagrid, 'to Diagon Alley.' He grinned at Harry's amazement. They stepped through the archway. Harry looked quickly over her shoulder and saw the archway shrink instantly back into the solid wall. Harry wished she had more eyes. She turned his head in every direction as they walked up the street, trying to look at everything at once: the shops the things outside them, the people doing their shopping.

'Gringotts,' said Hagrid. They reached a snowy-white building which towered over the other shops. Standing beside its burnished bronze doors, wearing a uniform of scarlet and gold, was -

'Yeah, that's a goblin,' said Hagrid quietly as they walked up the white stone steps, as they walked inside, they were facing a second pair of doors, silver this time, with words engraved upon them:

 _Enter, stranger, but take heed,_

 _Of what awaits the sin of greed,_

 _For those who take, but do not earn,_

 _Must pay most dearly in their turn,_

 _So if you seek beneath our floors,_

 _A treasure that was never yours,_

 _thief, you have been warned, beware,_

 _Of finding more than treasure there._

'Like a said, you'd be mad to try and rob it,' said Hagrid.

A pair of goblins bowed them through the silver doors and they were in a vast marble hall. About a hundred more goblins were sitting on high stools behind a long counter, scribing in large ledgers, weighing coins on brass scales, examining precious stones through eyeglasses. There were too many doors to count leading off the hall, and yet more goblins were showing people in and out of these. Hagrid and Harry made for the counter.

'Morning,' said Hagrid to a free goblin. 'We've come to take some money out of Miss Harianna Potter's safe.'

'You have her key, sir?'

'Got it somewhere,' said Hagrid and he started to empty his pockets. Harry meanwhile was still looking around at the other goblins. 'Got it,' said Hagrid holding up a tiny golden key. The goblin looked at it closely. 'That seems to be in order.'

'And I've also got a letter here from Professor Dumbledore,' said Hagrid. 'It's about the You Know What in vault seven hundred and thirteen.'

The goblin read the letter carefully. 'Very well,' he said, handing it back to Hagrid. 'I will have someone take you down to both vaults. Griphook!'

Griphook was yet another goblin. Once Hagrid had crammed everything back into his pockets, he and Harry followed Griphook towards one of the doors leading off the hall. Griphook held the door open for them. Harry, who expected more marble, was surprised. They were in a narrow stone passageway lit with flaming torches. It sloped steeply downwards and there were little railway tracks on the floor. Griphook whistled and a small cart came hurtling up the tracks towards them. They climbed in. At first, they just hurtled through a maze of twisting passages. Harry tried to remember but it was impossible to keep up with where they were going. When they came to a stop Hagrid looked a little green, beside them was a small door. Griphook unlocked the door, a lot of green smoke came billowing out, and as it cleared Harry gasped. Inside were mounds of gold coins. Columns of silver. Heaps of little bronze Knuts.

'All yours,' smiled Hagrid.

All Harry's - it was incredible, the Dursleys couldn't have known about this or they'd had it from her faster than blinking. How often did they complain how much Harry cost them to keep? And all the time there had been a small fortune belonging to her, buried deep under London. Hagrid helped Harry pile some of it into a bag.

'The gold one are Galleons,' he explained. 'Seventeen silver Sickles to a Galleon and twenty-nine Knuts to a Sickle, it's easy enough. Right, that should be enough for a couple of terms, we'll keep the rest safe for you.' He turned to Griphook. 'Vault seven hundred and thirteen now, please.'

Once the wild cart-rides were over, they stood blinking in the sunlight outside Gringotts. Harry didn't know where to run first now that she had a bag full of money. She didn't have to know how many Galleons there were to a pound to know she was holding more money than she'd had in her whole life - more money than even Dudley ever had.

'Might as well get your uniform,' Hagrid said, nodding towards _Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions._ 'Listen Harianna-'

'Harry-'

'Harry, would you mind if I slipped off for a bit for a pick-me-up in the Leaky Cauldron? I hate them Gringotts carts.'

He did look a bit sick, so Harry entered Malam Malkin's shop alone. Madam Malkin was a squat, smiling witch dressed all in mauve.

'Hogwarts, dear?' she said.

'Yes.'

Madam Malkin stood Harry on a stool, slipped a long robe over her head and began to pin it to the right length. Harry trying to not move too much, turned her head and looked around her surroundings. It was like any other clothing store, just that it contained different types of fabric. It was a small shelf on which there were several different types of girl head bands. Harry looked towards the mirror, her short messy bobbed black hair, falling all over the place. A hairband could help keep it in place, she'd never had anything really girly before. Harry eyed her fringe that covered her scar, sometimes a little too unsuccessfully if the reaction of what happened in the Leaky Cauldron was anything to go by. It had taken her too long to be comfortable having a name no one could preannounce, her name had made her stand out, and that was not at all what she wanted. She liked being unknown, maybe the hair band could also help keep the fringe in place, it was a good idea, though she thought she would go for something simple, nothing too flashy. When Harry was finished and paid for a simple blue hairband, Hagrid was waiting outside with two ice-creams. While they ate, Hagrid spoke about the wizarding sport known as Quidditch and told her about the four-school house at Hogwarts. They went to buy her school things afterwards, Hagrid even brought Harry her first ever birthday present; a beautiful snowy owl. It was just her wand to go.

The last shop was narrow and shabby. Peeling gold letters over the door read _Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 BC._ A single wand lay on a faded purple cushion in the dusty window. A tinkling bell rang somewhere in the depths of the shop as they stepped inside. It was tiny, empty except for a single spindly chair which Harry sat on to wait. Harry felt strangely as though she entered a very strict library, she looked at the thousands of narrow boxes piled neatly right up to the ceiling. For some reason, the back of her neck prickled. The very dust and silence in here seemed to tingle with some secret magic.

'Good afternoon,' said a soft voice.

An Old man was standing before them, his wide, pale eyes shining like moons through the gloom of the shop.

'Hello,' said Harry awkwardly.

''Ah yes,' said the man. 'Yes, yes. I thought I'd be seeing you soon. Harianna Potter.' It wasn't a question. 'You look much like your father, but have your mother's eyes. It seems only yesterday she was in here herself, buying her first wand. Ten and a quarter inches long, swishy, made of willow. Nice wand for charm work.'

Mr Ollivander moved closer to Harry. Harry wished the man would blink, those silvery eyes were a bit creepy. 'Your father, on the other hand, favoured a mahogany wand. Eleven inches. Pliable. A little more power and excellent for transfiguration. Well, I say your father favoured it - it's really the wand that chooses the wizard, of course.'

Mr Ollivander had come so close that he and Harry were almost nose to nose. 'And that's where ...' Mr Ollivander touched the lightning scar on Harry's forehead with a long, white finger. 'I'm sorry to say I sold the wand that did it,' he said softly. 'Thirteen and a half inches. Yew. Powerful wand, very powerful, and in the wrong hands ... Well if I had known what that wand was going out into the world to do ...'

He shook his head and then, to Harry's relief, spotted Hagrid.

'Rubeus! Rubeus Hagrid! How nice to see you again ... Oak, sixteen inches, rather bandy, wasn't it?'

'It was, sir, yes,' said Hagrid.

'Well, now then Miss Potter, let me see.' said Ollivander and he pulled a long tape measure with silver markings out of his pocket. 'Which is your wand arm?'

'Er - well, I'm right handed,' said Harry.

'Hold out your arm. That's it.' He measured Harry from shoulder to finger, then wrist to elbow as he measured he said. 'Every Ollivander wand has a core of a powerful substance, Miss Potter. We use unicorn hairs, phoenix tail feathers and the heartstrings of dragons. No two Ollivander wands are the same, just as no two unicorns, dragons or phoenixes are quite the same. And of course, you will never get such good results with another wizard's wand.'

Mr Ollivander had stopped measuring and was now flitting around the shelves, taking down boxes.

'Right then, Miss Potter. Try this one. Beechwood and dragon heartstring. Nine inches. Nice and flexible. Just take it and give it a wave.'

Harry took the wand and waved it around a bit, she felt quite foolish, but Mr Ollivander snatched it out of her hand almost at once.

'Maple and phoenix feather. Seven inches. Quite whippy. Try -'

Harry tried - but Hardly raised the wand when it, too, was snatched back by Mr Ollivander.

'No, no - here, ebony and unicorn hair, eight and a half inches, springy. Go on, go on, try it out.'

Harry tried and tried, she had no idea what Mr Ollivander was waiting for. the pile of tried wands was mounting higher and higher, but the more wands Mr Ollivander pulled from the shelves, the happier he seemed to become.

'Tricky customer, eh? Not to worry, we'll find the perfect match here somewhere - I wonder, now - yes, why not - unusual combination - holly and phoenix feather, eleven inches, nice and supple.'

Harry took the wand. She felt a sudden warmth in her fingers. She raised the wand and brought it swishing down through dusty air and a stream of red and gold sparks shot from the end like a firework. Hagrid whopped and clapped and Mr Ollivander cried, 'Oh, bravo! Yes indeed, oh, very good. Well, well, well ... how curious ... how very curious ...'

He put Harry's wand back into its box and wrapped it in brown paper, still muttering, 'Curious ... curious ...'

'Sorry,' said Harry, 'but what's curious?'

Mr Ollivander fixed Harry with his pale stare. 'I remember every wand I've ever sold, Miss Potter. Every single wand. It so happens that the phoenix whose tail feather is in your wand, gave another feather - just one other. It is very curious indeed that you should be destined for this wand when its brother - why, its brother gave you that scar.'

Harry swallowed.

'Yes, thirteen and a half inches. Yew. Curious indeed how these things happen. The wand chooses the wizard, remember ... He Who Must Not Be Named did great things with that wand - terrible, yes, but great ... I think that we shall be expecting great things from you Miss Potter.'

Harry shivered. Mr Ollivander was indeed very strange, she paid her seven gold Galleons for her wand and Mr Ollivander bowed them from his shop. Harry vowed she would take great care of her wand, so that she would never have to go through an unusually meeting like that one again.


	79. Chapter 79

Harry looked around as they entered the room and saw an old wizard with, large pale eyes standing quietly by the window. Harry recognised him instantly; Mr Ollivander, the wand maker.

'Mademoiselle Delacour, could we have you forward first, please?' said Mr Ollivander, stepping into the empty space in the middle of the room. Fleur Delacour swept over to Mr Ollivander, and handed him her wand.

'Hmm …' he said. He twirled the wand between his long fingers and it emitted a number of pink and gold sparks. Then he held it close to his eyes and examined it carefully.

'Yes,' he said quietly, 'nine and a half inches ... inflexible ... rosewood ... and containing ... dear me …'

'An 'air from ze 'ead of a Veela,' said Fleur. 'One of my grandmuzzer's.'

So, Fleur was part Veela, Harry made a mental note to tell Ron ... then she remembered that they weren't talking.

'Yes,' said Mr Ollivander, 'yes, I've never used Veela hair myself, of course. I find it makes for rather temperamental wands ... however, each to his own, and if this suits you ...'

Mr Ollivander ran his fingers along the wand, apparently checking for scratches or bumps; then he muttered, ' _Orchideous!'_ and a bunch of flowers burst from the wand tip. 'Very well, very well, it's in fine working order,' said Mr Ollivander, scooping up the flowers and handing them to Fleur with her wand.

'Mr Diggory, you next.' Fleur glided back to her seat., smiling at Cedric as he passed her.

'Ah, now, this one of mine, isn't it?' said Mr Ollivander, as Cedric handed over his wand. 'Yes, I remember it well. Containing a single hair from the tail of a unicorn ... twelve and a quarter inches ... ash ... pleasantly springy. It's in fine condition ... you treat it regularly?'

'Polished it last night,' said Cedric grinning.

Harry looked at her own, her fingers marks were all over it and surprisingly she found she didn't care. Mr Ollivander sent a stream of silver smoke rings across the room from the tip of Cedric's wand, pronounced himself satisfied, and then said, 'Mr Krum, if you please.'

Viktor Krum got up and slouched, round-shouldered and duck-footed, towards Mr Ollivander. He trusted his wand out and stood scowling, with his hands in the pockets of his robes. 'Hmm,' said Mr Ollivander, 'this is a Gregorovitch creation, unless I'm much mistaken? A fine wand maker.' He lifted the wand and examined it, turning it over before his eyes. 'Yes ... hornbeam and dragon heartstring?' he shot at Krum who nodded. 'Rather thicker than one usually sees ... quite rigid ... ten and a quarter inches ...' Mr Ollivander made a fountain of wine shoot out of Krum's wand. 'Good,' said Mr Ollivander, handing Krum back his wand. 'Which leaves ... Miss Potter.'

Harry walked over to Mr Ollivander wand outstretched.

'Aaah, yes,' said Mr Ollivander, 'Yes, yes, yes. How well I remember.'

Harry could remember it well too, though she never shared the information Mr Ollivander had said when she brought her wand with anyone. She was quite fond of her wand and as far as it's relation to Voldemort's well her wand couldn't help that. She just hoped that Mr Ollivander wouldn't share that information with everyone else in the room. Mr Ollivander spent much longer examining her wand than anybody else's before he muttered ' _Avis!'_ and a number of small, twittering birds flew out of the end of her wand. 'Excellent condition ... you've used it well, do continue to look after it,' Mr Ollivander said handing her wand back.

'Oh, I intend to,' Harry grinned.

'Thank you all,' said Dumbledore, 'you may go back to your lessons now - or perhaps it would be quicker just to go down to dinner, as they are about to end -'

Harry thought this was a good idea but as she turned, a man was waiting for them, camera held in his hands and he gave a slight cough.

'Photos, Dumbledore, photos!' cried Bagman. 'All the judges and champions. What do you think, Rita?'

'Er - yes, let's do those first,' said Rita Skeeter, whose eyes were upon Harry. 'And then perhaps some individual shots.'

The photographs took a long time as Rita kept trying to sweep Harry's fringe to reveal her scar, and Harry wasn't having any of it. Her scar would remain hidden.

'I would leave Miss Potter alone,' Dumbledore said firmly as Rita tried to once again to touch Harry's hair. 'Or you will most likely find yourself on the receiving end or a very clever Switching Charm, the last time she used it, she turned two people's hair green for almost two weeks ... and I don't think bright green quite suits your complexion, Miss Skeeter.'

'I was thinking something along the lines of purple ... I'm sure I could make it last longer this time too.' Harry muttered.

Harry walked down to dinner moments later, smiling as she spotted Neville wave her over.

'Hay, how did it go?' Harry said.

'I passed, your notes were brilliant, thanks, Harry. What about you?'

'Waste of time, they just needed to check our wands were working,' Harry said.

'Oh, Snape asked me to tell you that you detention, is tomorrow night, in his classroom.'

The shock of finding herself school champion had worn off slightly, now and the fear of what was facing her was starting to sink in as the first task drew steadily nearer. Life became even worse for Harry within the confines of the castle, for Rita Skeeter had published her piece about the Triwizard Tournament, which turned out to be a highly-coloured life story of Harry. The article had appeared ten days ago, much of the front page had been taken up by a picture of Harry, the names of the Beaxbatons and Durmstrang champions had been misspelled and Cedric hadn't been mentioned at all. The article made her feel very angry every time she thought about it. Rita Skeeter had reported her saying an awful lot of things that she never had said in her life, let alone in a broom cupboard.

The appearance of said article only made Ron's attitude towards Harry worse, as he seemed take it as confirmation that Harry was really enjoying all the attention. Hermione was furious with the pair of them; she kept trying to force them to talk to each other. Harry was adamant though, she would talk to Ron when he learned to grow up. The Slytherins made her life hell quoting the article to her as she passed. Although Daphne Greengrass had not taken part in this or the partaken in wearing a Support Cedric badge, but had not stood up for Harry either. Harry wasn't sure on whether this was her way of doing so but was grateful nevertheless. Along with Hermione sticking by her side, Neville had also shown his support for Harry, after successfully learning the Switching Charm he had switched several of the Support Cedric badges to Support Harry badges for them. A few other Gryffindor copied his idea that by morning most of the Gryffindor house was wearing a support Harry badge.

It was George though that had become Harry's constant support, he became the person who comforted her when she needed it, and he was also helping her with practising spells. They had found an unused room on the seventh floor, by luck when George had come to meet her after advanced Arithmancy. Harry had been so annoyed and angry from Malfoy trying to taunt her, she actually needed to blow off some steam. A door had appeared and Harry, not one to question the art of magic responding to a person's need entered the room without a second thought and started to blow the furniture up. This room was where George had Harry began to meet so, she could go over any necessary and likely spells she would need.

...

'This isn't exactly how I envisioned spending time with you Anna,' George muttered under his breath.

It was the Saturday before the first task, all the students in the third year and above were permitted to visit the village of Hogsmeade. Hermione told Harry that it would do her good to get away from the castle for a bit, and Harry didn't need much persuasion. The trouble was Harry felt guilty for the amount of time Hermione had spent with her, so Harry had told her to go with Ron. Harry not wanting to stay in the castle went into the village with George, however, unlike George, she was hidden under the Invisibility Cloak.

'I'll make it up to you,' Harry said.

'You know I think you actually can,' George said with a cheeky grin.

'Why do I get the feeling that I'm not going to like this?'

'Oh, it's nothing much,' George said. 'You could just give me a kiss - I think that would make us even.'

'Last year, it was a date, this year it a kiss,' Harry said rolling her eyes. 'Where did you get the idea for that from?'

'Oh Hermione,' George said grinning.

'I know that grin, George. I know what it means. Just what exactly did you get out of Hermione?'

'Well I'm disappointed in you actually,' George said, looking as though he was deeply upset. 'you could have told me yourself - I mean - I am your Prince Charming after all.'

'So?' What's that got to do with anything?'

'You never told me that Prince Charming gets to kiss his Princess for all his daring troubles,' George said adding in a disappointed tone. 'Shame on you.'

'And exchange for this information, you had to tell Hermione what exactly?'

'Oh, she wanted to know how to get to the kitchens,' George said shrugging. 'I thought it was a fair trade.'

'George, you've just helped create a monster, Hermione is not going to shut up about S.P.E.W now.'

'Nothing more then what you did,' George retorted. 'You gave her the idea after all.'

They walked the rest of the way to the village in silence, otherwise George would have looked rather odd talking to himself. Harry was glad that she had sense to put her Cloak on as Rita Skeeter and her photographer friend had just emerged from the Three Broomsticks pub. They walked right passed George without looking at him. George lead the way into the pub. The Three Broomsticks was packed, mainly with Hogwarts students enjoying their free afternoon, but also with a variety of magical people Harry rarely saw anywhere else. George got the Butterbeers and lead them to a table in the corner. Fred was on a date with Angelina by the looks of things, Ron and Hermione along with Lee Jordan were sitting with them. George however headed for table that Neville and Ginny were sitting at, sending his twin brother a wink as he past.

As the others chatted about the upcoming task, Harry sipped her Butterbeer under the Cloak. She too was thinking about the upcoming task, she wondered how the other champions were feeling. Every time she had seen Cedric, he had been surrounded by admirers and looking nervous but excited. Harry had glimpsed Fleur Delacour from time to time in the corridors, she looked exactly as she always did, haughty and unruffled. And Krum spent as much time as Harry and Hermione did, sitting in the library, poring over books.

'Look its Hagrid!' said Ginny.

The back of Hagrid's head had emerged over the crowd. Harry wondered why she hadn't spotted him at once, as Hagrid had been so large, but standing up carefully, she saw that Hagrid had been leaning low, talking to Professor Moody. Hagrid with his usual enormous tankard in front of him, but Professor Moody was drinking from his hip-flask. Madam Rosmerta, the pretty landlady didn't seem to think much of this; she was looking askance at Moody. Perhaps she thought it was an insult to her, but Harry knew better. Moody had told them all during their last Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson that he preferred to prepare his own food and drink at all times, as it was so easy for Dark wizards to poison an unattended cup. Moody looked over as they left and tapped Hagrid on his back, muttered something to him, and then the pair of them made their way across the pub towards their table.

'Hello you lot,' Hagrid smiled at Neville, Ginny and George.

Moody limped around the table and bent down; Harry wondered what he was up to, until he muttered, 'Nice Cloak Potter.'

Hagrid was beaming down at the table too, glancing in Harry's direction. Harry knew Hagrid couldn't see her, but Moody whose magical eye seemed to know no bounds had obviously told Hagrid that she was there.

'George, when you see your Harry next,' Hagrid said leaning low towards the table muttering lowly, and Harry raised her eyebrows at this, just what exactly had George been saying now? 'Could you ask her to meet me tonight at midnight, and to bring her Cloak with her.'

George who had turned slightly red in the face replied, 'Sure - ummm - no worries - I'll do that.'

Straightening up, Hagrid nodded and said loudly. 'Nice to see you all,' he winked and departed. Moody followed him.

Harry lent close to George's ear and whispered dangerously. 'Your Harry, huh? Is there something you wish to tell me?'

George still flushed slightly in the face, gulped.

...

At half past eleven that evening, Harry, who had pretended to go up to bed early, pulled the Invisibility Cloak back over herself and crept downstairs and through the common room. The grounds where very dark as Harry set off towards the lights shining in Hagrid's inside of the enormous Beauxbatons carriage was also lit up; Harry could hear Madame Maxime talking inside it as she knocked on Hagrid's front door.

'You there, Harry?' said Hagrid.

'Yeah,' said Harry, slipping inside the cabin and pulling the Cloak off her head. 'What's up?'

'Got something to show you,' said Hagrid.

There was an air of enormous excitement about Hagrid. He was wearing a flower that resembled an oversized artichoke in his buttonhole. It looked as though he had abandoned the use of axle grease, but he had certainly attempted to comb his hair - Harry could see the comb's broken teeth tangled in it.

'What are you showing me?' Harry said warily if this was some sort of dangerous creature, Harry didn't think she wanted to know.

'Come with me, keep quiet and keep yourself covered with that Cloak,' said Hagrid. And before Harry could say any more, Hagrid opened the door to his cabin and strode off into the night. Harry hurried to follow him, and found that Hagrid had lead them to the Beauxbatons carriage. Hagrid knocked on the door three times, which was opened by Madame Maxime, she closed the door behind her, and Hagrid offered her his arm. They set off around the edge of the paddock containing Madame Maxime's giant winged horses.

'Wair is it you are taking me, 'Agrid?'

'You'll enjoy this,' said Hagrid gruffly. 'Worth seeing, trust me. Only - don't go telling anyone I showed you, right? You're not supposed to know.'

'Of course, not,' Madame Maxime said, fluttering her long black eyelashes.

Harry had half a mind to turn around and leave them to walk alone under the moonlit sky, but Hagrid had wanted to show Harry too, so she stuck around, even if she did feel rather uncomfortable. Hagrid had obviously asked Madame Maxime on a date. They had walked so far around the perimeter of the Forest that the castle and lake were out of sight - Harry heard something. Men were shouting up ahead ... then came a deafening, ear-splitting roar ...

Hagrid led Madame Maxime around a clump of trees, and came to a halt. Harry hurried up alongside them - for a spilt second, she thought she was seeing bonfires, and men darting around them - and then her mouth fell open. _Dragons._ Four fully grown, enormous, vicious-looking dragons were inside an enclosure fenced with thick planks of wood. There was a silvery blue dragon with long, pointed horns; a smooth green one; a red one with an odd fringe of fine gold spikes around its face, and a gigantic black one, more lizard-like then the others, which was nearest to them. It didn't take a genius to work out what they were for. At least thirty wizards, seven or eight to each dragon, were attempting to control them.

Harry recognised the wizard closest to them as they walked up to the fence - it was Charlie Weasley.

'All right, Hagrid?' he panted, coming over to talk.

'Hello,' Hagrid said, then his eyes gazed over the dragons. 'What breeds you got here, Charlie?'

'This one is a Hungarian Horntail,' Charlie said indicating to the black dragon. 'There's a Common Welsh Green over there, the smaller one - a Swedish Short-Snout, that blue grey - and a Chinese Fireball, that's the red.'

Charlie looked around; Madame Maxime was strolling away around the edge of the enclosure, gazing at the Stunned dragons.

'I didn't know you were bringing her, Hagrid,' Charlie said, frowning. 'The champions aren't supposed to know what's coming - she's bound to tell her student, isn't she?'

'Just thought she'd like to see them,' shrugged Hagrid.

'Really romantic date, Hagrid,' said Charlie shaking his head.

'Four ...' said Hagrid looking over the dragons, 'so it's one for each champion, is it? What've they gotta do - fight them?'

'Just get passed them, I think,' said Charlie. 'We'll be on hand if it gets nasty, extinguishing spells at the ready. They wanted nesting mothers, I don't know why ... but I tell you this, I don't envy the one who gets the Horntail. Vicious thing. Its back end's as dangerous as it's front, look.'

Charlie pointed towards the Horntail's tail, and Harry saw long, bronze-coloured spikes protruding along it every few inches.

'So, how's Harry?'

'She's fine,'

'I just hope she's still fine after she's faced this lot, not that I'd ever let anything happen to her, worth more than my life that is,' Charlie said scratching his head.

'Let me guess, George?'

'And mum, they don't know, about them - about the dragons. George would tell her and mum well - she's already having kittens about her,' Charlie imitated his mother's anxious voice. '" _How could they let her enter that Tournament, she's much too young! I thought they were all safe, I thought there was going to be an age limit!"_ She was in floods after that _Daily Prophet_ article about her.'

Harry had enough, trusting to the fact she knew Hagrid would be more interested in the dragons to miss her, and with Madame Maxime to occupy him, she turned silently and began to walk away.

Just how was she meant to get passed a dragon, with just her wand, what she needed was someone she could talk to, someone who knew about her lack in regards for school rules ... an adult ... what she needed was Sirius, she wasn't sure he'd be up this late though. In the darkness, she could see an outline of a wizard approaching, Harry realised who it was as he got closer. The moonlit sky lighting up the wizards features - it was Karkaroff. He was edging his way forwards towards the place the dragons were. She had no doubt whatsoever what Karkaroff was up to. He had sneaked off his ship to try and find out what the first task was going to be. He may have even spotted Hagrid and Madam Maxime heading off around the Forest together - they were hardly difficult to spot at a distance ... all he had to do was follow the sound of voices, and he, like Madame Maxime would know what was in store. By the looks of it, the only champion that would be facing the unknown was - Cedric. It wasn't fair she had to find a way somehow to tell him, she just had to.

Harry reached the castle, slipped in through the front doors and began to climb the marbles stairs, she sneaked into the girls' dorms, pulling out the two-way mirror from her bedside draw. The common room was empty, so Harry headed back down the stairs quietly. She pulled off the Cloak and sank into an arm chair.

'Sirius Black,' Harry called out to the mirror.

'Kiddo,' Sirius said. 'It's one in the morning ... Anna, What's wrong?'

'Dragons, Sirius, the first task is dragons.'

Sirius rubbed his face, and muttered, 'You just had to inherit, that sneaking around talent from James, didn't you? OK kiddo dragons we can deal with -'

'You say that so calmly like it's nothing,' Harry said. 'But it isn't, and poor Cedric, he doesn't know yet - I saw Madam Maxime and almost ran into Karkaroff.'

'I've been meaning to talk to you about him,' said Sirius. 'Watch your back, Anna, he was a Death Eater.'

'He what?' Harry said stunned.

'Yes, exactly - he was caught, he was in Azkaban with me, but he got released. I'd bet that's why Dumbledore wanted an Auror at Hogwarts this year - to keep an eye on him. Moody caught Karkaroff, put him in Azkaban in the first place.'

Harry thought back, to the night her name was called out of the Goblet of Fire, what had Moody said about Dark wizards? 'Sirius, you don't think he could have placed my name in the Goblet, do you?'

'It's possible,' said Sirius thoughtfully.

'So how did, Karkaroff get released?'

'He did a deal with the Ministry of Magic,' said Sirius bitterly. 'He said he'd seen the error of his ways, and then he named names ... he put a load of other people into Azkaban in his place ...'

'So about as popular as Pettigrew then?' Harry said.

'Yes, that just about sums it up, and from what I can tell, he's been teaching the Dark Arts to every student who passes through that school of his. So, watch out for the Durmstrang champion as well.'

'OK,' Harry said slowly.

'I'm just glad Dumbledore has been reading the signs...'

'Signs?'

'Anna, think about it for a second, if you read in between the lines of Skeeters' articles, you'd realise something was going on. Moody was attacked the night before he started Hogwarts. I know they say it was another false alarm, but I don't think so, somehow. I think someone tried to stop him getting to Hogwarts. I think someone knew their job would be lot more difficult with him around.'

'The World Cup?' Harry muttered.

'Yes, the Death Eaters seem to have become more active, and then there's that witch who's gone missing.'

'Bertha Jorkins?' said Harry.

'She disappeared in Albania, and that's definitely where Voldemort was rumoured to be last ... and she would have known the Triwizard Tournament was coming up, wouldn't she?'

'So, Voldemort could have found out about the Tournament, and got my name entered into it. So do you think Karkaroff is here on his orders?'

'I don't know,' said Sirius slowly. 'I just don't know...'

'Looks like a good plan to me, if they are indeed trying to kill me, they could make it look like an accident easily ...' Harry said. 'They just need to sit back and let the dragons do their stuff...'

'Right - these dragons, there is way Anna.' Sirius said. 'Dragons are strong and too magically powerful to be stunned a single Stunner, you need several wizards at once to overcome a dragon. But they do have a weakness, and it's their eyes -'

'Sirius I don't think we are meant to hurt the dragons, Charlie said something about getting past them,' Harry said

'Ummm, maybe you could think of another way,' Sirius said. 'But you can always use that as a back-up plan.'

'Thanks, for this,' Harry said.

'Anna, I told you I'd do anything for you, as long as, it was possible,' Sirius said softly.

'The impossible, is only impossible if it has been proven that it is so,' Harry corrected. 'I'm off to bed, I think I need a good night sleep, before tackling the subject of dragons, night Sirius.'

'Night, kiddo, love you,'

...

Harry the next day spent her time, poring over books in the library, she couldn't think of another way of getting past a dragon without hurting it, Charlie had mentioned that they had put the dragons to sleep, that was one way - then she realised she had been looking for the wrong book, Harry pulled her mother's book from her bag hadn't she read about a recipe that could put any known creature to sleep. She flicked through the pages and then turned to the page labelled - _Cretura Potio Sommum._ She had been right, she could put the dragon to sleep the only problem how was she going to get close enough to use, the sleeping powder on it. Getting the powder into the task was easy she could Summon it, but getting close to a get big dragon, Harry wasn't sure how to do that. Just how did one sneak up on a dragon? There was no way she was going to use her Invisibility Cloak, one it would get ruined and two; it would get confiscated. Hermione was researching with her, trying to dig up simple spells that could possibly help her out, but just as she began concentrating on another book ...

'Oh, no, he's back _again,_ why can't he read on his stupid ship?' said Hermione irritably, as Viktor Krum slouched in, cast a surly look over at the pair of them, and settled himself in a distant corner with a pile of books. 'Come on, Harry, we'll go to the common room ... his fan club'll be here in a moment, twittering away...'

And sure, enough as they left the library, a gang of girls tiptoed past them in the library. The researched all day, well until George came into the common room to drag them down for dinner. And even throughout dinner, Harry's thoughts remained on the blasted dragons. As pudding cleared, she saw Cedric Diggory leaving the Hufflepuff table, he still didn't know about the dragons.

'I'll meet you in the common room,' Harry said to George and Hermione, getting up from her seat, 'there's something I've got to do.'

By the time, Harry reached the bottom of the marble staircase, Cedric was at the top. Harry raced up the stairs, and pushed him into the wall of the empty corridor.

'What on earth?' said Cedric with a grunt.

'Sorry,' Harry said glancing around the corridor, checking for signs of anyone coming; when she was sure there was no one, she turned to Cedric and whispered, 'The first task is dragons.'

'What?' Cedric said looking more bewildered than before.

'Dragons,' Harry repeated. 'One for each of us and we've got to get past them.'

Cedric stared at her, Harry saw some of the panic she'd been feeling since she'd found out flickering in Cedric's grey eyes.

'Are you sure?' Cedric said, in a hushed voice.

'I've seen them,' Harry said. 'I stumbled upon them by accident.' Harry added. She didn't want to get Hagrid to get in trouble. 'I'm not the only one who knows either. Fleur and Viktor will know by now - Madam Maxime and Karkaroff both saw the dragons, too.'

Cedric stood there, still staring at Harry, and there was a puzzled, almost suspicious look in his eyes. 'Why are you telling me?'

Harry looked at him in disbelief. 'It's just ... fair, isn't it? We all know now ... we're on even footing once again, aren't we?'

Cedric was still looking at her in a slightly suspicious way when Harry heard a familiar clunking noise behind her. She turned around and saw Moody emerging down the corridor.

'Come with me Potter,' he growled. 'Diggory, you're free to go.'

Harry stared apprehensively had he overheard them, Harry followed Moody to his office, wondering what was going to happen now. What if Moody wanted to know how she'd found out about the dragons? Would Moody go to Dumbledore and tell on Hagrid. Moody closed his office door behind them and turned to look at Harry, his magical eye fixed upon her as well as the normal one.

'That was a very decent thing you just did, Potter,' Moody said quietly. 'Sit down.'

This was not the reaction she suspected at all. As Harry sat, she looked around. She had visited this office before under two of its previous occupants. The office this time was full of a number of exceptionally odd objects that Harry supposed Moody had used in the day when he had been an Auror. On his desk stood what looked like a large, cracked, glass spinning top; Harry recognised it at once as a Sneakoscope, because she owned one herself, though it was much smaller. In the corner stood an object that looked like an extra-squiggly, golden television aerial. It was humming slightly. What appeared to be a mirror hung opposite Harry on the wall, but it was not reflecting the room. Shadowy figures were moving around inside it, none of them clearly in focus.

'Like my Dark detectors, do you?' said Moody

'I like all magical things, I've never seen before,' Harry shrugged. 'I'm a bit weird like that.'

'That's a Secrecy Sensor,' Moody said pointing towards the squiggly golden aerial. 'Vibrates when it detects concealment and lies ... no use here, too much interference - students in every direction lying about why they haven't done their homework. Been humming ever since I got here. I had to disable my Sneakoscope because it wouldn't stop whistling.'

'Mine goes haywire when at Hogwarts too,' Harry said. 'though for good reason I think, the Weasley twins are usually up to one thing or another.'

'They're the ones giving Filch all that trouble with the banned items?' Moody enquired.

'I'm not at liberty to answer that, Professor.' Harry said. 'What's the mirror for?'

'Oh, that's my Foe-Glass. See them out there, sulking around? I'm not really in trouble until I see the whites of their eyes. That's when I open my trunk.' He let out a short, harsh laugh, and pointed to the large trunk under the window. It had several keyholes in a row. 'So ... found out about the dragons, have you?'

Harry hesitated, this is what she thought had been coming.

'It's all right,' Moody said, sitting down and stretching out his wooden leg. 'Cheating's a traditional part of the Tournament and always has been.'

'I didn't cheat,' Harry said sharply. 'It was - an accident that I found out.'

Moody grinned. 'I wasn't accusing you, I've been telling Dumbledore from the start, he can be high minded as he likes, but you bet old Karkaroff and Maxime won't be. They'll have told their champions everything they can. They want to win. They want to beat Dumbledore. They'd like to prove he's only human.'

'So ... got any ideas how you're going to get past your dragon yet?' said Moody.

'One,' Harry said. 'It's executing my idea though.'

'Dumbledore said you were big on your theories, one damn smart witch so I hear,' Moody said.

Harry flushed and shrugged. 'In some aspects, I guess.'

'A modest one too, good,' Moody said. 'Some wizards think that they are only as good as they spell, they are able to cast - for without their wands they have nothing, and it's those wizards that need to re-evaluate their thinking ... the wand can only do so much, one doesn't just need a wand Miss Potter. No, you also need to use your brain.'

Harry thought over his words, he was right, one didn't just need a wand - wait, those words: one doesn't just need, Harry had heard them before, had heard Professor Dumbledore say them to her back in her first year.

'P-Professor, thanks,' Harry said grinning, getting up from her seat. 'You've just given me an idea.'

One if she could master the spell in just one day, that might even get her past a dragon. All she needed now was someone to help her.

'George,' Harry called out as she entered the common room. 'You're coming with me.'

George confused slightly, let himself be led back out of the common room. George although looked at her oddly when she told him what spell she wanted to practise, didn't question her madness. Harry had given Neville the list of plants for the sleeping powder potion and asked Hermione to make the recipe with the strict instructions of how to do so - though Hermione had asked where it had come from as it wasn't one she'd seen before, did agree to make it once Harry told her, it was from her mother's charmed book. By dinner time the night before the first task, Harry's plan was ready and the nerves kicked in.

'You've got this,' George told her. 'Whatever it is, you've got it in the bag.'

Harry smiled slightly, she still hadn't told George that the task involved a great huge dragon and it made her feel guilty, but she didn't want him to worry.

'Besides you've got to come out of it,' George said. 'I thought of a way you can repay me for all my help.'

'And here I thought, you were doing it out of the kindness of your heart,' Harry said. 'Go on let's hear it. You're not going to ask me for another kiss again, are you?'

'Well, now you mention it,' George said teasingly. 'That does sound much better, then my idea of you going on a proper date with me.'

'And what does a proper date with you, involve exactly?'

'You not wearing that Cloak, for starters.' George muttered and Harry laughed. 'And a kiss or two.'

Harry laughed. 'You're not going to let this drop until I go on date with you, are you?'

George grinned. 'I'm afraid I don't give up very easily, Princess.'

'I'll think about it.'

George, Hermione and Neville spend the rest of the evening, trying to take her mind off the upcoming task.

...

Harry wasn't sure how the time the next morning had flown by so quickly. Lessons had been stopped at midday, giving students time to get down to the dragon enclosure - though of course, they didn't yet know what they would find there. Professor McGonagall hurried over to Harry in the Great Hall, noticed her untouched plate but didn't say a word about it and lead her out of the Hall and across the grounds. A tent had been erected screening the dragon enclosure from view.

'Don't panic, just keep a cool head ... we've got wizards on hand to control the situation if it gets out of hand,' Professor McGonagall said, she too was looking rather anxious. 'The main thing is just to do your best, and nobody will think any the worse of you ... In you go, Potter, Mr Bagman is in there ... he'll be telling you the - the procedure ... good luck.'

'Thanks,' Harry said in a flat voice and she left her at the entrance of the tent. Harry went inside. Fleur Delacour was sitting in a corner, not looking nearly as composed as usual. Viktor Krum looked surlier than usual and Cedric was pacing up and down. When Harry entered, he gave her a small smile, which Harry returned.

'Harianna! Good-oh!' said Bagman happily. 'Come in, come in, make yourself at home!'

'Well, now we're all here - time to fill you in!' said Bagman looking around them all. 'When the audience has assembled, I'm going to offering each of this bag' - he held up a small sack of purple silk, and shook it at them - 'from which you will each select a small model of the thing you are about to face! There are different - er - varieties, you see. And I have to tell you something else too ... ah, yes ... your task is to _collect the golden egg!'_

So that was why they wanted nesting mothers. And in no time at all, hundreds upon hundreds of pairs of feet could be heard passing the tent, their owners talking excitedly, laughing and joking. Bagman opened the neck of the purple silk sack. He offered it to Fleur first, she put a shaking hand inside the bag and drew out a tiny, perfect model of a dragon - a Welsh Green. It had the number 'two' around its neck. Fleur showed no signs of surprise, and she knew she had been right: Madame Maxime had told her what was coming. The same held true for Krum, who pulled out the scarlet Chinese Fireball. it had a number 'three' around its neck. Cedric pulled out the blueish-grey Swedish Short-Snout, the number 'one' tied around its neck. Knowing what was left Harry pulled out the Hungarian Horntail, and the number 'four' tied around its neck.

'Well, there you are!' said Bagman. 'You have each pulled out the dragon you will face, and the number refers to the order in which you are to take on the dragons, do you see? Now, I'm going to leave in a moment, because I'm commentating. Mr Diggory, you're first, just go out into the enclosure when you hear a whistle, all right? Now ... Harianna ... could I have a quick word? Outside?'

'Sure,' said Harry blankly, and she went out of the tent with Bagman, who walked a short way away, into the trees, and then turned on her with a fatherly expression on his face. 'Feeling all right, Harianna? Anything I can get you?'

'What?' said Harry. 'I - no, nothing.'

'Got a plan?' said Bagman, lowering his voice conspiratorially. 'Because I don't mind sharing a few pointers, if you'd like them, you know. I mean, you're the underdog here, Harianna ... anything I can do to help...'

Harry looked up at him. 'The judges aren't meant to help out the champions, Mr Bagman ... besides, I'm big on proving people wrong - I'll think of something.'

A whistle had blown somewhere, Bagman looked up in alarm and hurried off. Harry walked back to the tent, and saw Cedric emerging from it, greener than ever. 'Good luck.' Harry said as he passed her, but Cedric barely managed a weak smile in return. Harry went back inside to Fleur and Krum. Seconds later they heard the roar of the crowd, which meant Cedric had entered the enclosure and was now face to face with the living counterpart of his model. It was worse than Harry could ever have imagined, sitting there and the crowd screamed ... yelled ... gasped like a single many-headed entity, as Cedric did whatever he was doing to get past the Swedish Short-Snout. And Bagman's commentary made everything much, much worse, she heard: 'Oooh, narrow miss there, very narrow' ... ''He's taking risks, this one!' ... 'Clever move - pity it didn't work!' And then after about fifteen minutes, Harry heard the deafening roar that could mean only one thing: Cedric had got past his dragon, and seized the golden egg.

'Very good indeed!' Bagman was shouting. 'And now the marks from the judges!' But he didn't shout out the marks; Harry supposed the judges were holding them up and showing the crowd.

'One, down, three to go!' Bagman yelled, as the whistle blew again. 'Miss Delacour, if you please!'

Harry tried shut out the noise and closed her eyes, trying to keep her nerves in check. She had a plan, she could do this. Ten minutes later Fleur must have been successful, too, because the crowd erupted into applause once more, there was a pause, while Fleur's marks were being shown ... more clapping, then, for a third time, the whistle.

Very much alone now; Harry became all too aware that her heart was pumping fast, and her fingers tingling with fear, then applause broke out once more. Krum had finished - it would be her turn at any moment. She got up, waited and then heard the whistle blow. She walked out through the entrance of the tent, walked passed the trees, through a gap in the enclosure fence. She saw everything in front of her, there were hundreds and hundreds of faces staring down at her from the stands and there was the Horntail, at the other end of the enclosure, crouched low over her eggs, her wings half furled, her evil, yellow eyes open her, a monstrous, scaly black lizard, thrashing her spiked tail, leaving yard-long gouge marks in the hard ground. The crowd was making a great deal of noise, but whether friendly or not, Harry didn't know or care.

'Here's to the impossible,' Harry muttered and raised her wand, and shouted, ' _Accio_ _Cretura Potio Sommum!'_

She waited and within moments, zooming across the enclosure came a small brown pouch, which she knew contained the sleeping powder, she reached up caught in her hand and then muttered. ' _Effugiat_!'

The crowd gasp for breath, and she knew it had worked. She had just had herself disappear before their very eyes. The only trouble was, she hadn't mastered holding the spell for a long period of time, she needed to get the egg quickly and that meant getting the dragon away from her eggs. But if there was one thing as was good at, it was knowing how to sneak around without being seen or heard. As for the dragons' sense of smell ... well that what she was counting on, but with all the people around, and it being mighty protective of her eggs ... what she needed was to get closer ... and a good aim.

The dragon was looking around when Harry made some rocks fall from underneath her feet, the Horntail opened its mouth releasing a jet of fire. Harry had to hide behind a large rock to avoid being burned by it. She was closer now, she could see the golden egg in the cluster of eggs. Well Professor McGonagall, did wonder just how they managed to take down a fully-grown troll. A swish and flick later the spelling powder spread across the dragons' face. Harry this time was less lucky when the Horntail opened its mouth and she knew from the gasp of the crowd she was visible again - it didn't matter though, the powder had done its job and the Horntail came crashing down onto the surrounding rocks. Harry darted out making a break for it, seized the golden egg within her hands.

And as though somebody just turned the volume back up - for the first time, she became properly aware of the noise of the crowd. 'Look at that!' Bagman was yelling. 'Will you look at that! Our youngest champion is quickest to get her egg! Well, this is going to shorten the odds-on Miss Potter.'

The dragon-keepers were rushing forwards looking bewildered at the Horntail.

'Don't worry,' Harry called out as Charlie Weasley, came closer, staring at her, open mouthed. 'It's just asleep.' And moments later, the Horntail let out a puff of smoke, to prove Harry's point. 'Not sure how long the sleep power lasts for, though.'

Professor McGonagall, Professor Moody and Hagrid hurried to meet her, all of them waving her towards them, their smiles evident even from a distance. Her heart lighter than it had been in weeks, Harry approached them.

'Very well done, Potter!' cried Professor McGonagall, her hand shook as she pointed at her shoulder. 'You'll need to see Madam Pomfrey before the judges give out your scores ... over there, she's had to mop up Diggory already ...'

'You did it, Harry!' said Hagrid hoarsely.

'Glad to know, you know how to use your brain, Potter,' Moody growled, looking very pleased.

Harry walked out of the enclosure, still panting, and saw Madam Pomfrey standing at the mouth of a second tent, looking worried.

'Dragons!' she said, in a disgusted tone, pulling Harry inside. The tent was divided into cubicles; she could make out Cedric's shadow through the canvas, but Cedric didn't seem too badly injured; he was sitting up, at least. Madam Pomfrey examined Harry's shoulder. She cleaned the cut with a dab of some purple liquid before she felt her shoulder being held from the tip of the wand. She ordered Harry to sit for a moment and went next door to see to Cedric.

Harry didn't want to sit still; she was still full of adrenaline. She got to her feet, heading towards the exit of the tent, but before she reached the mouth of the tent, three people had come darting inside - George, Hermione and they were followed closely by Ron.

'Harry, you were brilliant!' Hermione said squeakily. 'You were amazing! You really were!'

'Anna, next time you want to learn how to cast a spell,' George said. 'Could you at least tell me what you're going using it for? My poor heart - how on earth did you come up with trying to sneak past a dragon?'

'It just came to me,' Harry shrugged, but she wasn't looking at George as she replied, she was looking over the very white face of Ron, who was staring at Harry as though she was a ghost.

'Harry,' he said, very seriously, 'whoever put your name in that Goblet - I - I reckon they're trying to do you in!'

It was as though the last few weeks never happened. 'Caught on have you?' Harry said coldly. 'Took you long enough.'

Hermione stood nervously between them, looking from one to the other. Ron opened his mouth uncertainly. Harry knew what Ron was about to do and the strange thing was she didn't need to hear it.

'It's OK,' she said, 'forget it.'

'No, I shouldn't've - and your Arithmancy sec-'

'Forget it,' Harry said more firmly. 'So I was thinking, maybe we could hex the Slytherins - turn them into canary birds or something ... you in?'

Ron grinned nervously at her, and Harry grinned back. 'We could do it to everyone wearing one of those stupid badges.' Ron said.

'Sounds even better.'

Hermione burst into tears.

'There's nothing to cry about!' Harry told her, giving her a hug.

'You two are so stupid!' she shouted at them.

'But that's one of the reasons, you like us so much ... you get to remind us just how stupid we are,' Ron said. 'Though, mate, with what you've just managed to pull off, no one is going to wonder if it true or not about you being the Arithmancy genius ... they're going to know.'

'Shit,' Harry said. 'How stupid of me - I should have to tried to out flown the dragon instead.'

'Oh no, Anna.' George said anxiously. 'You're limited to one crazy death defying stunt per task.'

'I'll try to keep that in mind,' Harry said rolling her eyes.

'C'mon, Harry, they'll be putting up your scores.' Ron said gesturing to the outside of the tent. 'You were the best, you know, no competition. Cedric did this weird thing where he Transfigured a rock on the ground ... turned it into a dog ... he was trying to make the dragon go after the dog instead of him. That Fleur girl used some kind of, water charm to get passed the dragon. And Krum, he was probably best after you, hit it with some sort spell right in the eye. Only thing is, it went tramping around in agony and squashed half the real eggs - they took marks off for that, he wasn't supposed to do any damage to them.'

Ron drew his breath as they reached the edge of the enclosure, the Horntail had been taken away and Harry could see where the five judges were sitting - right at the other end, in raised seats draped in gold.

'It's marks out of ten from each one,' Hermione told Harry.

The first judge was Madam Maxime, she raised her wand in the air. What looked like a long, silver ribbon shot out of it, which twisted itself into a large figure eight.

'Not bad!' said George as the crowd applauded. 'I suppose she took marks off for your shoulder ...'

Mr Crouch came next, he shot a number nine into the air. Dumbledore next to him also put up a nine. Ludo Bagman gave her a ten. Karkaroff raised his wand, paused for a moment and shot up a number four.

' _What.'_ Ron bellowed furiously. 'Four? You lousy biased scumbag, you gave Krum ten!'

Harry was not surprised, Ron's indignation on her behalf was worth a lot more to her, then what Kararoff thought. Harry turned to leave the enclosure.

'You're tied in first place, Harry! You and Krum!' said Charlie Weasley hurrying over to meet them as they set off back towards the school. 'Listen, I've got to run, I told mum I'd send her an owl, to tell her what happened - that was unbelievable - do you think you could give us that recipe for the powder stuff you used?'

'Yeah, I'll owl it to you.' Harry said.

'Thanks - oh yeah, they told me to tell you you've got to hang around for a few more minutes ... Bagman wants a word, back in the champions' tent.'

George said he'd wait, so Harry re-entered the tent, Fleur, Cedric and Krum all came in together. One side of Cedric's face was covered in thick orange paste, which was clearly mending his burn. He grinned at Harry when he saw her. 'Good one, Harry.'

'And you.' Harry said grinning back.

'Well done, all of you!' said Ludo Bagman. 'Now, just a quick few words. You've got a nice long break before the second task, which will take place at half nine on the morning of February the twenty-fourth - but we're giving you something to think about in the mean time! If you look down at those golden eggs you're all holding, you will see that they open ... see the hinges there? You need to solve the clue inside the egg - because it will tell you what the second task is, and enable you to prepare for it! All clear? Sure? Well, off you go then!'

Harry left the tent, re-joined George.

'Party in the Gryffindor common room,' George announced.

'Brilliant,' Harry smiled at him. 'because I'm really hungry, for some reason.'

'Kitchen's first then,' George said leading the way through the castle.

'You know I was thinking,' Harry said after a few moments. 'Now that I've got past a gigantic dragon. I've been thinking about letting you have that date as a thank you.'

'Oh really.' George said a little smugly.

'Yes, really,' Harry said. 'So, you've got a date, and I mean a date, as in one date George, use it wisely.'


	80. Chapter 80

Harry filled Ron in on everything the next day, and though he had shocked at first to hear that Karkaroff had been a Death Eater and they had suspected him of putting her name in the Goblet. Also, Ron had even taken it well, that it wasn't just him and Hermione trying to help Harry out. Harry had been keen even though her and Ron had made up, not to let her friendship with Neville fizzle out. Ron was already used to having George around for company, though he had been spending a lot of his time with Fred and Lee, chatting away in the corner of the Gryffindor common room. Harry found out the reason a few days later.

She had noticed the slight decline in the support Diggory badges around the school, it only appeared that the Slytherins were wearing them. Harry supposed after seeing what the champions had been put up against in the first task, most the school didn't care and started supporting both Cedric and Harry. So, when many of the Slytherins turned into large canaries at lunch time, Harry burst into laughter along with the rest of the Hall.

'Canary Creams!' Fred said happily. He had been sitting between George and Angelina. 'George and I invented them.'

'What?' George said a little defensively as Harry raised her eyebrows at him. 'You suggested it.'

Harry groaned, and continued eating her lunch, moments later the Slytherins had moulted their feathers, they looked entirely normal.

'We still need to figure out how to make the hex last longer.' George muttered to Fred.

'They'll make good test subjects for our next batch,' Fred replied with an evil grin.

Harry later that day, was poring books in the library again, she had opened her egg and the moment she had done so, a horrible loud and screechy wailing filled her ears. She was now trying to figure out what could have caused that kind of noise.

'Potter,' came a cold, familiar voice.

Harry groaned and looked up, sure enough, Draco Malfoy stood by the table she was using.

'Yes?'

'The Slytherin house will no longer bother you,' he said coldly. 'Do be kind enough to pass on the message to those infernal Weasley twins.'

Harry huffed and looked back down at the book in her hands.

'And Potter,' Malfoy said.

Harry looked back up, there was no sneer, no smug expression, no irritation shown at all in Malfoy's face.

'I didn't think you actually had it in you.'

Malfoy started to walk away, well she supposed that was as close to an apology she was going to get from him.

'Malfoy,' Harry said before he walked too far. 'Friday evenings, right?' He blinked, and then after a moment nodded. 'I'll meet you here then.'

Harry watched him walk away and returned once more to the book she had been reading.

The start of December brought wind and sleet to Hogwarts. True to Malfoy's words the Slytherin house had left her alone, so she no longer had to deal with their taunts. Malfoy had become almost bearable to be around. And it seemed like he started something because as the weeks passed, the more students joined in on his tutoring session. Dean said, that he was joining her so Harry had an extra pair of eyes on Malfoy, and it turned out he also needed help. Ginny who had chosen to take the subject at the beginning of her third year joined them also. Daphne Greengrass and Lisa Turpin had got wind of the tutoring session and joined also. Harry was beginning to wonder what she was getting herself into.

'Malfoy,' Harry said exasperated while rubbing a hand across her temple. 'you need to explain your theory, how the hell am I meant to get what you are talking about if you don't do that?'

They were sitting in Professor Vector's Arithmancy classroom, their study group had got a little too large for them to sit in the library. And Harry was glad they had gotten permission to use it, at least she could talk freely in the classroom, instead of having to whisper all the time.

'Potter, what are you talking about? I explained myself very clearly.' Malfoy retorted.

'No, all you've done is contradict yourself. If believe it that the correlation coordinates the numbers, then write like it does. It's not hard.' Harry snapped.

There came a knock at the door, several heads looked up at it, including Harry herself, she didn't think they were being overly loud. The door opened and stood at it was Cedric Diggory.

'Hi, I heard this was the place to come if you needed help in Arithmancy,' Cedric said smiling slightly while running a hand through his hair. 'Do you happen to know anything about the magic behind corresponding numbers? I'm completely stuck.'

'You say that like you're asking a stupid question, Diggory,' Malfoy said coldly and added in an irritated tone, waving around to the room and the others in it. 'Come in and join us, nobody else seemed to have needed an invitation.'

Harry rubbed her temple once more, then smiled up at Cedric. 'Don't mind him, he's just not happy I pointed out he made a simple mistake ... yeah I know how it works, take a seat - I'll be right over, well as soon as I'm finished here that is.'

'Thanks, Harry.' Cedric said, making his way over to a table.

'If the rate keeps up like this,' Malfoy muttered in the same irritated voice as Cedric walked past. 'We'll soon have the whole school in here.'

Harry chuckled, shook her head and then pointed at Malfoy's work. 'Let's start from the beginning, shall we.'

Professor McGonagall gave the girls some exciting news, that had them all giggling, at the end of her Transfiguration lesson.

'Now, if you all could kindly listen to me, I have something to say to you all.' she said looking sternly around at them. 'The Yule Ball is approaching - a traditional part of the Triwizard Tournament and an opportunity for us to socialise with our foreign guests. Now, the ball will be open only to fourth-years and above - although you may invite a younger student if you wish-'

Lavender Brown let out a shrill giggle, Parvati Patil nudged her hard in the ribs, her face working furiously as she, too, fought not to giggle. Harry and Hermione exchanged one glance with each other and looked away quickly again, they too were fighting not to giggle.

'Dress robes will be worn,' Professor McGonagall continued, 'the ball will start at eight o'clock on Christmas Day, finishing at midnight, in the Great Hall. Now then-'

Professor McGonagall stared deliberately around the class.

'The Yule Ball is, of course, a chance for us all to - er - let our hair down,' she said, in a disapproving voice.

Lavender Brown giggled harder than ever, with a hand pressed hard against her mouth to stifle the sound. Harry too, could see what was funny about this, Professor McGonagall, with her hair in a tight bun, looked as though she never let her hair down in any sense.

'But that does NOT mean,' Professor McGonagall went on, 'that we will be relaxing the standards of behaviour we expect from Hogwarts students. I will be most seriously displeased if Gryffindor student embarrasses the school in any way.'

The bell rang.

'Potter - a word, if you please.'

Harry went over to her desk wondering what her Professor needed to talk to her about. Professor McGonagall only spoke once the rest of the class had gone.

'Potter, the champions and their partners traditionally open the ball.'

'But - but - I had plans to go home this year,' Harry said disappointingly. 'I was so looking forward to it.'

'It's tradition Potter.' Professor McGonagall added firmly.

'I'll let Sirius know,' Harry said, then looked back at her Professor. 'I hope you won't be to embarrassed Professor, I've never danced formally before.'

'Then I suggest you speak to Mr Longbottom,' Professor McGonagall said. 'Off you go.'

Talk to Neville about dancing? That was some strange advice Harry thought. The news of the upcoming ball spread throughout the castle, so by the end of the day, it was all the girls were talking about. Harry had never known so many people to put their names down to stay at Hogwarts for Christmas. She somewhat grudgingly added her name to list, Sirius had been absolutely fine with the fact that she wanted to stay to enjoy the ball with the other girls. It didn't mean Harry was all that happy about it, on one hand, the stupid ball ruined her plans and on the other ... well, she need not explain herself. It was the first truly girly thing to happen at Hogwarts.

It was odd as Harry chatted with Hermione and Ginny about the up-coming ball, she had never been aware of just how many boys Hogwarts seemed to hold before. Ginny kept on pointing out all the boys she thought was cute, but had yet to be asked to go and being in her third-year unless she could get a date, she wouldn't be able to go. They weren't the only girls whispering in the corridor, or shrieking with laughter as boys passed them either. And Harry found herself being teased by Hermione and Ginny too.

'He wasn't so bad,' Ginny whispered as they sat down at the Gryffindor table. 'You should have said yes. I'd love to be able to go.'

Harry was having better luck finding a date to the ball, then she thought she would have. It was a shame that she didn't know the boys that had asked her enough, Hermione's words about Krum and the girl's only liking him because of his fame, kept coming back to haunt her. She was pretty sure, the same stood for the boys who had asked her so far. They were asking her because of her fame and because she was a champion of the Tournament.

'I'm not gullible,' Harry replied. 'I'd like to go with someone I know, someone I trust and someone who won't laugh at me when I fall on my face.'

'Harry, you won't be that bad,' Hermione said encouragingly.

'I've never danced formally,' Harry said. 'I've never danced in heels either, so falling over is very possible.'

'You won't fall over, your dance partner shouldn't let you,' Neville said sitting near them. 'You just follow your partners lead.'

Harry stared at him, 'You - you know how to dance?'

Neville looked slightly flustered. 'My Gran, she thought it was important I knew how to be a proper gentleman, which included knowing how to dance.' He whispered glancing around at the table. 'Don't tell the other boys, I'd never heard the end of it.'

'Brilliant,' Harry said, now understanding why Professor McGonagall had suggested that she speak to Neville. 'Do you mind teaching me the basics?'

'I don't mind,' Neville said. 'But where though, there isn't anywhere we could practise without being seen.'

Harry grinned. 'Oh, but there is Neville, but there is.'

Ron, Dean and Seamus sat down at the table a few moments later, they too were deep in conversation.

'Why do they have to move in packs?' Dean asked.

'Yeah, how're you supposed to get one on their own to ask them?' Seamus added.

'Lasso one?' Ron suggested. 'Got any idea who you're going to try?'

Harry exchanged a look with Ginny and Hermione and moments later the three of them were in a giggling mess.

'See this exactly what I was talking about earlier, one mention of the ball and girls go crazy,' Ron said to the other boys indicating at Harry, Ginny and Hermione.

'Anna, could we borrow Hedwig again?' George asked he had just turned up with Fred and Lee.

'Sure,' Harry replied.

'Just who do you to keep writing to anyway?' asked Ron.

'None of your business,' said George.

'So, any of you lot got dates for the ball yet?' Fred said, looking around at the other boys.

'Nope,' said Ron.

'You best hurry up, mate or all the good ones will be gone,' said Fred.

'Who are you going with, then?' said Ron.

'Angelina, of course,' Fred said promptly, as though it had been obvious and without a trace of embarrassment.

'What?' said Ron was taken aback. 'You've already asked her?'

'Good point,' said Fred. He turned his head and called down the table, 'Oi! Angelina!'

Angelina, who had been chatting to Alicia Spinnet, looked over at him. 'What?' she called back.

'Want to come to the ball with me?'

Angelina gave Fred an appraising sort of look. 'All right, then,' she said, and she turned back to Alicia and carried on chatting, with a bit of a grin on her face.

'And that boys,' Fred said with glee. 'is how it's done.'

Ron cast a look around the Hall. 'You know, his right, we should get a move on, you know ... ask someone. We don't want to end up with trolls.'

Hermione let out a sputter of indignation. 'A ... _what_?'

'Well - you know,' Ron said shrugging. 'I'd rather go alone than with - Eloise Midgen, say.'

'Her acne's loads better lately - and she's really nice!'

'Her nose is off-centre,' said Ron.

'Oh, I see,' Hermione said, bristling. 'So basically, you're going to take the best-looking girl who'll have you, even if she's completely horrible?'

'-Er-'

'I'm going to the library,' Hermione snapped, collected her things. 'I'll see you down there Harry.' and she swept off without another word.

'Smooth, Ron,' George said as Hermione walked out the Great Hall doors. 'Real smooth.'

'What?' Ron said looking stunned. 'I never meant her.'

Harry rolled her eyes and muttered. 'Utterly clueless.'

'Good thing I'm not,' George whispered.

'Huh?'

'That date you owe me, Anna, you told me to use it wisely,' George said grinning at her. 'And I think, I'll use it to take you to the ball, so what do you say? Want to go to the ball with me?'

Harry looked at him properly, his eyes had a familiar glint she had often seen there, whilst he spoke to her. Well, Neville had said he teach her the basic of how to dance, at least George wouldn't be able to laugh at her ... too much. 'OK.'

Ron the very next morning gave Harry a good reason to pity him. She had walked into the Great Hall and sat down for breakfast, Ron was already sitting at the table waiting for them looking ashen faced. Ginny was sitting with him, talking to him in what seemed to be a low, soothing voice.

'What's up Ron?' said Harry once they joined them.

Ron looked up at Harry, a sort of blind horror in his face.

'Why did I do it?' he said wildly. 'I don't know what made me do it!'

Harry looked at Ginny.

'He - er - just asked Fleur Delacour to go to the ball with him,' said Ginny trying to fight back a smile, but she kept patting Ron's arm sympathetically.

'You what?' said Harry.

'I don't know what made me do it!' Ron gasped. 'What was I playing at? There were people - all around - I've gone mad - everyone watching! I was just walking past her in the Entrance Hall - she was standing there talking to Diggory - and it sort of came over me - and I asked her!'

Ron moaned and put his face in his hands. He kept talking though the words were barely distinguishable. 'She looked at me like I was sea slug or something. Didn't even answer. And then - I dunno - I just sort of came to my senses and ran for it.'

'She's part Veela,' said Harry. 'You were right - her grandmother was one. It wasn't your fault, I bet you just walked past when she was turning on the old charm for Cedric and got a blast of it.' Harry looked over to the Hufflepuff table and Cedric seemed to be absolutely fine. 'Looks as though she was wasting her time though, he must be going with someone.'

'I heard he hasn't asked anyone yet,' Ron said. 'We'll be the only ones left who haven't got anyone - well, expect Neville. Hey - guess who he asked?'

'Hermione,' Harry said. 'She told me last night, he had asked her. She felt really awful about having to turn him down.'

'She did?' Ron said and Harry nodded, she was about to say the reason why but a voice interrupted her.

'Oh morning,' Hermione said brightly.

'Morning,'

'What's wrong with you, Ron?' Hermione said

'He has been turned down by a girl he asked to the ball,' Ginny said.

'Thanks a bunch Ginny,' Ron said sourly.

'All the good-looking ones taken, Ron?' Hermione said loftily. 'Eloise Midgen starting to look quite pretty now, is she? Well, I'm sure you'll find someone _somewhere_ who'll have you.'

'Look, I'm sorry all right, I didn't mean for you to think, I was talking about you -' Ron said and Hermione raised her eyebrows dangerously at him. 'I - was - I was.' Ron wisely chose to remain quiet, looking rather uncomfortable.

'Apology accepted,' Hermione said. 'But it's beside the point, there is more to a person than just their looks.'

'I know - I know - I'm sorry.' Ron said and then she turned rather red in the face as he said, 'So I was thinking that maybe we could go together.'

'I can't,' Hermione blushed. 'I'm already going with someone.'

Ron looked bewildered, looking from Hermione to Harry and Ginny as though they could confirm it.

'I'll meet you in Arithmancy Harry, I forgot to return my library books yesterday.' Hermione left moments later.

Ron raised his eyebrows looking at Harry.

'Don't look at me like that, I'm not going to tell you who it is.'

'Me neither,' said Ginny. 'It's her business. Oh, and you'll find that it's just you without a date, Neville asked me when Hermione said no.' she too got up from the table.

Harry much later that day had stayed behind in the Arithmancy class room to tidy it up. It was the last session before the holidays as there was no way Harry was going to tutor anyone during them.

'Hi,' came a voice from the door, Harry looked up and saw Cedric standing there the door still open a jar. Cedric gestured to the room. 'Do you want a hand?'

'No, I'll be done in a minute,' Harry said. She took out her wand and the tables and chairs were stacked neatly once more and the rubbish had been placed in the bin.

'Cleaning Charm,' Cedric said. 'I didn't think of that.'

'Most simple spells are overlooked,' Harry said. 'I think it's because we're so used to doing the extraordinary things.'

'I guess that makes sense,' Cedric said. 'Look Harry - Harianna.'

'Harry's fine,'

'I just wanted to say - that I'm sorry - I'm sorry that I thought you put your name in the Goblet and - well I think it's stupid - I know we're competing against each other - but it's stupid really - I mean we're both Hogwarts champions, right? It shouldn't matter.'

'That's kind of you to say,' Harry said.

'I wondered - as we are both champions and we have to open the ball - well if you would like to do it together.'

Harry laughed. 'And what make a Hogwarts, the champions are united statement or something?'

'Something like that, yeah. So, do you want to go to the ball with me?'

'Oh, I'm sorry, I can't, I'm already going with someone.' Harry said feeling her face heat up, she hadn't considered Cedric asking her, she didn't think he would have. To be honest, she hadn't even looked at him in that way for a while now, and she wasn't sure if it was the stress of the Tournament or not. 'I'm really sorry.' she added.

'It's OK - I just thought,' Cedric said shaking his head. 'It doesn't matter.'

'Well -' Harry said awkwardly as they stood there looking at each other.

'Yeah, I guess I should go,' Cedric said. 'Who are you going with?'

'Oh George,' Harry said with a small smile. 'George Weasley.'

Harry had completed the heavy load of homework that the fourth-years had been given for the holiday straight away, this holiday was going to be just that, she didn't want to worry about anything, no stupid tasks, no homework or worry about her OWL that was approaching at the end of this year. Getting her homework out of the way meant she could enjoy the week leading up Christmas. Gryffindor Tower was hardly less crowded now than during term-time; it seemed to have shrunk slightly, too, as its inhabitants were being so much rowdier than usual. Fred and George had a great success with their Canary Creams, and for the first couple of days of the holidays, people kept bursting into feather all over the place. They were really testing out rule number two, Harry thought. George had confided in her that he and Fred were now developing something else. Ange had whispered to her one evening as another person sprouted feathers, that she was pretty sure the only people that were safe from the wrath of the twins were themselves.

Snow was falling thickly upon the castle and its grounds. The house-elves down in the kitchen were outdoing themselves with a series of rich, warming stews and savoury puddings, and only Fleur Delacour seemed to be able to find anything to complain about. But Harry didn't care the only thing she was concentrating on was not falling over at the Yule Ball. Neville had endured teaching Harry how to dance, though she did feel sorry about the amount of times she had stepped on his feet. After a while, though she had gotten the hang of it, despite her two left feet and messing up every now and then, it was much better than what she had been like, to begin with.

Harry woke very suddenly Christmas morning, feeling quite anxious indeed, today was the day off the ball. Hermione too had woken and she was looking very nervous. They smiled at each other and Ginny walked into their dorm room. 'Oh good, you're both awake ... I've been up for ages, was too excited to sleep.' She had brought her presents with her and sat on Harry's bed. The girls in giggling fits already began to open their presents. Dobby had sent her socks made of wool, the socks were odd, the left sock was bright red and had a pattern of broomsticks; the right sock was green, with the pattern of Snitches. Hermione had given Harry a book called _Quidditch Teams of Britain and Ireland._ Ron had given her a bulging bag of Dungbombs; Hagrid, a vast box of sweets including her favourites - Bertie Botts' Every Flavour Beans, Chocolate Frogs. Mrs Weasley had sent her usual package, including a new green jumper with a picture of a dragon on it and a large quantity of home-made mince pies. Sirius had sent a handy penknife with attachments to unlock any lock and undo any knot. Ginny had given her a silver encrusted hair comb and George had sent her silver earrings with drop down emeralds.

Harry, Hermione and Ginny met up with Ron, Fred, George and Neville in the common room, and they went down to breakfast together. They spent most of the morning in the Gryffindor tower, where everyone was enjoying their presents, then returned to the Great Hall for a magnificent lunch. They went out into the grounds in the afternoon, Hermione chose to watch Harry, Neville and the Weasleys' snowball fight rather than join in, then at five o'clock she called out to Harry and Ginny to inform them of the time so they could get ready for the ball. Harry spelled a few more snowballs and threw them at the boys before departing with Ginny who began giggling alongside her as they walked to the castle.

The girls' dorm was packed, they were all dashing around each other and trying to help each other with their makeup or their hair. Harry had successfully gotten her rather messy black hair to fall neatly, Parvati had helped her fasten her hair with the comb Ginny had given her at the centre of the back of her head so that her hair fell loosely from it. Harry had kept her side fringe to help cover up her scar though. After having a fringe cover it so many years Harry felt odd not to have one at all. Without her school robes on the jewellery, she usually wore had been more obvious. The thin silver bracelet, given to her by George in her first year had never left her wrist since she first put it on. The same stood for her mother's necklace, that dropped from the dog collar around her neck.

'Oh Harry,' Ange said walking into the dorm, she was wearing a dress of a pale cream, her hair was down too but her own was much straighter. 'You look lovely. I really like your necklace, I could tell you were wearing something but could never make it out. Where did you get it?'

'It was my mothers,' Harry said smiling shyly. 'You look nice too. Fred is one incredibly lucky guy.'

'So is George,' Angelina said, 'come on I'm sure they've worn out the carpet by now, with all that pacing they're probably have done while waiting for us. Best not make them wait any longer.'

'Surely just a few more minutes wouldn't hurt,' Harry said.

Ange giggled slightly. 'I suppose not.'

Fred and George were not pacing the common room floor, they had been sitting in arm chairs, both of them, staring intensely at the fire. It was only the sounds of their approaching feet did they twins look up. Harry couldn't help but giggle as both of their eyes had widened upon seeing their dates, they had got to their feet rather clumsily. Both of them, wearing dress robes of blue. Fred had been a darker shade, he extended his arm out to Angelina who waved a goodbye as Fred led her out of the common room. Harry turned back towards George, his hair was spiky again. Harry hadn't seen it styled like that for a little while now. He looked - handsome - how had she not noticed this before now?

'You look nice.'

'You look - you look beautiful,' George said in a flustered manner. 'Here this is for you.' He held out a box for her.

Questionably Harry opened the box and it contained a silver and black wrist corsage. 'It's gorgeous,' she said looking up into George's speckled eyes that had an air of nervousness about them. 'Thank you.'

'Ginny informed me your dress was green, but I couldn't find one nice enough - so I thought.'

'George, it's lovely, thank you,' Harry said softly. 'Come on Charming, there is a ball waiting for us, and I really do not want Professor McGonagall to come and find me. I've been reminded enough that champions and their partners have to open the ball.'

George extended his arm. 'Well then Princess, I'd be honoured if you allowed me to escort you to the Great Hall.'

The Entrance Hall was packed with students, all milling around waiting for eight o'clock, when the doors to the Great Hall would be thrown open. Harry noticed Ron was wearing his now less girly looking dress robes due to Harry hard work. But he still looked slightly awkward with his date, who was her fellow Gryffindor dorm room friend Parvati. Fleur Delacour passed them looking stunning in a silver-grey satin dress, she was accompanied by the Ravenclaw Quidditch Captain, Roger Davies. A group of Slytherins came up the steps from their dungeon common room. Malfoy was in the front, wearing robes of black velvet with a high collar. Pansy Parkinson was clutching Malfoy's arm, in robes of pale pink. Malfoy greeted her in passing. Daphne was also wearing a silver dress and she was with Blaise who was wearing robes of a deep red. They both nodded at her. Cedric, Harry saw had asked Cho, the Ravenclaw Seeker to accompany him. The oak doors opened, and everyone turned to look as the Durmstrang students entered with Karkaroff. Krum was at the front of the party, accompanied by a very pretty witch, Harry couldn't help but grin at. Hermione, she was wearing a dress made of a floaty, periwinkle-blue material and her hair was twisted up into an elegant knot. Ron gawped at her and Harry heard George chuckling beside her muttering, 'Nicely played, Hermione, nicely played.' Over their heads, Harry saw that an area of lawn right in front of the castle had been transformed into a sort of grotto full of fairy lights.

Then Professor McGonagall's called, 'Champions over here, please!' Causing Harry to grip George's muscular arm as they led the way over through the chattering crowd. Professor McGonagall was wearing a dress made of red tartan, and arranged a rather ugly wreath of thistles around the brim of her hat. They were told to wait on one side of the doors while everyone else went inside; they were to enter the Great Hall in procession when the rest of the students had sat down. Once everyone had settled in the Hall Professor McGonagall led them through and everyone in the Great Hall applauded as they entered and started walking up towards a large round table at the top of the Hall, where the judges were sitting. Harry noticed that one of them was missing and his seat had been occupied by Percy Weasley. The walls of the Hall had been covered in sparkling silver frost, with hundreds of garlands of mistletoe and ivy crossing the starry black ceiling. The house tables had vanished; instead, there were about a hundred smaller, lantern-lit ones, each sitting about a dozen people. When the champions and their partners reached the table, Percy drew out the empty chair beside him, staring pointedly at Harry and she took the hint.

'I've been promoted,' Percy said as she sat. 'I'm now Mr Crouch's personal assistant, and I'm here representing him.'

'Oh, why couldn't Mr Crouch make it?' Harry asked.

'I'm afraid to say Mr Crouch isn't well, not well at all. Hasn't been right since the World Cup. Hardly surprising - overworked. He's not as young as he was - though still quite brilliant, of course. But the World Cup was a fiasco for the whole Ministry, and then Mr Crouch suffered a personal shock with that misbehaviour of that house-elf of his, Blinky or whatever she was called. Naturally dismissed her - but well, as I say, he's getting on, he needs looking after, and I think he's found a definite drop in his home comforts since she left. And then we had the Tournament to arrange, and the aftermath of the Cup to deal with - that revolting Skeeter woman buzzing around - no, poor man, he's having a well-earned, quiet Christmas. I'm glad to know he had someone he could rely upon to take his place.'

'I bet he's still being called Weatherby,' George muttered into her ear and Harry had to stifle her laugh.

Harry looked around at the rest of the table as they ate, Hermione was deep in conversation with Krum. It now occurred to her that she had never actually heard Krum speak before, but he was certainly now, and very enthusiastically at that.

'Vell, ve have a castle also, not as big as this, nor as comfortable, I am thinking,' he was telling Hermione. 'Ve have just four floors and the fires are only lit for magical purposes. But ve have grounds larger even than these - though, in vinter, ve have very little daylight, so ve are not enjoying them. But in summer ve are flying every day, over the lakes and mountains-'

'Now, now, Viktor!' said Karkaroff, 'Don't go giving away anything else, now, or your charming friend will know exactly where to find us!'

Dumbledore smiled, his eyes twinkling. 'Igor, all this secrecy ... one would almost think you didn't want visitors.'

'Well, Dumbledore,' said Karkaroff, 'we are all protective of our private domains, are we not? Do we not jealously guard the halls of learning that have been entrusted to us? Are we not right to be proud that we alone know our school's secrets, and right to protect them?'

'Oh, I would never dream of assuming I know all Hogwarts' secrets, Igor,' said Dumbledore amicably. 'Only this morning, for instance, I took a wrong turning on the seventh floor on the way to the bathroom - and I found myself in a beautifully proportioned room I had never seen before, containing a really rather magnificent collection of chamberpots. When I went back to investigate more closely, I discovered that the room had vanished. But I must keep an eye out for it. Possibly it is only accessible at five thirty in the morning. Or it may only appear at the quarter moon - or it is quite possible the room happened to know of my requirement.'

Harry exchanged a look with George, they too had been using a room, so Harry could practice spells in, just like the one Dumbledore had come across. It only appeared when they needed it to and it was on the seventh floor.

'So, the room we've been using,' George muttered.

'Is some kind of ... room of requirement,' Harry said.

'Thought I had been in it before,' George said. 'It was a broom cupboard, then though.'

'And why would have you needed a broom cupboard?'

'Well Fred and I might have upset Filch,' George said sheepishly. 'We needed somewhere to hide.'

'What did you do that time?'

'Set off a firework, that nearly singed Mrs Norris.' George said with a mischievous grin.

When all the food had been consumed. Dumbledore stood up and asked the students to do the same. Then a wave of his wand, the tables zoomed back along the walls, leaving the floor clear, and he then conjured a raised platform into existence along the right-handed hall. A set of drums, several instruments appeared. The Weird Sisters now trooped up onto the stage to a wildly enthusiastic applause, they were all extremely hairy and dressed in black robes that had been ripped and torn. Harry knew what was coming next, as the champions stood up, George squeezed her hand lightly and led her out to the dance floor. Harry was trembling by the time they made it out onto the dance floor. The Weird Sisters struck up a slow, mournful tune and she placed one hand on George's shoulder and held the other hand tightly in George's. One of his hands settled around her waist, pulling her closer so that there was barely an inch between them. George smiled at her and began to lead them into a dance. Harry being so close in George's personal space could smell a hint of a musky scent. Dancing wasn't so bad, Harry thought at least she hadn't stepped on his feet yet ... all those lessons with Neville had been so worth it.

It had been a good night, Harry had never laughed or smiled so much, Malfoy had accompanied her for one dance, he had said he was doing it out of family obligation. Which for Malfoy meant that Harry was starting to grow on him and she too felt the same way. Ron, however, was still sulking and when Harry glanced over, he was also currently dateless.

'Hey,' Harry said approaching him. 'so, I think my best friend owes me a dance.'

'Harry, I'm not in the mood.' Ron replied.

Harry sat down next to him. 'Talk to me.'

'She's _fraternising with the enemy,'_ Ron spat and Harry didn't need to know a name to know who he was talking about.

'No,' Harry said. 'she's dancing with Krum. There is more to a person than what they look like or where they came from. I don't mind that she came with him.'

'But you said, that Sirius told you to watch out for him,' Ron said. 'He could be asking her anything about you.'

'He could,' Harry said. 'But Hermione is my friend, she wouldn't say a word.'

Ron was still scowling.

'Come on let's go for a walk.' Harry said leading him out the Great Hall. The front doors were open, and the fluttering fairy lights in the rose garden winked and twinkled. She had Ron set off along one of the winding paths through the rose bushes, but they had gone only a short way when they heard an unpleasantly familiar voice.

'... don't see what there is to fuss about, Igor.'

'Severus, you cannot pretend this isn't happening!' Karkaroff's voice sounded anxious. 'It's been getting clearer and clearer for months, I am becoming seriously concerned, I can't deny it-'

'Then flee,' Snape's voice said curtly. 'Flee, I will make your excuses. I, however, am remaining at Hogwarts.'

Snape and Karkaroff came around the corner. 'And what are you two doing?' said Snape.

'We're walking,' Ron told Snape shortly.

'Keep walking, then!' Snape snarled, and he brushed past them.

Harry and Ron continued down the path.

'What's got Karkaroff all worried?' Ron muttered.

'And since when have he and Snape been on first-name terms?' Harry said slowly.

They reached a large stone reindeer now, over which they could see the sparkling jets of a tall fountain. The shadowy outline of two enormous people visible on a stone bench. And then Harry heard Hagrid speak.

'Moment I saw you, I knew,' he was saying.

'What did you know, 'Agrid?' said Madam Maxime.

'I just knew ... knew you were like me ... was it your mother or your father?'

'I- I don't know what you mean, 'Agrid...'

'It was my mother,' Hagrid said. 'She was one of the last one in Britain. Of course, I can't remember her too well ... she left see, when I was about three. Dunno what happened to her ... might be dead for all I know...'

Madame Maxime didn't say anything. Harry had never heard Hagrid talking about his childhood before. She tried to interest herself in a beetle crawling along the stone reindeer's back, but the beetle just wasn't interesting enough to block out Hagrid's words.

'Me dad was broken-hearted when she went. Tiny little bloke, my dad was. Dad raised me .. but he died, of course, just after I started school. Sort of had to make me own way after that. Dumbledore was a real help. Very kind to me, he was...'

Hagrid blew his nose heavily. 'So ... anyway ... enough about me. What about you? Which side you got it on?'

But Madame Maxime suddenly got to her feet. 'It is chilly, I think I will go in now.'

'No, don't go! I've never met another one before!

'Anuzzer _what,_ precisely?' said Madame Maxime.

'Another half-giant, of course!'

''Ow dare you!' shrieked Madam Maxime. 'I 'ave nevair been more insulted in my life! 'Alf-giant? Moi? I 'ave - I 'ave big bones!' she stormed away.

'Did you know?' Ron whispered. 'About Hagrid being half giant.'

'No,' Harry said. 'So, what if he is?'

'Well, they're ... they're not very nice,' Ron said.

'There's nothing wrong with Hagrid,' Harry said.

'I know there isn't, but ... blimey, no wonder he keeps it quiet,' Ron said shaking his head.

'But what's matter if his mother was a giantess?' said Harry.

'Well ... no one who knows him will care, 'cause they'll know he's not dangerous. But Harry, they're just vicious, giants. It's in their nature, they're like trolls ... they just like killing, everyone knows that. There aren't many left in Britain now.'

Ron and Harry headed back to the school when they reached the Entrance Hall, Ron decided he had enough for the evening and headed up the stairs towards Gryffindor Tower. Harry about to enter the Great Hall, almost collided with Cedric Diggory on his way out.

'Oh, hi Harry,' Cedric said.

'Hi,'

'Look, I owe you one for telling me about - you know -' Cedric said lowering his voice. 'Listen you know that golden egg? Does yours wail when you open it?'

'Yeah,' Harry said.

'Well ... take a bath, OK,'

'What?'

'Take a bath, and - er - take the egg with you. Just mull things over in the hot water. It'll help you think ... trust me. Tell you what, use the Prefects' bathroom. Password's _Pine-fresh._ Got to go ... I need to catch up with Cho.'

Harry headed back into the Great Hall, tonight had been a little odd. She spotted George talking with Fred and Angelina and made her way over. Hagrid was a half-giant, Cedric now telling her to take a bath. Rather odd indeed.

'Hey,' Harry said.

'I've been looking for you,' George said.

'Ron needed to cool off,' Harry said. 'Sorry.'

'Well you'll just have to give me one last dance to make up for it, won't you.' George said.

'Sure,' Harry said following him out onto the dance floor. George led them in another slow dance. Harry rested her chin on his shoulder.

'George,'

'Umm,'

'Thank you.'

'What for?' George asked in surprise.

Harry looked up at him. It was definitely an odd night because George definitely looked handsome. Had she been looking at him, but never really seeing ... or was it because he was her friends older brother, that she never noticed?

'For everything - for helping me - for standing by me -you've always been there for me, second year with the whole Slytherin heir thing - rescuing me from the Dursleys - looking out for me last year with that piece of parchment - this year helping me with learning spells - I never said - I just,' Harry bit her lip, leaned in and kissed his cheek. 'Thank you.'


	81. Chapter 81

Harry couldn't quite look George in the eye after the Yule Ball without feeling her face heat up. Whether in embarrassment that she had actually kissed his cheek or due to the very fact that even when not wearing dress robes, George was still ... well ... good-looking. Ron was being oddly formal when speaking to Hermione, and Harry supposed that this was his way of not causing another argument. And Harry was starting to feel slightly nervous now the Christmas festivities had ended. February the twenty-fourth was a lot closer now, and she hadn't done anything about working out the clue inside the golden egg. She hadn't forgotten the clue Cedric had given her either - take a bath and take the egg with you. What kind of clue was that? For someone who prided herself in her theories, she had no clue what he had been trying to tell her.

'Harianna,' a voice called as she entered the Great Hall. Term had just started up again and Harry was looking forward to having something else distract her from the stupid Tournament. Harry turned towards the entrance towards the dungeons, she knew fully well who had called her.

'Draco,' Harry greeted. They had been on these terms since the Yule Ball.

'You might want to read the paper,' he said handing her that mornings _Daily Prophet_ and continued on into the Great Hall himself. Harry opened it up and there was an article topped with a picture of Hagrid looking extremely shifty. It was titled _DUMBLEDORE'S GIANT MISTAKE_ and was written by none other than Rita Skeeter. She had even managed to interview several of the Slytherins about Hagrid's class. Harry handed over the paper to Ron and Hermione feeling completely furious.

'If Hagrid's not in Care of Magical Creatures, we're going down to see him,' Harry told them.

Hagrid was not in Care of Magical Creatures' the lesson was taken by Professor Grubbly-Plank. It was nice to have a change and actually learn something but that didn't stop Harry from being angry.

Harry led them to Hagrid's hut, the curtains were drawn, and they could hear Fang barking as they approached.

'Hagrid!' Harry shouted. 'We know you're in there! Nobody cares if your mum was a giantess! Now open up or I'll blast the door open! I know the curse to do so! Hagrid I mean it, I swear-'

The door opened. 'About t-' Harry said and then stopped because she found herself face to face, not with Hagrid but with Albus Dumbledore.

'Good afternoon,' he said pleasantly smiling down at them.

'We - er - we wanted to see Hagrid,' said Hermione looking from Harry's horror struck face to their professor.

'Yes, I surmised as much,' said Dumbledore. 'Why don't you come in.'

Hagrid was sitting at his table, where there were two large mugs of tea. He looked a real mess. His face was blotchy, his eyes swollen.

'Hi, Hagrid,' Harry said.

Hagrid looked up. ''Lo.'

'More tea I think,' said Dumbledore, closing the door. 'Did you by any chance hear what Miss Potter was shouting, Hagrid?'

Harry went slightly pink, but Dumbledore smiled at her. 'Harry, Hermione and Ron still seem to want to know you, judging by the attempt to break down the door, to get in to see you.'

'Of course, we still want to know you!' Ron said. 'You don't think anything that Skeeter cow - sorry Professor,' he added quickly looking at Dumbledore.

'I think what Ron means to say is, how could you think we'd care what that - woman - wrote about you.' Hermione said.

'Yeah that,' Ron said sheepishly. 'I meant that.'

'Living proof of what I've been telling you, Hagrid,' said Dumbledore. 'I have shown you the letters from countless parents who remember you from their days here, telling me in no uncertain terms that, if I sacked you, they would have something to say about it-'

'Not all of them, not all of them want me to stay.'

'Really Hagrid, if you are holding out for universal popularity, I'm afraid you will be in this cabin for a very long time,' said Dumbledore. 'Not a week has passed, since I became Headmaster of this school when I haven't had least one owl complaining about the way I run it. But what should I do? Barricade myself in my study and refuse to talk to anybody?'

'You're - you're not half-giant!'

'Look at what I've got for relatives! Look at the Dursleys!' Harry said furiously, she was about to repeat herself. 'There is more to a person then by what they look like, or how they act, Hagrid.'

'Come back and teach Hagrid,' Hermione said quietly. 'We'll only keep coming back until we convenience you to.'

'Yeah,' Ron said. 'And you'd just be giving Harry an excuse to blast the door down, otherwise.'

Hagrid gulped, tears leaked out down his cheeks. Dumbledore stood up.

'I refuse to accept your resignation Hagrid, and I expect you back at work on Monday,' he said. 'You will join me for breakfast at eight thirty in the Great Hall. No excuses. Good afternoon to you all.'

Dumbledore left the cabin. Hagrid began to sob, Hermione kept patting his arm, and at last Hagrid looked up, his eyes very red. 'Great man, Dumbledore ... great man...'

'He's right, of course - you're all right ... I've been stupid ... my old dad would have been ashamed of the way I've been behaving. It was Dumbledore who stuck up for me after dad went. Got me the gamekeeper job ... trusts people, he does. Gives them second chances ... that's what set him apart from other Heads, see. He'll accept anyone at Hogwarts, as long as they've got the talent. Knows people can turn out ok even if their families weren't ... well ... all that respectable. But some don't understand that. There's some who'd always hold it against you, make you feel ashamed of what you are.'

'You know what Harry?' he said looking at her, his eyes very bright. 'When I first met you, you reminded me of me a bit. Mum and dad gone, and you were feeling like you wouldn't fit in at Hogwarts, remember? Not sure you were really up to it.'

Ron and Hermione stared at her. 'You never told us that!'

Harry shrugged sheepishly.

'Well look at you now,' Hagrid said. 'School champion! You know what I'd love, Harry? I'd love you to win, I really would. It'd show them all ... you don't have to be pure-blood to do it. You don't have to be ashamed of what you are. It'd show them Dumbledore's the one who's got it right, letting anyone in as long as they can do magic. How you doing with that egg, Harry?'

'Umm it's coming along nicely,' Harry lied. Lying to Hagrid wasn't quite like lying to everyone else.

'That's my girl ... you show them, Harry, you show them. Beat them all.'

Harry decided it was best to solve the egg at night, having no clue how long she would need to solve the clue. And thanks to Cedric giving her the Prefects' bathroom password, she would be less likely to be disturb, as fewer people were allowed in there. Harry, of course, owned two ways to help her in her little excursion in rule-breaking. The Invisibility Cloak as she still couldn't get the Invisibility Spell to last for a long period of time, and the Marauder's Map. It was awkward moving under the Cloak, because she was carrying the heavy egg under one arm as she made her way to the Prefects bathroom. The bathroom itself was rather magnificent - it was softly lit and everything was made of white marble, including what looked like an empty, rectangular swimming pool sunk into the middle of the floor.

Harry put her Cloak, the egg and the map down and moved forwards turning off the baths many taps on, filling the bath with bubbles. She still didn't get how this was supposed to help solve the mystery of the egg. Once it was full, Harry took off her nightdress and slid into the water. She stretched out her arms, lifted the egg and opened it. The wailing, screeching sound filled the bathroom, she snapped it shut again.

'I'd try putting it in the water, if I were you.'

Harry looked up to the voice, the ghost of Moaning Myrtle was sitting cross-legged on top of the taps.

'Open it underwater?' Harry said.

'That's what Cedric Diggory did,' Myrtle said.

'Been spying on the Prefects, have we?' Harry said.

'Sometimes,' said Myrtle.

Harry chuckled and lowered the egg, and opened it ... this time it did not wail. A gurgling song was coming out of it. Harry took a great breath, and slid under the surface - and now, sitting on the marble bottom of the bubbled-filled bath, she heard a chorus of eerie voices singing from the open egg.

 _Come seek us where our voices sound,_

 _We cannot sing above the ground,_

 _And while you're searching, ponder this:_

 _We've taken what you'll sorely miss,_

 _An hour long you'll have to look,_

 _And recover what we took,_

 _But past an hour - the prospect's black,_

 _Too late, it's gone, it won't come back._

Harry let herself float back upwards. Harry stared around the bathroom thinking ... if the voices could only be heard underwater, then it made sense for them to belong to an underwater creature. But what else lived in the lake? She couldn't think of anything that had a human voice until her eye's fell on the picture of the snoozing mermaid. What if - merpeople. The second task involved going into the lake to recover what the merpeople had taken from them. They had an hour to do so. She wasn't a good swimmer, she'd never had much practice.

'Oh shit,' Harry said. 'I'm going to die.'

Harry excited the bathroom a little while later with a new task on her mind, how to not die during in the second task. Out in the dark corridor, Harry examined the Marauder's Map when she spotted something rather odd. A single dot was flitting around a room in the bottom left-hand corner - Snape's office. But the dot wasn't labelled 'Severus Snape' ... it was Bartemius Crouch. Harry stared at the dot, wasn't Mr Crouch supposed to be ill, he was certainly been too ill to attend the Yule ball - so what was he doing sneaking into Hogwarts at one o'clock in the morning? She was going to find out, it just didn't seem in character somehow, for law-abiding Mr Crouch to be sneaking around somebody else's office this late at night ...

Halfway down the staircase, not thinking about what she doing, Harry's leg sank right through the trick step Neville always forgot to jump. The slipped from under her arm and fell down the staircase, the Marauder's Map fluttered out of her hands as she snatched at her Cloak. The egg burst open at the bottom of the staircase and began to wail loudly in the corridor. Harry with her leg still trapped couldn't reach the Marauder's Map, to wipe it black. Harry straightened herself up and almost immediately -

'PEEVES!' It was the unmistakable hunting cry of Filch the caretaker. 'What's this racket? Wake up the whole castle, will you? I'll have you, Peeves, I'll have you, you'll ... and what's this.'

Filch picked up the egg and closed it. Harry stayed very still, any moment Filch was going to discover that there was no Peeves ... and if he came up the stairs he would spot the Marauder's Map ... which would show exactly where she was.

'PEEVES!' Filch shouted gleefully. 'You've been stealing! This is a Triwizard clue! This belongs to school champion!'

Filch started to climb the stairs any moment now-

'Filch? What's going on?'

Filch stopped and turned, at the foot of the stairs stood the only person who could make Harry's situation worse - Snape.

'It was Peeves, Professor,' Filch said. 'He threw this egg down the stairs.'

'Peeves?' Snape said. 'But Peeves couldn't get into my office...'

'This egg was in your office, Professor?'

'Of course, not, I heard banging and wailing, I was coming to investigate, and when I passed my office. I saw that the torches were lit and a cupboard door was ajar! Somebody has been searching it!'

'But Peeves couldn't-'

'I know that, I seal my office with a spell none but a wizard could break!' Snape snapped.

Then Harry heard a familiar clunk coming down the corridor. Mad-Eye Moody limped into sight.

'Pyjama party, is it?' he growled.

'Professor Snape and I heard noises, Professor,' said Filch. 'Peeves the poltergeist, throwing things around as usual - and then Professor Snape discovered that someone had broken into his office.'

Moody took a step closer, Harry saw Moody's magical eye travel towards her. Her heart gave a jolt, his eye could see through Invisibility Cloaks.

'Did I hear that correctly, Snape?' Moody asked slowly. 'Someone broke into your office?'

'It is unimportant,' Snape said.

'On the contrary, it is very important. Who would want to break in to your office?'

'A student I daresay. It has happened before. Potion ingredients have gone missing from my private store cupboard ... students attempting illicit mixtures, no doubt ...'

'Reckon they were after potion ingredients, eh? Not hiding anything else in your office, are you?' said Moody.

'You know I'm hiding nothing, as you've searched my office pretty thoroughly yourself.'

'Dumbledore told me to keep an eye-'

'Dumbledore happens to trust me,' said Snape.

'Of course, Dumbledore trusts you. He's a trusting man, isn't he? Believes in second chances. But me - I say there are spots that don't come off, Snape. Spots that never come off, d'you know what I mean?'

'Go back to bed Snape,' Moody said. 'I believe you've dropped something...'

With a stab of horror, Harry saw Moody point at the Marauder's Map. Throwing caution to the wind Harry attracted Moody's attention, and mouthed at him that the parchment was hers.

' _Accio Parchment_ ,' Moody said. 'My mistake, it's mine must have dropped it earlier.'

Snape however was eyeing the egg. 'Potter,' he said quietly.

'What's that?'

'Potter!' Snape snarled. 'Potter's here under that Invisibility Spell! That egg belongs to Potter! I'm sure of it!'

'Nobody's here Snape!' barked Moody! 'But I'll be happy to tell the Dumbledore how quickly your mind jumped to Harianna Potter!'

'Meaning what?' snarled Snape.

'Meaning that Dumbledore's very interested to know who's got it in for the girl, and so I am, Snape ... very interested ...' said Moody.

'I merely thought, that if Potter was wondering around after hours ... which is an unfortunate habit of hers ... that she should be stopped. For her own safety.'

'Ah I see,' said Moody. 'Got Potter's best interests at heart, have you?'

'I think I will go to bed,' Snape said curtly.

'Best idea you've had all night,' said Moody. 'Now, Filch, if you'll just give me that egg-'

'No!' said Filch clutching the egg as though it was he first born son. 'Professor Moody, this is evidence of Peeves's treachery!'

'It's the property of the champion he stole it from,' said Moody. 'Hand, it over now.'

Snape swept past Moody without another word. Filch made a chirruping noise before handing the egg over, and disappeared from view too. Harry was left staring at Moody.

'Close shave, Potter,' he muttered.

'Yeah ... I - er ... thanks,' Harry said weakly.

'What is this thing?' Moody said, drawing out the Marauder's Map.

'Map of Hogwarts,' said Harry.

'Merlin's beard,' Moody said, string at the map. 'This is some map, Potter!'

'Yeah, it can be quite useful.' Harry said. 'Er Professor do you think you could help me-?'

'What? Oh! Yes ... yes, of course...'

Moody took hold of Harry's arms and pulled. Harry's leg came free of the trick step. Moody was still staring at the map. 'Potter, you didn't happen, by any chance, to see who broke into Snape's office, did you? On this map, I mean?'

'Oh,' Harry said. 'It was Mr Crouch.'

Moody looked slightly alarmed. 'Crouch? You're sure, Potter?'

'Very, Professor,' Harry said.

'Well, he's not here anymore,' Moody said. 'Crouch ... that's very - very interesting ...'

'But why would Mr Crouch want to look in Snape's office? Especially at this time in the morning?'

'Put it this way Potter, they say old Mad-Eye's obsessed with catching Dark wizards ... but Mad-Eye's nothing ... nothing - compared to Barty Crouch.'

'So, this could be something to do with everything that's been going on ...'

'Why'd you say that?'

'Well odd stuff's been happening - the Dark Mark at the World Cup, the Death Eaters - my name coming out of the Goblet.'

'Crouch should be thinking along those lines ... there have been some funny rumours flying around. It's making a lot of people nervous, I reckon. Oh, if there's one thing I hate, it's a Death Eater who walked free...'

'And now I want to ask you something,' Moody said holding up the Map. 'Can I borrow this?'

Relieved not to be told off for wandering around late at night Harry replied. 'Sure.'

They climbed the to the top of the stairs together.

'You ever thought of a career as an Auror, Potter?'

'No, not really,' Harry said. 'I may be OK at duelling Professor but there's a little project of mine I'd want to finish. I've become quite a bit of a researcher, thanks to it. I'd figured I'd put my knowledge to use in that kind of form.'

Determined not to let her latest predicament get to her, Harry began pouring through books in the library once more, this time trying to figure out a way of not dying. She had got so wrapped up that with just two days left to go, Harry was still not having luck. The only piece of good news she had received had been a letter from Sirius, she had gotten that morning. She had placed the letter besides her in the hopes it would bring her some luck. Harry looked over to it once more.

 _Anna,_

 _Just letting you know, before I embarrass you, I will be at Hogwarts for your next task_ ,

 _I missed the last one, and thought, it would be best to see this one up close and personal_ _than having to hear the story being relayed from you. We need to talk as well, face to face,_ _but I doubt we'll have much opportunity at your next task. So could you afford spending your_ _next Hogsmeade weekend with me? Let me know after the second task,_

 _Love Sirius._

 _P.S. Kiddo, you'll do just fine. I have complete faith in you._

Somehow knowing Sirius was going to be around made her feel so much better. But by the evening before the second task, Harry felt as though she was stuck in a nightmare. She was fully aware that even if, by some miracle, she managed to find a suitable spell, she'd have a real job mastering it overnight. Why hadn't she worked on the egg sooner?

'You should have learned to become an Animagus like Sirius, mate,' Ron said off handily as they put another book, yet again to the side. 'You could have turned into a goldfish.'

'Don't be silly Ron, it takes years to become an Animagus, and then you have to register yourself and everything,' Hermione said.

Harry however remained very quiet.

'Harry?'

Harry looked up. 'Yes?'

Hermione looked at her, 'Please tell me you haven't - that Sirius hasn't-'

'OK I won't tell you,' Harry said.

'Blimey mate,' said Ron. 'Why didn't you say anything?'

'I only started learning how to in the summer, I haven't managed my full form yet, but we know I'm some type of white bird.' Harry shrugged.

'A bird huh? Figures you love flying,' Ron said.

Hermione shook her head. 'Come on let's take what we can up stairs. It's getting late and the library will close soon.'

'I wouldn't do that, if I were you,' said Fred Weasley's voice. 'McGonagall wants you in her office, Hermione.'

Fred and George emerged from behind some bookshelves.

'Why?' said Hermione.

'Dunno … she was looking a bit grim, though,' said George.

Hermione left Ron and Harry alone to continue looking through books. Which they did so until the early hours of the morning. Ron and Harry had finally given up, at two in the morning Harry wondered off to bed. Not even seeing Sirius tomorrow was going to make Harry feel any better. She was going to actually die and the worst thing of all as she lay on her bed, for her own stupid reasons she had never repeated the words I love you back to Sirius. She was going to die and he was never going to know. She had been so stupid, so very stupid ... some genius she was meant to be - couldn't even figure out how to breath under water for an hour - and the thing that was going to taken from her she would never see again.

Something poked her painfully in the side the next morning.

'Go away - that hurts.'

'Mistress must wake up.'

Harry opened her eyes, only one thing, an elf to be precise called her mistress; Dobby.

'What are you doing here?'

'Mistress needs to hurry!' Dobby squeaked. 'The second task starts in twenty minutes, and Harry Potter-'

'Twenty minutes?' Harry croaked.

'Hurry, Mistress, you is supposed to be down by the lake with other champions!'

'It's too late, Dobby,' Harry said helplessly. 'I'm not doing the task, I don't know how-'

'Mistress will do task,' squeaked Dobby. 'She just had not found right book, so Dobby did it for her, Dobby overhears Mistress's friends speaking. Dobby went minutes go -'

'What?' said Harry. 'You know what the second task is-'

'Dobby knows! Dobby hears last night! Mistress must go into the lake and finds her godfather.'

'They've got Sirius?' Harry said, jumping out of the bed. Only then did Harry notice the elf was holding two items, a swimming custom, and a plant she'd never seen before.

'The thing Mistress will miss most,' Dobby squeaked. 'And past an hour -'

'"The prospect's black, too late, it's gone, it won't come back." Dobby what have I got to do?'

'You has to eat this, right before you go into the lake - Gillyweed!'

'And this will help me breathe underwater?'

The elf nodded.

'OK,' Harry grabbed the things from the elf. 'I'll see you down there, best it looks like I overslept then for you to have given me the answer.' she said changing into the swimming custom, the elf even remembered her size. 'Remind me when I make it out of this, to give you a bonus!' Harry called out as she rushed out of the girls' dorms.

Harry ran all the way there.

'Where have you been?' said a bossy, disapproving voice. 'The task's about to start!'

'Yeah, well Percy,' Harry panted out. 'You that no one in the dorm will risk waking me up, not after the last time I cursed someone for doing so.'

'Now, now, Percy!' said Ludo Bagman, who was looking relieved to see Harry. 'Let her catch her breath.'

Dumbledore smiled at Harry, but Karkaroff and Madame Maxime didn't look at all pleased to see her ... it was obvious from the looks on their faces that they had thought she wasn't going to turn up. Ludo Bagman was now moving among the champions, spacing them along the bank at intervals of ten feet. Harry was on the very end of the line, she had bent herself over, gasping for breath, she was just grateful he hadn't moved her.

'All right, Harianna?' Bagman whispered. 'Know what you're going to do?'

'Yeah,' Harry panted. She was going to have serious words with her so called godfather once she got out of this.

Bagman gave her shoulder a quick squeeze, and returned to the judges table. Harry stuffed the Gillyweed into her mouth and began chewing as Bagman spoke to the crowd.

'Well, all our champions are ready for the second task, which will start on my whistle. They have precisely an hour to recover what has been taken from them. On the count of three, then. One ... two ... three!'

The whistle blew, Harry pulled off her shoes and shoes and waded out into the lake. Waist-deep in the freezing water she stopped and waiting for something to happen. She could hear laughter in the crowd, and knew she must look stupid, walking into the lake without showing any sign of magical power, but she didn't care, she just hoped this worked. Then Harry felt as though an invisible pillow had clapped over her mouth and nose and a piercing pain on either side of her neck - Harry clapped her hands around her neck, and felt two large slits just below her ears. She had gills and she flung herself into the water. She noticed as she swam that her hands had become webbed. The water didn't feel cold either, not like she had expected it to. She could only see ten feet in front of her as she swam forwards, and not wanting to have anything creep up on her Harry cast 'Lumos Maxima.' Once was enough for her to learn to never be caught off guard while in the dark.

She swam deeper and deeper, the only thing she could see ahead though was light-green weeds stretched out as far as she could see. Then suddenly what look like a light of spell came from close by, there were several more blasts of light - someone was in trouble - without pausing, without thinking - Harry swam towards the light, - the spells were becoming more frequent now and as Harry neared she caught sight of Fleur casting spells at the Grindylows that were surrounding her. Harry rolled her eyes, pointed her own wand at the surrounding Grindylows. ' _Immobilious!'_ The Grindlow froze, Harry saw one had grabbed Fleur by the ankle, but with webbed hands she wouldn't be able to break its grip. So, she tried a spell she recently learned. ' _Relashio!'_ The Grindylow's grip broke and Fleur stared at her, she had some kind of bubble around her mouth and nose. Harry pointed to her wrist, tapping it, then point further down into the lake. They swam out of the weeds under Harry re-lighted wand. They swam over the weeds to avoid being attacked further by any more Grindylows that might be lurking.

'How are you getting on?'

Harry thought she was having a heart attack, she whipped around and saw Moaning Myrtle floating in front of her. Harry looked at her stunned.

'You want to try over there!' she said pointing. 'I won't come with you .. I don't like them much. They always chase me when I get too close …'

Harry gave her the thumbs-up, and set off once more, Fleur following behind her. They must have been swimming for what felt like twenty minutes when at last she heard a snatch of haunting mer-song.

' _An hour long you'll have to look,_

 _And recover what we took ..._

 _...your time's half-gone, so tarry not,_

 _lest what you seek stays here to rot ...'_

Harry was having none of that, if she wouldn't let the Dementors take her godfather away she sure in hell wasn't going to let merpeople. Harry swam faster, and soon saw a large rock emerge out of the water ahead. Harry saw faces ... faces that bore no resemblance at all to the painting of the mermaid in the Prefects' bathroom ... The merpeople had greyish skins, and they wore thick ropes of peoples around their necks. Harry sped on around a corner, and saw a choir of merpeople singing, calling the champions towards them, and behind them rose a statue. Four people bound tightly to it. Hermione, Cho, Sirius and there was a little girl who looked no older than eight, whose clouds of silvery hair made Harry sure she was Fleur's sister.

Harry sped towards the hostages, Fleur swam towards her sister, trying to untangle the knot of weed. Harry wondered why she wasn't using magic. When a sight of a shark caught her eye, Fleur turned in a panic too, guarding her sister with all her might, but the shark swam straight for Hermione, Harry reached for her wand, only to realise as it came closer that it was Krum. He had appeared to have transfigured himself - but badly. The shark-man too began snapping at the ropes of weed trying to break them and there was just no way she was letting him hurt Hermione.

'Must I do everything!' Harry muttered. Harry cast, ' _Relashio!'_ three times, setting Sirius, Fleur's sister and Hermione free of the weeds. It just left Cho now - and Cedric was swimming towards them. He too had a bubble around his mouth.

'Get lost,' he mouthed.

Harry nodded and mouthed. 'Cast relashio.'

Harry pulled at Sirius the only problem was trying to swim with a fully-grown man was the dead weight, she had to cast a feather-light-weight Charm so that she could, do so. They were the last one's up, the crowd in the stands was making a great deal of noise; shouting and screaming.

'So, what did I miss?' Sirius grinned at her.

'Never ... never ... do that to me again!' Harry said having returned to normal.

'Kiddo that's supposed to be my line,' Sirius said.

'Sirius, I mean it - I thought - I thought I was going to lose you,' Harry said tearing rolling down her cheeks. 'I can't lose you, I've only just found you - gods Sirius - I love you - OK, I'm sorry I haven't told you before now - but I do, I just -'

'Anna, it's OK, I understand you were just trying to protect yourself from getting hurt,' Sirius said softly. 'What do you say about getting out of here and somewhere warmer, this lake is freezing.'

The next Hogsmeade weekend happened to be a few weeks later, and Harry was glad that the second task was over. Even if her and Hermione were being teased. Hermione was in a tetchy mood being teased her about being the thing that Viktor Krum would miss the most. And Harry about who was the thing she'd miss the most. Harry though really didn't care as embarrassing as the situation was, if there was anybody she would willing risk her life for time and time again, it would be Sirius. Neville who grew up with his grandmother, was the only one to understand it.

It didn't matter to Harry, that she had been out of the time limit, it didn't matter that she earned forty-five points because she showed moral fibre. It didn't matter because she had got her godfather back, even though he was perfectly safe the whole time. Harry however walked across the grounds alone, towards the carriages when the Hogsmeade weekend arrived. She had been wondering what Sirius had been wanting to talk to her about, when she heard someone call her name.

''Arianna.'

Harry turned to the voice to find that it was Fleur Delacour who had called her.

'Oh, hello,' Harry said. She couldn't help but notice that Fleur looked a little unsure.

'I 'ave been wanting to speak wiz you.' Fleur. 'You are a 'ard person to get 'old of.'

'What can I do for you?' Harry said.

'I - I wanted to thank you,' Fleur said. 'You 'elped me wiz ze Grindylows, when we are competing against each other.'

Harry shrugged. 'Oh that, I have what my friend likes to call a "saving people" thing. It was no big deal, I just did what anyone else would have. And your magic seemed a little off.'

'It was,' Fleur said. 'Veela are weak in ze water, our magic will not work correctly.'

'So you was always at a disadvantage,' Harry said understanding now. 'I'm glad I helped.'

'Thank you, 'Arianna, for doing zat, my seester means so much to me -'

'It's OK, there's no need,' Harry said. 'I must dash, I've got a godfather to catch up with.'

'But zere is, I said terrible zings, I called you a little girl, and you still 'elped me.'

Harry shrugged. 'I've been called worse, don't worry.'

'I am still sorry, 'Arianna.'

'Apology accepted, and my friends call me Harry,' Harry said. 'Just for future reference.'

'Friends?' Fleur said confused.

'Well, you're a friend now, are you not? Just because we are competing against each other, doesn't mean we can't be friends,' Harry said. 'And if we are going to be friends, you can to start with calling me Harry.'

'You are very strange 'Arry.'

'You get used to it after a while,' Harry said. 'Now I really must dash, I'll be late otherwise, bye Fleur.'

Sirius had been waiting for her outside the Three Broomsticks, and led her down the High Street to a part of the village she had never been before and into a secluded pub called the Hog's Head, and to the back of pub as they wouldn't be disturbed.

'What's this about Sirius?' Harry said wiping her glass which containing Butterbeer free from the dust.

'I'm fulfilling my duty as a godfather, things are getting fisher.' Sirius said pulling out newspapers from his robes. Harry looked down there were two; the first bore the headline _Mystery Illness of Bartemius Crouch,_ the second, _Ministry Witch Still Missing - Minister for Magic Now Personally Involved._ Harry looked down at the story about Crouch. Phrases jumped out at her: _hasn't been seen in public since November ... house appears deserted ... St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies decline comment ... Ministry refuses to confirm rumours of critical illness._

'They're making it sound like his dying, mind you the last time I actually saw him, he did look ill.' Harry said. 'But Ron's brother Percy is Crouch's personal assistant he said it was due from being overworked, and because he sacked his elf.'

'Winky?'

'Yeah, the night of the World Cup,' Harry said.

'Come to think of it, she was saving him a seat but I didn't see Barty turn up at all. But why sack his elf?'

'She was found under the Dark Mark, she didn't obey his orders, Sirius, but whoever it was used Draco's wand-'

'Draco?' Sirius said raising his eyebrows.

'Yes Sirius, Draco. I've been tutoring him ... his not such of a prat that I thought he was.'

'And it was his wand used, you say?'

'Yeah, he was with us in the forest, but when he found it, he cast another spell with it -'

'What did Crouch do, when Winky was discovered?'

'Went to look in the bushes, but there was no one there.'

'Of course, he would check, doesn't trust anyone.'

'It's not like him though,' Sirius said thoughtfully. 'All these absences of his ... he goes to the trouble of making sure Winky saves him a seat at the World Cup, but doesn't bother to turn up and watch. He works very hard to reinstate the Triwizard Tournament, and stops coming to that, too ... it's not like Barty. If he's ever taken a day off work because of illness before this, I'll eat Buckbeak.'

'Sounds like you know him well.'

'Oh, I do,' Sirius said. 'And so, does Pettigrew for that matter.'

'What, but that doesn't make any sense - wait was it him that sent you to Azkaban - without trial.'

Sirius nodded. 'He used to be Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, was tipped to be the next Minister for Magic. He's a great wizard, Barty Crouch, powerfully magical - and power-hungry. Not a Voldemort supporter - he was always very outspoken against the Dark side.'

'Some would say, you're too young to understand,' Sirius said. 'I know better though.'

'Both you and Remus, always said it was darker times back then-'

'It was. Imagine that Voldemort's powerful now. You don't know who his supporters are, you don't know who's working for him and who isn't; you know he can control people so that they do terrible things without being able to stop themselves. You're scared for yourself, and your family, and your friends. Every week, new comes of more deaths, more disappearances, more torturing ... the Ministry is in disarray, they don't know what to do, they're trying to keep everything hidden from the Muggles, but Muggles are dying too. Terror everywhere ... panic ... confusion ... that's how it used to be.'

'Times like that bring out the best in people and the worst in others. Crouch's principles might've been good in the beginning. He rose quickly through the Ministry, and he started ordering very harsh measures against Voldemort's supporters. The Aurors were given new powers - to kill rather than capture, for instance. Pettigrew wasn't the only one to be handed straight to the Dementors without trial. He became as ruthless and as cruel as many on the Dark side - plenty of people thought he was going about things the right way. When Voldemort disappeared, it looked like only a matter of time before Barty took over as Minister for Magic. But the something rather unfortunate happened, his son was caught with a group of Death Eaters who'd managed to talk their way out of Azkaban.'

'He gave his own son to the Dementors,' Harry said.

'Yes,' Sirius said. 'He can't have been more then nineteen at the time, he was in a cell near Pettigrew's.'

'Was?'

'He died about a year after they brought him in,' Sirius said. 'He wasn't the only one kiddo, most go mad in there, plenty stop eating in the end. They lose the will to live. Crouch's son looked pretty sickly when he arrived, Crouch being an important Ministry member, he and his wife were allowed a deathbed visit. I heard she passed away shortly afterwards. Grief. Wasted away just like her son. Crouch never came for his bod. The Dementors buried him outside the fortress, I watched them do it.'

'Moody said Crouch's obsessed with catching Dark wizard's, he tried searching Snape's office. He's - Snape that is, has gone back to not liking me so much.'

'That would be my fault,' Sirius said. 'We didn't exactly see, eye to eye. In fact, we hated each other. Now I'm back in your life, well he is not going to think highly of you being brought up by the person who almost got him killed. I'd thought it would be rather amusing to tell him how to get into the Shrieking Shack on the night of the full moon. He always wondered where Remus disappeared too. Your father pulled him out, just in time.'

'But Dumbledore trusts Snape, he tried to save my life back in my first year.'

'Yes, you told me,' Sirius said thoughtfully. 'Ever since I found out Snape was teaching at Hogwarts, I've wondered why Dumbledore hired him. Snape's always been fascinated by the Dark Arts, he was famous for it at school. Snape knew more curses when he arrived at school than half the kids in seventh year and he was part of a gang of Slytherins who nearly all turned out to be Death Eaters.'

'We overheard Karkaroff speaking with him, the night of the Yule Ball,' Harry said. 'He's growing concerned about something, Snape seemed to be more irritated by his presence then concerned by whatever is worrying Karkaroff.' Harry said.

'Well if Karkaroff is generally worried, and he's going to Snape for answers ... but then we still have the fact that Dumbledore trusts Snape, and I know Dumbledore trusts where a lot of other people wouldn't, but I can't see him letting Snape teach at Hogwarts if he'd ever worked for Voldemort. Speaking of which your scar, has it hurt since?'

'No,' Harry said shaking her head.

'Well if it does,' Sirius said. 'Let me know, and go straight-'

'To Dumbledore,' Harry finished for him. 'I haven't forgotten.'


	82. Chapter 82

_HARIANNA POTTER'S SECRET HEARTACHE:  
_ _A girl like no other, perhaps - yet a girl suffering all the usual pangs of adolescence, writes Rita Skeeter.  
_ _Deprived of love since the tragic demise of her parents, fourteen-year-old Harianna Potter has now_ _found some home comforts within the form of her magical guardian Lord Sirius Black.  
_ _For those who missed the second task of the Triwizard Tournament, should know most of us were  
_ _greatly surprised, when it appeared that Miss Potter's greatest treasure, was that of her godfather,  
_ _of which she has known for only a few months, since his return to that of the wizarding community.  
_ _It seems this has not stopped Miss Potter or Lord Black from confiding with each other, no it  
_ _seems to be, that the two are indeed very close as Miss Potter openly confided to her godfather.  
_ _Miss Potter freely admits that if it wasn't for her fame, she doubted boys would look twice at her,  
_ _this reporter is wondering, just whom Miss Potter has her sights on ...  
_ _However it would appear that Miss Potter needs to be more concerned with her friendships than  
_ _worrying about finding love. A Muggle-born girl known as Hermione Granger who has been seen in regular contact  
_ _with Miss Potter, along with a Pure-Blood boy known as Ronald Weasley. These two are among those closest to  
_ _Miss Potter, though Miss Granger, a rather plain but ambitious girl seems to have made another famous friend,  
_ _that Harianna alone cannot seem to satisfy. Since the arrival at Hogwarts of Viktor Krum, Bulgaria Seeker and_ _hero of the last Work Quidditch Cup, and is another competitor in the Triwizard Tournament. Miss Granger has been regularly seen within his company. As Mr Krum who is openly smitten with the devious Miss Granger, has already invited her to visit him in Bulgaria over the summer holidays, and insists that he has 'never felt this way about any other girl'.  
_ _However, it might not be Miss Granger's natural charms which may have captured Krum's interest.  
_ _'She's really ugly,' says Pansy Parkinson, a pretty and vivacious fourth-year student, 'but she'd be well up to  
_ _making a Love Potion, she's quite brainy. I think that's how she's done it.' Love Potions are of course banned at Hogwarts, and no doubt Albus Dumbledore will want to investigate these claims. This reporter feels Miss Potter could be cautious in what she reveals to her friends as words may reach her competitors' ears. As Miss Potter_ _seems far too trusting if how quickly she has become fond of her godfather is anything to go by._

Harry pushed the _Daily Prophet_ away from her. Hermione had been getting it through a prescription so they wouldn't have to find out second hand from the Slytherins.

'What a pile of rubbish,' Hermione said. 'I would never, Harry you know I would never -'

'I know you wouldn't, despite what Skeeter has said, I trust my friends.' Harry said. 'It's strange though, how could she have known what I spoke to Sirius about? I sure didn't see her, and I would have the Hog's Head was practically empty.'

'Umm, me too, she couldn't have known Viktor asked me to visit him over the summer,' Hermione said blushing. 'He asked me right after he'd pulled me out of the lake, he sort of pulled me away from the judges so they wouldn't hear and asked me.'

'Somehow, she's bugged the place,' Harry said. 'How else is she getting interviews with some of the Slytherins.'

'But you can't -'

'I meant magical methods of bugging, Hermione.' Harry said. 'But how, how to bug a castle like Hogwarts, with all its spell and enchantments? Wish I had time to find out, but with all this tutoring, and my OWL, and then there's the whole third task -'

'I'll look into it,' Hermione said. 'Don't you worry we'll get her.'

...

'Now are you sure that you don't mind,' Harry asked for what felt like the hundred time.

'Go!' Hermione said exasperatedly.

Harry looked over her friends' frustrated faces, and their frustration was due to her. For the first time since she had been at Hogwarts, she was going home for a holiday, having missed out on Christmas with Sirius and Remus, Harry didn't want to miss out on spending Easter with them. Professor McGonagall gave her an odd look when Harry checked that there was no traditional Triwizard event happening but answered her nevertheless.

'OK, OK, I'm sorry,' Harry said.

'It's OK mate, enjoy yourself,' Ron said. 'Like everyone else does, and then tell us all about in two weeks.'

'Two weeks,' Harry confirmed. 'OK, I best go or I'll miss the train. Don't get into any trouble without me.'

'Wouldn't dream of it,' Ron said. 'Besides you're the reason we get into trouble in the first place.'

'I resent that.' Harry replied getting up from the Gryffindor table. 'Don't miss me too much, I'll be back before you know it.'

'Bye Harry.'

'Bye, mate.'

It felt odd, walking down with the other students, towards the station, but for the first time in a really long time, Harry was looking forward to enjoying a school holiday. Runewald, she couldn't wait to get there - home, she was going home. Strange how one word could make a person feel so happy, but that what Runewald meant to her now - her home. When Sirius first bought the place, it was just a rundown old farmer's cottage, Sirius rebuilt it - magically, after adding the anti Muggle wards and other enchantments. It needed it as well, despite the fair number of fields that came with the property, there was also the very fact that they were hiding a fugitive Hippogriff. It would do no good Muggles seeing a magical creature. Sirius and Remus both greeted her at the station, it was good to see Remus even if he was looking a little pale.

The trip to Yorkshire was held with much chatter, as Remus had not seen any of the Tournament and Sirius had told him, that he had actually been kidnapped. Remus's comment to that had been; 'Who would have wanted to kidnap an old mutt like you.' and he told Harry that she should have left him there, at least that would have made his job easier. Dobby was waiting for them at the red door of Runewald, floating Harry's trunk into the house, then disappearing with it, only to return moments later without it disappearing into the kitchen, no doubt to make her favourite meal. It felt so good to be back. Her only concern had been Winky for when Harry first saw her the little elf had been drinking Butterbeer, she still wasn't taking well to her freedom, until Harry had spoken to her, calming the elf. A few days later though still dressed in her rag she was up and about helping Dobby out with the chores.

'I'll say it again,' Sirius said. 'You make the strangest of friends - could you do your work on my old house-elf, if you ever meet him - nasty thing he is.'

They were currently outside out in the fields, Harry had been trying to willing turn into her Animagus form. She was getting closer to achieving it, as it didn't require a spell to change it was more challenging to master. She had sprouted white feathers, with black tips, some of the feathers remained on her clothes afterwards though.

'I'll try,' Harry said. 'I don't know how I do it though, just say the right thing I guess. Do reckon you could get rid of the feathers?'

'Sure,' Sirius said. 'You're getting the hang of it.'

Days later, after much practice, Harry managed to last in her form long enough for them to be able to tell exactly what type of bird she was.

'Found it,' Remus said, putting a bird book in front of them all. He had opened it to a picture of a small, white bird with black winged tips, and tail, and it had a blue crest.

The Bali myna, also known as Rothschild's mynah, Bali starling, or Bali mynah, almost wholly white with a long, drooping crest, and black tips on the wings and tail. The bird has blue bare skin around the eyes, greyish legs and a yellow bill. Both sexes are similar. It is critically endangered and less than 100 adults are assumed to currently exist in the wild. The Bali myna is a medium-large bird of twenty-five centremetres. The Bali myna usually mates and breed with a long-term partner.

'You just had to be something rare,' Sirius exclaimed, making Harry look up from the book.

'It's native to Indonesia, too,' Remus said. 'Best you don't change into all that much where anyone will be able to see you.'

'Anyone would think I'm stupid,' Harry said. 'With the way, you two are talking.'

'We know you're not,' Remus said.

'You know what this means though,' Sirius said rubbing his hands together, grin etched on his face. Harry wasn't quite sure if she wanted to know what he was thinking. 'This means we've got to come up with a nickname for you.'

'I'm not having anything stupid,' Harry said. 'If I don't like it, the name is out - end of.'

'Spoil sport.'

...

Easter had gone too quickly, but on her return to Hogwarts, it turned out that she hadn't missed any of the chaos. Hermione had started to receive horrible letters, while Harry had been away, but on the first day of term, she received quite a nasty letter containing Bubotuber pus. The start of the summer term would normally have meant that Harry would be training hard for the last Quidditch match of the season. This year, however, it was her upcoming OWL and the final task in the Triwizard Tournament that she needed to prepare for. Finally, in the last week of May, Professor McGonagall, told her to go down to the Quidditch pitch for nine o'clock. So, at half eight, Harry headed down to the Quidditch pitch to find it was no longer smooth and flat. It looked as though somebody had been building long, low walls all over it, twisting and criss-crossing in every direction.

'What have they done to it?' Cedric said coming to a stop beside her.

'I was thinking that same thing.' Harry said. 'But why have they planted hedges?'

'Hello there!' called a cheery voice.

Ludo Bagman was standing in the middle of the pitch with Krum and Fleur. Harry and Cedric made their way towards them, climbing over the hedges. Fleur beamed at Harry as she came nearer.

'What do you think? Growing nicely, aren't they? Give them a month and Hagrid'll have them twenty foot high. Don't worry,' said Bagman happily grinning, spotting the less-than-happy faces on Harry and Cedric's faces, 'you'll have your Quidditch pitch back to normal once the task is over! Now, I imagine you can guess what we're building here?'

'Maze,' grunted Krum.

'That's right!' said Bagman. 'A maze. The third task's really very straightforward. The Triwizard Cup will be placed in the centre of the maze. The first champion to touch it will receive full marks.'

'We seemply 'ave to get through the maze?' said Fleur.

Harry huffed. 'Doubt it Fleur, most likely they'll be obstacles in the way.'

'Correct, Hagrid is providing a number of creatures ... then there will be spells that must be broken ... all that sort of thing. Now, the champions who are leading on points will get a head start into the maze,' Bagman said. 'Then Mr Krum will enter ... then Miss Delacour. But you'll all be in with a fighting chance, depending on how well you get past the obstacles. Should be fun, eh? Now does anybody have any questions before we head back to the castle.'

When no one answered, Bagman led them from the maze. Harry had a feeling the reason he was sticking close to her, was because he was going to start offering to help her again, but she, however, felt a tap on her shoulder. Krum had brought her attention towards him.

'Could I haff a vord?'

'Er - OK,' Harry replied slightly confused.

'Vill you valk vith me?'

'Sure,'

Harry and Krum left the stadium together, but Krum did not set a course for the Durmstrang ship. Instead, he walked towards the Forest.

'I don't vant to be overheard,' Krum said shortly, explaining himself.

When at last they had reached a quiet stretch of ground, Krum stopped and turned to face Harry.

'You care very much about Hermy-own-ninny, yes?'

Harry, had expected something more serious than this, from Krum's secretive manner, and stared up at him in amazement.

'Of course, I do, she's my best friend,' Harry said.

'I care about her, very much also,' Krum said. 'She is different to the other girls. She does not care about my fame.'

'No, she wouldn't, it doesn't matter to her,' Harry said.

'I vondered if she had ever - if she'd-'

'Been with anyone? Not yet,' Harry said. 'Unless she hasn't told me, but as her best friend she know's she'll be trouble with me if she did that.'

Krum looked confused, he had been about to say something, but something moved behind Krum. Instinctively Harry grabbed his arm and pulled him around, she had experience of the sort of thing that lurked in the Forest.

'Vot is it?'

Harry pressed a finger to her lips, pulling her wand out of her robes with her other hand, staring at the place she'd seen movement. The next moment a man staggered out from behind a tall oak tree. For a moment, Harry didn't recognise him ... then she realised it was Mr Crouch. He looked as though he'd been travelling for days. The knees of his robes were ripped and bloody; his faced scratched; he was unshaven and grey with exhaustion. His strange appearance, however, was nothing to the way he was behaving. Muttering and gesticulating, Mr Crouch appeared to be talking to someone that he alone could see.

'Vosn't he a judge?' said Krum staring at Mr Crouch. 'Isn't he vith your Ministry?'

Harry nodded, then walked slowly towards Mr Crouch, who did not look at her, but continued to talk to a nearby tree: '... and when you've done that, Weatherby, send an owl to Dumbledore confirming the number of Durmstrang students who will be attending the Tournament, Kaarkaroff has sent word there will be twelve ...'

'Mr Crouch?' Harry said cautiously.

Mr Crouch's eyes were bulging. He stood staring at the tree, muttering soundlessly at it. Then he staggered sideways and fell to his knees.

'Vot is wrong with him?' Krum said when Mr Crouch's eyes began rolling in his head.

'No idea,' Harry said. 'I think it's best we get him to Madam Pomfrey.

'Dumbledore!' gasped Mr Crouch. 'I need to see Dumbledore ... I've done ... stupid ... thing ... must ... tell ... Dumbledore!'

Harry bent down and placed a hand on the man's shoulder. 'OK Mr Crouch, we'll get you to Dumbledore - do you think you could get up?'

Mr Crouch's eyes rolled forwards onto Harry, 'Who .. you?'

'Harianna Potter,' Harry said. 'We've met before, I'm Lord Black's heir. We met at the World Cup, remember? I'm a student here at Hogwarts,'

'You're not ... his?' whispered Crouch.

'No,' said Harry having no clue what Mr Crouch was talking about, it was like he hadn't paid attention to a word she had just said.

'Dumbledore's?'

'That's right,' said Harry.

'Warn ... Dumbledore ...'

Harry looked up at Krum. 'Stay with him! I'll get Dumbledore, I'll be quicker, I know where his office is -'

'He is mad,' said Krum doubtfully, staring down at Crouch, who was still gabbling to the tree.

'Just stay with him,' said Harry, starting to get up, but her movement seemed to trigger an abrupt change in Mr Crouch, who seized her hard around the knees and pulled Harry back to the ground.

'Don't ... leave ... me!' he whispered. 'I ... escaped ... must warn ... must tell ... Dumbledore ... my fault ... all my fault ... Bertha ... dead ... all my fault ... my son ... my fault ... tell Dumbledore ... Harianna Potter ... the Dark Lord ... stronger ... Harianna Potter ...'

'I'll get Dumbledore if you let go of me,' Harry said. She looked furiously around at Krum. 'Help me, would you?'

Krum moved and squatted down next to Mr Crouch.

'Just keep him here,' Harry said, pulling herself free. 'I'll be back with Dumbledore.'

Five minutes later she was hurtling towards a stone gargoyle standing halfway along an empty corridor. 'Sherbet lemon!' she panted at it. This was the password to the hidden staircase to Dumbledore's office - or, at least, it had been two years ago, the password had evidently changed for the stone gargoyle did not spring to life.

'Oh, come on!' Harry shouted. 'It's an emergency!'

Shouting at the stone gargoyle who do no good, Harry headed towards the staff room, in the hopes that Dumbledore might be there.

'POTTER!'

Harry came to a halt and turned her head towards the cold voice. Snape had just emerged from the hidden staircase. 'What are you doing here?'

'I need to see Professor Dumbledore!' Harry said, heading back down the corridor towards Snape. 'It's Mr Crouch ... he's just turned up ... he's in the Forest ... he's asking -'

'What is this rubbish?' said Snape, his black eyes glittering. 'What are you talking about?'

'Mr Crouch!' Harry shouted. 'From the Ministry! He's ill or something - he's in the Forest, he wants to see Dumbledore!'

'The Headmaster is busy, Potter,' Snape said.

'I've got to tell Dumbledore!' Harry yelled.

'Didn't you hear me, Potter?'

'Look, Professor,' Harry said firmly. 'Crouch isn't right - he's out of his mind - he says he wants to warn Dumbledore.'

The stone wall behind Snape slid open. Dumbledore was standing there, wearing a mildly curious expression. 'Is there a problem?' he said, looking between Harry and Snape.

'Professor!' Harry said before Snape had a chance to speak. 'Mr Crouch is here - he's down in the Forest, he wants to speak with you - he's really ill.'

'Lead the way.'

Harry wasn't going to ask why he hadn't questioned her, so she led him down the corridor.

'What did Mr Crouch say, Harry?'

'Said he wanted to talk to you - said he'd done something stupid - mentioned his son - and Bertha Jorkins and Voldemort - said he was getting stronger ... he's not acting normally, thinks he's talking to Percy Weasley, then he changes, and says he needs to see you ... I left him with Viktor Krum.'

'You did?'

'Yeah, we were talking, Mr Bagman had just finished telling us about the third task, we stayed behind, and then we saw Mr Crouch coming out of the Forest -'

'Where are they?' said Dumbledore, they had now crossed the grounds.

'Over here,' Harry said, moving forward leading the way through the trees, but there was no one in sight.

'I'm sure they were here,' Harry said to Dumbledore.

' _Lumos Maxima!'_ Dumbledore said, lighting his wand and holding it up. The light lit up the ground, Harry glanced from tree trunk to tree trunk, then she saw a pair of feet.

'Viktor!' Harry said.

Harry and Dumbledore hurried forwards, Krum was sprawled on the Forest floor. He seemed to be unconscious. There was no sign at all of Mr Crouch. Dumbledore bent over Krum and gently lifted one of his eyelids.

'Stunned,' he said softly.

'Should I go get Madam Pomfrey?' Harry offered.

'Stay where you are, Harry,' Dumbledore said swiftly.

He raised his wand into the air and pointed it in the direction of Hagrid's cabin. A dart of silver shot out and streak away through the trees like a ghostly bird. Harry knew the spell, that caused an animal to look like this, she wondered just how a Patronus was going to help them though. Dumbledore bent over Krum again, pointed his wand at him, and muttered, ' _Enervate.'_

Krum opened his eyes, he looked dazed, when he saw Dumbledore, he tried to sit up, but Dumbledore put a hard on his shoulder and made him lie still.

'He attacked me!' Krum muttered. 'The old madman attacked me! I vos looking for Potter, to see vhere she had gone and he attacked me.'

The sounds of thunderous footsteps reached them, and Hagrid came panting into sight with Fang at his heels.

'Professor Dumbledore!' he said, his eyes widening. 'Harry - what the -'

'Hagrid, I need you to fetch Professor Karkaroff,' said Dumbledore. 'His student has been attacked. When you've done that kindly alert Professor Moody -'

'No need Dumbledore,' said a wheezy growl, 'I'm here.'

Moody was limping towards them, leaning on his staff, his wand lit. 'Damn leg,' he said. 'Would have been here quicker ... what's happened? Snape said something about Crouch -'

'Crouch?' said Hagrid blankly.

'Karkaroff, please, Hagrid!' Dumbledore said sharply.

'Oh yeah ... right you are, Professor ...' Hagrid said disappearing into the dark trees, Fang trotting behind him.

'I don't know where Barty Crouch is,' Dumbledore told Moody, 'but it is essential that we find him.'

'I'm on it,' growled Moody, and he limped off into the Forest, wand at the ready.

Neither Dumbledore nor Harry spoke again until they heard the unmistakable sounds of Hagrid and Fang returning. Karkaroff was hurrying along behind them.

'What is this?' Karkaroff cried when he saw Krum on the ground and Dumbledore and Harry beside him. 'What is going on?'

'I vos attacked!' Krum said, sitting up now, and rubbing his head. 'Mr Crouch or votever his name -'

'Crouch attacked you? The Triwizard judge?'

'Igor,' Dumbledore began, but Karkaroff was looking livid.

'Treachery!' he bellowed, pointing at Dumbledore. 'It is a plot! You and your Ministry have lured me here under false pretences, Dumbledore! This is not an equal competition! First, you sneak Potter into the Tournament, though she is underage! Now one of your Ministry friends attempts to put _my_ champion out of action! I smell double-dealing and corruption in this whole affair, and you, Dumbledore, you, with your talk of closer international wizarding links, of rebuilding old ties, of forgetting old differences - here's what I think of you!'

Karkaroff spat onto the ground at Dumbledore's feet.

'Apologise!' Hagrid snarled, seizing the front of Karkaroff's furs and slamming against a nearby tree. Hagrid's massive fist at his throat, his feet dangling in mid-air.

'Hagrid, no!' Dumbledore shouted, his eyes flashing.

Hagrid removed the hand pinning Karkaroff to the tree, and Karkaroff slid all the way down the trunk.

'You will take Harry back to the school, kindly escort her all the way up to Gryffindor Tower. And Harry - I want you to stay there. Anything you might want to do - any owls you might want to send - they can wait until morning.'

Harry nodded, though she didn't need an owl to speak to who she wanted to right now, there was more than one way to communicate with Sirius.

Hagrid led the way. 'How dare he,' he growled, as they strode past the lake. 'How dare he accuse Dumbledore. Like Dumbledore wanted you in the Tournament in the first place. Worried! I dunno when I've seen Dumbledore more worried than he's been lately. And you!' Hagrid suddenly said angrily to Harry. 'What were you doing, wandering off with ruddy Krum? He's from Durmstrang, Harry! Could have jinxed you right there, couldn't he?'

'Love to have seen him try,' Harry said. 'I've been practising blocking jinxes. Besides Krum's all right, he wasn't trying to jinx me, he just wanted to talk about Hermione-'

'I'll be having a few words with her, an' all,' said Hagrid grimly. 'The less you lot have to do with these foreigners, the happier you'll be. You can't trust any of them.'

'You were getting on all right with Madame Maxime,' Harry retorted.

'Don't you talk to me about her!' Hagrid said. 'I've got her number now! Trying to get back in me good books, trying to get me to tell her what's coming in the third task. Ha! You can't trust any of them!'

...

'ANNA!' Sirius shouted through the mirror. 'What were you thinking? Walking off into the Forest with Viktor Krum?'

'Shh! Sirius, keep it down,' Harry said. 'I haven't cast a silencing spell. You'll wake everyone.'

'WELL DAMN WELL CAST ONE, THEN,' Sirius raved.

Reluctantly Harry cast, a silencing spell around her bed. 'There all done. Happy now!'

'NO, I'M NOT,' Sirius said. 'You could have been killed, do you not realise that? There is somebody highly dangerous at Hogwarts. It's clear that they wanted to stop Crouch from seeing Dumbledore, and you were probably feet away from them in the dark. Your name didn't get into the Goblet of Fire by accident. If someone's trying to attack you, they're on their last chance. Stay close to Ron and Hermione, do not leave Gryffindor Tower after hours, and arm yourself for the third task.'

'I'm already working on that, Stunning; check, Disarming; check, working on hexes now.'

'Good, keep your head down, and look after yourself! There's nothing you can do about Crouch. I want your word, Anna, that you won't stray out of bounds again, your _word_.'

So Harry gave her word, the grounds of Hogwarts never looked more inviting than when Harry had to stay indoors. For the next few days, she spent all her time in the library looking up hexes or preparing for her upcoming owl which she would be taking a few days before the final task. Harry wasn't sure what she was more nervous by the test that could change her life, or the final task that could risk her own life.

'I like the look of this one, Harry,' Hermione said looking up from a book in her hands. 'this Impediment jinx.'

'The one that slows down anything that's trying to attack you?' Harry clarified. 'Already started learning it.'

The bell rang.

'We'll see you at dinner Ron!' Hermione said.

'Have fun, I know I won't,' Ron said grimly. 'Trelawney's room is going to be boiling.'

It was hot in the Arithmancy room too, Harry kept rubbing at her eyes and forehead. She felt like she was going to drop off to sleep at any moment. It didn't help that the classroom had been dimly lit for their lesson. Then suddenly -

She was riding on the back of an eagle owl, soaring through the sky towards an old, ivy-covered house set in the hillside. Lower they flew, until they reached a dark and broken window in the upper story of the house, and entered. Now they were flying through the passageway, to a room at the very end ... through the door, they went, into a dark room ... Harry had left the owl's back ... she was watching, now as it fluttered across the room, into a chair with its back to her ... two dark shapes on the floor beside the chair ... both of them stirring ... one was a huge snake ... the other was a man ... a short, balding man, a man with watery eyes and a pointed nose ... he was wheezing and sobbing ...

'You are in luck Wormtail,' said a cold, high-pitched voice from the depths of the chair. 'You are very fortunate indeed. Your blunder has not ruined everything. He is dead.'

'My Lord!' gasped the man on the floor. 'My Lord, I am ... I am so pleased ... and so sorry ...'

'Nagini,' said the cold voice, 'you are out of luck. I will not be feeding Wormtail to you, after all ... but never mind, never mind ... there is still Harianna Potter ...'

The snake hissed.

'Now, Wormtail, perhaps one more little reminder why I will not tolerate another blunder from you ...' said the cold voice.

'My Lord ... no ... I beg you ...'

The tip of a wand emerged from the depths of the chair. It was pointed at Wormtail. ' _Crucio,'_ said the cold voice.

Wormtail screamed, screamed as though every nerve in his body was on fire, the screaming filled Harry's ears as the scar on her forehead seared with pain ...

'Harry! Harry!'

Harry opened her eyes, she was lying on the floor of the Arithmancy room with her hands over her face. Her scar was still burning so badly her eyes were watering. The whole class was standing around her, and Hermione and Draco were kneeling next to her, both looked terrified.

'You all right?' Hermione said.

'Bad headache,' Harry said. 'It made me pass out.'

Hermione's look softened, she turned to Professor Vector.

'Stress, too, most likely,' her Professor said. 'Go see Madam Pomfrey, we'll postpone your OWL.'

'No, don't do that, please Professor, I've worked so hard to take it.' Harry said.

'You should at least see Madam Pomfrey,' Professor Vector said. 'You're looking rather pasty.'

Harry, however, had no intentions of visiting the hospital wing. She was going to take Sirius advice: she was going straight to Dumbledore. The dream had just been as vivid as the one she had during the summer whilst at Privet Drive. She walked right up to the stone gargoyle.

'OK, so Dumbledore used a sweet for his last password,' Harry said staring at it. 'Well, he must have changed the password as it didn't work last time ... oh ... going with the theory he likes sweets ... what would he use?'

'Pear drop. Liquorice wand. Fizzing Whizzbee. Droobles Best Blowing Gum. Chocolate Frog!' Harry rolled off the ones she could think of. 'Damn it ... umm … Sugar Quill ... Cockroach cluster!'

The gargoyle sprang to life. She hurried through the gap in the walls and stepped onto the spiral stone staircase. She could hear voices as she neared the office door.

'Dumbledore, I'm afraid I don't see the connection, don't see it at all!' It was the voice of the Minister for Magic, Cornelius Fudge. 'Ludo Bagman says Bertha's perfectly capable of getting herself lost. I agree we should have found her by now, but all the same, there's no evidence of foul play, none at all. As for her disappearance being linked with Barty Crouch's!'

'And what do you think's happened to Barty Crouch, Minister?' said Moody's growling voice.

'I see two possibilities, Alastor,' said Fudge. 'Either Crouch has finally cracked - more than likely, I'm sure you'll agree, given his personal history - lost his mind, and gone wandering off somewhere -'

'He wandered extremely quickly, if that is the case, Cornelius,' said Dumbledore.

'Or else - well, I'll reserve judgement until after I've seen the place where he was found.'

'Can we wrap up this discussion?' growled Moody.

'Yes, yes, let's go down into the grounds, then,' said Fudge.

'No, it's not that,' Moody said, 'it's just Potter wants a word with you, Dumbledore. She's just outside the door.'

The door of the office opened.

'Hello, Potter,' said Moody. 'Come in, then.'

Harry walked inside, she had been in this very office a few times now. Cornelius Fudge was standing beside Dumbledore's desk.

'Harianna! said Fudge. 'How are you?'

'Fine,' Harry said.

'We were just talking about the night Mr Crouch turned up on the grounds. It was you who found him, was it not?'

'Yes,' Harry said.

'We're about to go for a short walk in the grounds, Harianna if you excuse us ... perhaps if you just go back to your class -'

'I needed to talk with Professor Dumbledore,' Harry said quickly looking at him, who gave her a swift searching look.

'Wait for me here, Harry,' he said. 'Our examination of the grounds won't take long.'

...

The stone basin was shimmering in the cabinet in front of her, and Albus Dumbledore was standing beside her.

'Professor,' Harry gasped, 'I know I shouldn't have - I didn't mean - the cabinet door was sort of open and -'

'I quite understand,' said Dumbledore. He lifted the basin, carried it over to his desk, and sat down in the chair behind it. He motioned to Harry to sit opposite him. Harry did so, staring at the stone basin. Her mind was revelling in what she had just seen.

'This is a Pensieve, Harry,' said Dumbledore calmly. 'I sometimes find, and I am sure you know the feeling, that I simply have too many thoughts and memories crammed into my mind.'

'At these times, I use the Pensieve. One simply syphons the excess thoughts from one's mind, pours them into a basin, and examines them at one's leisure. It becomes easier to spot patterns and links, you understand when they are in this form.'

'You mean ... that stuff's your thoughts?' Harry said, staring at the swirling white substance in the basin.

'Certainly,' said Dumbledore. 'Let me show you.'

Dumbledore drew out his wand, placed the tip to his temple. When he took the tip away, hair seemed to be clinging to it - but in fact, it was the same silvery white substance that filled the Pensieve. Dumbledore added this fresh thought to the basin, then placed his hands either side of the Pensieve and Snape's face appeared, speaking clearly. 'It's coming back ... Karkaroff's too ... stronger and clearer than ever ...'

'A connection I could have made without assistance,' Dumbledore sighed, 'but never mind.'

'I was using the Pensieve when Mr Fudge arrived for our meeting and put it away rather hastily. Naturally, it would have attracted your attention.'

'I'm sorry.'

'Curiosity is not a sin, but we should exercise caution with our curiosity ...'

'Is that why you told me some things were best left as a mystery?'

Dumbledore chuckled. 'I see, there is nothing wrong with your memory. Now, what was it you wish to speak to me about?'

'Oh, I feel asleep,' Harry said sheepishly. 'And I had a dream about Lord Voldemort. He was torturing - Wormtail - Pettigrew - Voldemort got a letter from an owl. He said something like, Pettigrew's blunder had been repaired, He said someone was dead. Then he said, Pettigrew wouldn't be fed to the snake - there was a snake beside his chair. He said he'd be feeding me to it, instead. Then he did the Cruciatus Curse on Pettigrew - and my scar hurt, it woke me up, it hurt so badly.'

'I see,' said Dumbledore. 'I see. Now, has your scar hurt at any other time this year, expect the time it woke you up over the summer?'

'No - how did you know that?'

'You're not Sirius's only correspondent.' Dumbledore said.

'Oh, so do you have any idea why my scar's hurting me?'

'I have a theory, no more than that ... It is my belief that your scar hurts both when Voldemort is near you, and when he is feeling a particularly strong surge of hatred.'

'But ... how?'

'Because you and he are connected by the curse that failed,' said Dumbledore. 'That is no ordinary scar.'

'So, my dream could have actually happened.'

'It is possible, I would say probable. Harry - did you see Voldemort?'

'No, just the back of his chair. But there wouldn't have been anything to see, he hasn't got a body. But then how could he have held the wand?'

'How indeed ...' muttered Dumbledore.

'Do you think he's getting stronger Professor?' Harry said. 'Voldemort.'

'I can only give my suspicions, Harry. The years of Voldemort's ascent to power were marked with disappearances. Bertha Jorkins has vanished without a trace in the place Voldemort was certainly known to be last. Mr Crouch, too, disappeared ... within these very grounds. And there was a third disappearance, that of a Muggle. His name was Frank Bryce, he lived in the village where Voldemort's father grew up, and has not been seen since last August.' said Dumbledore. 'These disappearances seem to me to be linked. The Ministry disagrees - as you may have heard while waiting outside my office.'

Harry thought about it, if Dumbledore believed they were connected, then most likely they were. The question was how?

'I must ask you do not reveal what you have seen in my Pensieve,' Dumbledore said. 'Especially in regards to Mr Longbottom's parents.'

'Don't worry, Professor,' Harry said. 'I told Neville I had his back and I never go back on my word.'

Dumbledore appeared to be taken aback. 'I was not aware, he told anyone.'

'I already knew, sort of,' Harry said. 'My dad's journal - it was in there. I read it last year. I just put the pieces together.'

'I see,' Dumbledore said, then after a moment, Dumbledore's twinkling eyes searched out of her own. 'Then I believe, all that is left for me to say is, good luck, for both the third task and for that Arithmancy OWL, you take next week.'


	83. Chapter 83

Everything - nearly everything Dumbledore had said, Harry relayed to Ron, Hermione and Sirius. Unfortunately, even with Dumbledore's belief that Voldemort was growing stronger, it didn't stop the fact that the end of year exams were right around the corner. And in between all their studying Harry was still practising learning hexes and several spells for the finial task, which was to be held the week before the end of term. She had covered the Impediment jinx, the Reductor curse, the Shield Charm and the Four-Point Spell.

The morning of her Arithmancy exam, Harry got some unexpected news to take her mind off her upcoming OWL that day. Breakfast was a very noisy affair at the Gryffindor table. The post owls appeared, bringing Harry a good luck card from Sirius, Remus, Dobby and Winky. A screech owl arrived for Hermione, carrying her morning copy of the _Daily Prophet_ as usual. She unfolded the paper, glanced at the front page, and spat out a mouthful of pumpkin juice all over it.

'What?' Harry and Ron said together, staring at her.

'Nothing,' said Hermione quickly, trying to shove the paper out of sight, but Ron grabbed it.

He stared at the headline, and said, 'No way. Not today. That cow.'

'Skeeter again?'

'No,' said Ron, and just like Hermione, he attempted to push the paper out of sight.

'It's about me, isn't it?'

'No,' said Ron, in an entirely unconvincing tone. But before Harry could demand to see the paper, Pansy Parkinson shouted across the Great Hall from the Slytherin Table. 'Hey, Potter! Potter! How's your head? You feeling all right? Sure, you're not going to go berserk on us?'

Most of the Slytherin table sniggered, twisting in their seats to see Harry's reaction. Draco Malfoy turned his head, a copy of the paper in his hands also, and mouthed; 'I didn't tell her. Are you OK?'

'Let me see that damn paper,' Harry said forcefully, holding out her hand. Harry turned the paper over and found herself staring at her own picture, beneath a banner headline

 _HARIANNA POTTER 'DISTURBED AND DANGEROUS'_

 _The girl who defeated He Who Must Not Be Named is unstable and possibly dangerous, Writes Rita Skeeter, Special Correspondent. Alarming evidence has recently come to light about Harianna Potter's strange behaviour, which cast doubts upon her suitability to compete in a demanding competition like the Triwizard Tournament, or even attend Hogwarts school. Potter, the Daily Prophet can exclusively reveal, regularly collapses at school. On Monday last, midway through an Arithmancy lesson, your Daily Prophet reporter witnessed Potter storming from the class, clutching at her scar, claiming her head was hurting too badly to continue studying. It is possible, say top experts at St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, that Potter's brain was affected by the attack inflicted upon her by You Know Who._

'She might even be pretending,' said one specialist, 'this could be a plea for attention.' _The Daily Prophet, however, has unearthed worrying facts about Harianna Potter that Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts, has carefully concealed from the wizarding public._ _'Potter can speak Parseltongue,' reveals Pansy Parkinson. 'There were a lot of attacks on students a couple of years ago, and most people thought Potter was behind them after they saw her lose her temper at a Duelling Club and set a snake on another boy. it was all hushed up, though. We think she'd do anything for a bit of power.'_ _Parseltongue, the ability to converse with snakes, has long been considered a Dark Art. Indeed, the most famous Parselmouth of our times is none other than You Know Who himself. A member of the Dark Force Defence League, who wished to remain unnamed, stated that he would regard anyone who could speak Parseltongue 'as worthy of investigation. Personally, I would be highly suspicious of anybody who could converse with snakes, as serpents are often used in the worst kinds of Dark Magic, and are historically associated with-doers.'_

 _Albus Dumbledore should surely consider whether a girl such as this should be allowed to compete in the Triwizard Tournament. Some fear that Potter might resort to the Dark Arts in her desperation to win the Tournament, the third task of which takes places in just two weeks._

'The parasite's gone off me a bit, I see,' Harry said folding up the paper and turned her head towards George. 'How much for a Ton-Tongue Toffee?'

'We haven't got any Harry,' Fred said overhearing her request.

Harry leaned towards them both and whispered in a dangerous tone. 'Do not lie to me, I know for a fact you've made them again, and if you wish for this information not to reach your mother, you will give me what I need.' she paused. 'So, I'll ask again, how much for a Ton-Tongue Toffee?'

'You know Princess,' George said pulling out a brightly coloured sweet quickly from his robes. 'I think we've been a bad influence on you.'

'This one's on the house,' Fred said.

Harry smirked at them, buttered some toast rather vigorously and began to eat it.

'So, who's the victim?' Fred asked eagerly.

'You'll see,' Harry muttered, 'you'll see.'

...

'You've got this Harry,' said Daphne.

Harry nodded but continued her pacing of the Entrance Hall, lunch had just ended and her nerves had kicked in once more. Her friends look from her to each other. Most of her Arithmancy class and her tutoring friends had stayed with her to wish her luck.

'Yeah, mate if you can take on a dragon,' said Ron. 'You sure can do this.'

'Yeah, Harry ... it's not so bad - it's just some test.'

Harry stopped abruptly and rounded on Fred. 'Just some test - just some test, this is not just some test - it's an OWL.'

'Harianna,' Draco said. 'you're the genius, you'll sail through it. They wouldn't have let you take the OWL otherwise.'

'Just remain calm Anna,' George said softly. 'You'll be just fine.'

'We best go.' Hermione said as the bell rang signalling the start of lessons.

'Good luck,' Neville said giving her a cheery wave.

Harry was left alone now, well not completely a few other students who were also taking the OWL remained in the Entrance Hall as they passed. Fleur wished her luck as she passed, Cedric also gave words of encouragement as he went on his way to his own lesson. The students soon had left behind an empty Great Hall and the doors shut again, a sign appeared on the door saying; EXAM IN PROGRESS: REMAIN QUIET. Harry stared at it, any moment now those doors would open again and this time she would be entering it to take her exam a whole year early. Why could she remain calm when her life was in danger, but the moment a test loomed over her head she got so nervous that she couldn't remain still. The doors slowly opened, it had been filled with smaller desks this time. Harry entered the hall with the other students, took her seat and began the test when asked to.

Her friends had been right of course, as soon as she started the test, her panic subsided. She hadn't even needed the full time to complete it. Dinner had also been a rather happy event as she sat down enjoying her meal quite thoroughly, when Pansy Parkinson, who was sitting at the Slytherin table had come over quite odd. Even the distance from the Gryffindor table, Harry could see her face turning purple and her tongue lengthening. A Slytherin had once told her that the Slytherin house didn't make friends they had acquaintances, Harry had just proved his theory wrong. Slytherins could make friends, and he gained a Gryffindor one.

...

The morning of the final task Professor McGonagall told her to go into the chamber off the Hall, without telling her why. Ron and Hermione had no clue either, so after breakfast she entered the chamber to come upon the strangest sight she had ever seen. It quickly came apparent that the champions families had been invited to watch the finial task. Cedric's and his parents were just inside the door. Viktor Krum was over in a corner, conversing with his dark-haired mother and father in rapid Bulgarian. On the other side of the room, Fleur was jabbering away in French to her mother. Fleur's little sister was holding her mother's hand. Fleur waved at Harry as she passed. None of this was strange in the slightest way, no it had been who was at the fireplace. Naturally, Sirius had turned up, but standing either side of him, both of the families looking rather awkward was Mrs Weasley and Bill, and Mr and Mrs Malfoy. Mr Malfoy looked less than impressed to be there. But then he often wore that expression at least he was no longer sneering at her coldly. Had Draco written home to say that they were getting along better? Sirius shrugged at her, which she knew to mean that it had not been his idea to invite the Malfoys they had come of their own accord. What that motive was, if there was one, Harry couldn't tell. Though the Gryffindor table had been more than up for the challenge of keeping a close eye on them during lunch time. Even Daphne and Blaise had joined the table, no doubt to give Draco and his family some Slytherin back up.

Ludo Bagman and Cornelius Fudge had joined the staff table for the evening meal. Bagman looked quite cheerful, but Cornelius Fudge looked stern. There were more courses than usual, but Harry didn't eat much as the anticipation kicked in. Dumbledore rose to his feet at the staff table, and silence fell.

'Ladies and gentleman, in five minutes' time, I will be asking you to make your way down to the Quidditch pitch for the third and last task of the Triwizard Tournament. Will the champions please follow Mr Bagman down to the stadium now.'

Sirius gave her a swift crushing hug, letting go so Harry could get up. The Gryffindors all along the table were applauding her; the Weasleys, the Malfoys, Hermione, Neville, Daphne and Blaise all wished her good luck, she exchanged one last look with Sirius and headed out of the Hall, with Cedric, Fleur and Krum.

'Feeling all right, Harianna?' Bagman asked as they went down the stone steps into the grounds. 'Confident?'

'I'm OK,' Harry replied. It was sort of true, she could remember all the spells she had learnt just for this task, and that knowledge made her feel better. They walked onto the Quidditch pitch, which was unrecognisable. A twenty-foot-high hedge ran all the way around the edge of it. There was a gap right in front of them; the entrance to the vast maze. Five minutes later, the stands had begun to fill; the air was full of excited voices and the rumbling of feet as the students filed into their seats. Hagrid, Professor Moody, Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick came walking into the stadium all were wearing large, red, luminous stars on their hats, expect Hagrid, who had his on the back of his moleskin waistcoat.

'We are going to be patrolling the outside of the maze, if you get into difficulty, and wished to be rescued, send red sparks into the air, and one of us will come get you, do you understand?'

The champions nodded.

'Off you go, then!' said Bagman to the four patrollers. Hagrid whispered a good luck to her, and all four of them walked off in different directions. Bagman now pointed his wand at his throat, muttered ' _Sonorus',_ and his magically magnified voice echoed into the stands.

'Ladies and gentleman, the third and final task of the Triwizard Tournament is about to begin! Let me remind you how the points currently stand! Tied in first place, on eighty-five points each - Mr Cedric Diggory and Miss Harianna Potter, both of Hogwarts School! In second place, on eight points - Mr Viktor Krum, of Durmstrang Institute! And in third place - Miss Fleur Delacour, of Beaxbatons Academy!'

'So ... on my whistle, Harianna and Cedric!' said Bagman. 'Three - two - one -'

He gave a short blast on his whistle, and Harry and Cedric hurried forwards into the maze. The towering hedges cast black shadows across the path, and whether because they were so tall and think, or because they had been enchanted, the sound of surrounding crowd was silenced the moment they entered the maze. She pulled out her wand mutter ' _Lumos Maxima',_ and heard Cedric do the same just behind her. After about fifty yards, they reached a fork. They looked at each other.

'See you,' Harry said, and she took the left one, while Cedric took the right. Harry heard Bagman's whistle for the second time. Krum had entered the maze. Harry sped up, the path she'd chosen seemed completely deserted. She hurried on, holding her wand out, trying to see as far ahead as possible. Still, there was nothing in sight. Bagman's whistle blew in the distance for the third time. All the champions were now inside the maze.

But each path she took as she walked further into the maze was deserted. She had a feeling she was being watched. A few times she checked her direction, knowing that the centre of the maze was north-west. The empty paths were beginning to unnerve her. Surely, she should have come across an obstacle by now? It felt as though the maze was luring her into a false sense of security. Then she heard movement behind her - her wand was out at the ready, but it's beam only landed on Cedric who looked severely shaken. The sleeves of his robes were smoking.

'Hagrid's Blast-Ended Skrewts!' he hissed. 'They're enormous - I only just got away!' Cedric shook his head, and dived out of sight, along another path. Keen to put plenty of distance between himself and the Skrewts, Harry also hurried off again, she too did not want to meet the Shrewts. Then, as she turned a corner, she felt the air become icy cold - A Dementor was gliding towards her, it's face hidden by its hood, it rotting, scabbed hands outstretched, it advanced, sensing its way blindly towards her. Harry could hear its rattling breath, but she knew what to do ... She summoned the happiest thought, the same thought she always used, raised her wand and cried, ' _Expecto Patronum!'_

A silver stag erupted from the end of Harry's wand and galloped towards the Dementor, which fell back, and tripped ... Harry had never seen a Dementor stumble, then she realised what it actually was - a Boggart - ' _Riddikulus!'_ There was a loud crack, and the shape-shifter burst into falling flower petals. The silver stag faded from sight. Harry should have known better; Professor Dumbledore was not likely to let Dementors onto the school grounds.

Harry kept pushing on, twice she had found herself facing dead ends, and then she found she was going to far east, so she turned back, took a right turn and the maze walls suddenly closed its walls around her, she was trapped. It had to be some kind of enchantment. Then in the distance, a scream shattered the silence.

'Fleur!' Harry yelled.

There was silence. She stared all around her, what had happened to Fleur? Her scream seemed to have come from somewhere ahead. There was no sign of red sparks - had she got herself out of trouble? Frustrated, Harry looked around at her own problem, there was no way through the walls, and blasting her way through, probably wouldn't work either.

 _Think,_ she told herself, the only time she had been stuck like this before, had been when the barrier to platform nine and three-quarters magically closed, by Dobby, stopping Ron and her from getting onto it. But what the magic had used to get to school - that was the answer. Harry reached out, touched the hedged of the maze closest to her and concentrated - concentrated on the way getting past, of making her way towards the Cup. The hedges moved around her creating an opening, and Harry smiled, magic responding to the call of magic was the first thing she had learnt when she had first researched Ancient Magic. Harry stepped through the open gap, meeting nothing for the next ten minutes but dead ends. Finally, she found a new route and started to jog along it, when she rounded another corner, and found herself facing a Blast-Ended Skrewt.

Cedric was right - it was enormous. Ten feet long, it looked more like a giant scorpion than anything. Its long sting was curled over its back. Its thick armour glinted in the light from Harry's wand.

' _Stupefy!'_

The spell hit the Skrewt's armour and rebounded, Harry ducked. The Skrewt issued a blast of fire from its end and flew forwards towards her. ' _IMPEDIMENTA!'_

The Skrewt slowed down, however, was inches away now from her, Harry shot one last spell at it; ' _Immobilious!'_ The Skrewt froze, Harry moved away from it and ran, hard - each time she had used that Charm on bigger objects, in the past, her targets had regained their movements. She hurried along her path when she heard something in the path parallel to hers own which made her stop dead.

'What are you doing?' yelled Cedric's voice. 'What the hell d'you think you're doing?'

And then Harry heard Krum's voice.

' _Crucio!'_

The air was suddenly full of Cedric's yells. Horrified, Harry began trying to find a way into Cedric's path, when none appeared, she raised her wand to the hedge. ' _Reducto!'_ The Reductor curse wasn't very effective but it burnt a small hole in the hedge, Harry clambered through it, tearing her robes and, looking to her right, saw Cedric jerking and twitching, Krum looked up, his eyes glazed over. Krum turned and began to run.

' _Stupefy!'_ Harry yelled. The spell hit Krum in the back; he stopped dead in his tracks, fell forwards and lay motionless. Harry dashed over to Cedric, who had stopped twitching, and was lying there panting, his hands over his face.

'Are you all right?' Harry said crouching down, touching his shoulder lightly.

'Yeah,' Cedric panted. 'Yeah ... I don't believe it ... he crept up behind me ... I heard him, I turned around, and he had his wand on me ...'

Cedric got up. He was still shaking. He and Harry looked down at Krum.

'I thought he was all right,' Cedric said.

'He is,' Harry replied, looking around them. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Cedric looking at her bewildered. 'He was cursed, somehow - his eyes were glazed over,' she explained. 'I doubt he had any idea of what he was doing.'

The only thing, Harry should see was hedges of the maze, the maze was still quiet, something, however, had cursed Krum - but what? - or who?

'We should keep moving,' Harry said to Cedric, sending up red sparks, with her wand. 'Before whatever attacked Krum, attacks us.'

'Wands out d'you reckon?'

Harry nodded. 'We'll spilt up at the end of the path.' she suggested. 'It'll be harder for whatever it was to track both of us if we separate.'

It was an odd moment, as they walked down the maze - She and Cedric were united by whatever attacked Krum and Harry couldn't help by wonder if whatever it was had caused Fleur to scream. Two champions down now - it was her or Cedric that would be taking the glory now. At the end of the path Harry and Cedric spilt up once more, Harry continued onward, while Cedric had taken a fork off to the right.

The increasing darkness made her feel sure she was getting near the heart of the maze, every so often she hit more dead ends. Then, as she strode down a long, straight path, she saw movement once again, and the light from her wand hit an extraordinary creature, one which he had only seen in picture form, in her _Monster Book of Monsters._ It was a sphinx, it had the body of an over-large lion; great clawed paws, and a long yellowish tail, its head was that of a woman. She turned her almond-shaped eyes on Harry. She was not crouching as if to spring, but pacing from side to side, blocking her progress. Then she spoke, in a deep, hoarse voice. 'You are very near your goal. The quickest way is past me.'

'So, will you let me pass, please?'

'No, not unless you can answer my riddle. Answer on your first guess - I let you pass. Answer wrongly - I attack. Remain silent _ I will let you walk away from me, unscathed.'

Harry almost laughed, now this she could do, riddles were nothing but working out the theory behind it.

'OK, can I hear the riddle?'

The Sphinx sat down upon her hind legs, in the very centre of the path, and recited:

 _'First, think of the person who lives in disguise,_

 _Who deals in secrets and tells nought but lies._

 _Next, tell me what's always the last thing to mend,_

 _The middle of middle and end of the end?_

 _And finally, give me the sound often heard_

 _During the search for a hard-to-find-word._

 _Now string them together, and answer me this,_

 _Which creature would you be unwilling to kiss?'_

So, the clues added up to a creature she wouldn't want to kiss, she could think of plenty of creatures she wouldn't want to kiss. Harry thought over it carefully - a person in disguise who tells nothing but lies - an impostor of some kind - a spy? The last thing to mend, the middle or middle and end of the end - OK so she had to come back to that. Then a sound often heard in the search for a hard-to-find word - er? - that was it.

'Spider!'

The sphinx smiled broadly, she got up and moved aside to let Harry pass. Up ahead she had a choice of paths. 'Point me!' she whispered once more to her wand. And it spun around and pointed to the right-hand one. She dashed up it and saw light ahead. The Triwizard Cup was gleaming on a plinth a hundred yards away. Harry broke into a run when a dark figure hurtled out onto the path in front of her. Cedric was going to get there first, he was sprinting as fast as he could towards the Cup. Harry stopped running - she would never catch up, and the funny thing was she didn't mind - she had never entered the Tournament, to begin with, unlike Cedric. It was only right he should have the glory - then - something emerged over the hedge to her left; it was moving so fast Cedric was about it run into it, and Cedric eyes on the Cup, had not seen it -

'Cedric!' Harry bellowed, running forwards once more. 'On your left!'

Cedric looked around just in time to hurl himself past the thing and avoid colliding with it but, in his haste, he tripped. Harry saw his wand fly out of his hand, as the gigantic spider stepped into the path, and began to bear down upon Cedric. Not willing to take any risks this time Harry yelled a spell she knew would work.

 _'Immobilious!'_

The spider froze, Cedric, made a grab for his wand and scrambled to his feet.

'Thanks,' he panted.

'Welcome,' Harry panted back. 'Go on then, take it,' she gestured to the Cup. It was feet away from where Cedric was standing. 'Spider, won't stay frozen forever.'

But Cedric didn't move, he merely stood there, looking at Harry. Then he turned to stare at the Cup. Harry saw the longing expression on his face in its golden light. Cedric looked around at Harry again, she was now bending over hands on her knees, trying to catch her breath. Cedric took a deep breath.

'You should take it. You should win. Twice you saved my neck in here.'

'That's not how it's supposed to work, you got here first - you should take it - I was never meant to be in the stupid Tournament anyway.' Harry panted out. 'Stop being noble and take it.'

Cedric really looked at her. 'I only entered the Tournament to impress a girl, I happen to like. She thinks I'm an honourable person because I want to do something fair - I just wanted to prove, that I could do things on my own merit,' he laughed. 'That didn't quite turn out as planned.'

Harry looked back at him. 'What do you mean by that?'

'You told me about the dragons,' Cedric said. 'I would've gone down in the first task if you hadn't told me what was coming.'

'I had help on that, too,' Harry snapped. 'You helped me with the egg - we're square.'

'I had help on the egg in the first place,' Cedric said.

'We're still square,' said Harry.

'You should have got more points on the second task,' said Cedric. 'You stayed behind to make sure all the hostages were OK. I should have thought of that.'

'I was the only one who was thick enough to take that song seriously!' Harry said bitterly. 'Just take the cup, so you can impress Cho.'

'Cho?'

'Isn't she the girl you want to impress,' Harry said. 'I'm sure she won't think any less of you.'

Cedric laughed. 'Cho's just a close friend, Harry.'

'Oh, right, well still, take it would you,' Harry said. 'So, we can get out of here.'

Cedric reached out to her, shaking his head. 'Both of us, let's take it together. It's still a Hogwarts victory.'

'Yeah, and that girl will still think you're honourable,' Harry said, looking from Cedric to the Cup. 'Are you sure?'

Cedric nodded. 'Very.'

They walked side by side towards the Cup, both had grins on their faces. When they reached the cup they both held out a hand over of the Cup's gleaming handles.

'On three,' Harry said looking at the handle in front of her. 'One - two - three-'

She grasped a handle and instantly, Harry felt a jerk somewhere behind her navel. Her feet had left the ground. She could not unclench the hand holding the Triwizard Cup, it was pulling her onwards, in a howl of wind and swirling colour.

...

Harry felt her feet slam into the ground, she let go of the Cup and raised her head. She looked around her, but Harry was very much alone - Cedric had not taken the Cup with her - he had let her win - had let her take the glory.

'Stupid - honourable - git,' Harry hissed.

Harry surveyed her surroundings, she had left the Hogwarts ground completely; she had obviously travelled hundreds of miles, the mountains surrounding the castle were gone. She was standing instead in a dark and overgrown graveyard; the black outline of a small church was visible in the distance. Harry could just make out the outline of a fine old house on the hillside. The Cup had been a Portkey. The graveyard was completely silent and eerie, she pulled out her wand. If this was still part of the task, she wasn't going to be caught off guard. She kept looking around, she had the strange sensation that she was being watched again.

Then a figure in the darkness was walking steadily towards her between the graves. Harry couldn't make out a face; but from the way it was walking and holding its arms, she could tell it was carrying something. Whoever it was, they were short, and wearing a cloak pulled up over their head to obscure their face. And as the gap between them closed, Harry saw that the thing in the person's arms looked like a baby ... or a bundle of robes. She kept her wand raised and at the ready, watching the approaching figure. It stopped beside a towering marble headstone, only six feet from her, for a second, Harry and the short figure simply looked at each other.

And then without warning, Harry's scar exploded with pain. It was agony such as she had never felt in her life; her wand slipped from her fingers as she put her hands to her face; her knees buckled; she was on the ground and could see nothing at all, her head was about to spilt open. Somehow, she managed to squint her eyes open, she felt herself being pulled to her feet. The short man in the cloak had put down his bundle and was dragging Harry towards the marble headstone. Harry saw the name upon it flickering in the short man's wand-light, before she was forced around and slammed against it.

 _TOM RIDDLE_

The cloaked man was now conjuring tight cords around Harry tying her from neck to ankles to the headstone. Harry could hear shallow, fast breathing from the depths of the hood; she struggled and the man hit her - hit her with a hand that had a finger missing. And Harry realised who it was - Pettigrew.

'You!' she gasped.

But Pettigrew, who finished conjuring the ropes, did not reply; he was busy checking the tightness of the cords. Once he was sure Harry was bound so tightly to the headstone that she couldn't move an inch, Pettigrew gagged her and hurried away. Harry couldn't make a sound, nor sound she see where Pettigrew had gone, as she couldn't turn her head to see beyond the headstone; she could only see what was right in front of her. About twenty feet away, glinting in the starlight, lay the Triwizard Cup, Harry's wand lay near-by it. The bundle of robes that Harry thought was a baby was close by, it seemed to be stirring fretfully. Harry's scar seared with pain again ... she didn't want to know or see what was in those robes. A gigantic snake slithered through the grass by her feet hissing ... ' _dinner'._ Pettigrew's fast, wheezy breathing was growing louder again. When he came back into view, he was pushing a stone cauldron to the foot of the grave. it was larger than any cauldron Harry had used, it was large enough to allow a fully-grown man to sit in it.

The cauldron was full to the brim, the liquid within it seem to heat very fast. The thing inside the bundle of robes on the ground was stirring more persistently, as though it was trying to free itself. Steam was now thickening from the cauldron, the liquid within it was bubbling. And Harry heard a high, cold voice.

' _Hurry!'_

The whole surface of the liquid was alight with sparks now.

'It is ready, master.'

'Now ...' said the cold voice.

Pettigrew pulled open the robes on the ground, revealing what was inside them. Harry let out a scream that was strangled in the wad of material blocking her mouth. The thing Pettigrew was carrying was hairless and scaly looking, a dark, raw, reddish black. It's arms and legs were thin and feeble, and its face was flat and snake like, with gleaming eyes. And then Pettigrew lowered the creature into the cauldron; there was a hiss, and it vanished below the surface.

Pettigrew was now speaking, his voice shook, he seemed frightened beyond his wits. He raised his wand, closed his eyes, and spoke to the night. ' _Bone of the father, unknowingly given, you will renew your son!'_

The surface of the grave at Harry's feet cracked. Horrified, Harry watched as a fine trickle of dust rose into the air at Pettigrew's command, and fell into the liquid hiss; it sent sparks in all directions and turned a vivid, poisonous-looking blue. Pettigrew was now whimpering, he pulled a long, thin, shining silver dagger from inside his robes. His voice broke into petrified sobs. ' _Flesh - of the servant - w-willing given - you will - revive - your master.'_

He stretched his right hand in front of him - the hand with the missing finger, gripped the dagger tightly in his left hand, and swung it upwards. Knowing what Pettigrew had been about to do, had closed her eyes, but it had not stopped her hearing the scream that pierced the night. Something had fallen to the ground, she could hear Pettigrew's anguished panting, then a sickening splash. Harry couldn't bear to look ... but she opened her eyes, she'd rather know than to not know at all, the potion had turned a burning red now.

Pettigrew was gasping and moaning with agony as he stood before her. ' _Blood of the enemy ... forcibly taken ... you will ... resurrect your foe.'_

Harry could do nothing to prevent Pettigrew from penetrating the crook of her right arm. She, however, was not going to give him the satisfaction of hearing her scream, she bit down onto the cloth in her mouth. Pettigrew was still panting with pain, he fumbled in his pocket for a glass phial and held it to Harry's cut, so that dribble of blood fell into it. He then staggered back to the cauldron and poured her blood into it. The liquid turned, instantly, a blinding white. Pettigrew, his job done, dropped to his knees beside the cauldron.

The cauldron was simmering, sending more sparks into the air in all directions, nothing was happening ... Harry hoped it had gone wrong, this dark ritual, for she knew what Pettigrew had attempted. And then, suddenly, the sparks emanating from the cauldron were extinguished. A surge of white steam billowed thickly from the cauldron instead. Through the mist in front of her, she saw, with an icy surge of terror, the dark outline of a man, tall and skeletally thin, rising slowly from inside the cauldron.

'Robe me,' said the high, cold voice from behind the stream, and Pettigrew, sobbing and moaning, scrambled to pick up the black robes from the ground, got to his feet, reached up, and pulled them one-handed over his master's head. The thin man stepped out of the cauldron, staring at Harry ... and Harry stared back at the man, she knew that face knew what her blood had done. The man's face was whiter than a skull, with wide, livid scarlet eyes, and a nose that was as flat as a snake's, with slits for nostrils ... Lord Voldemort had risen again.


	84. Chapter 84

Voldemort looked away from Harry and began examining his own body. His hands were like large, pale spiders; his long white fingers caressed his own chest, his arms, his face; the red eyes. He held up his hands and flexed the fingers, his expression rapt and exultant. He took no notice of Pettigrew, who lay twitching bleeding on the ground, nor of the great snake that was slithering in circles around Harry, hissing. Voldemort slipped a hand into his pocket and drew out a wand. He caressed it, gently, too; and then he raised it, pointed it at Pettigrew who was lifted off the ground, and thrown against the headstone where Harry was tied; he fell to the foot of it and lay there, crumpled up and crying. Voldemort let out a high, cold, mirthless laugh. Pettigrew's robes were shining with blood now; he had wrapped the stump of his arm in them. 'Mr Lord ...' he choked, 'my Lord ... you promised ... you did promise ...'

'Hold out your arm,' said Voldemort.

'Oh, master ... thank you, master ...' Pettigrew extended the bleeding stump, but Voldemort laughed again.

'The other arm, Wormtail.'

'Master, please ... please ...'

Voldemort bent down, and pulled out Pettigrew's left arm; he forced the sleeve of Pettigrew's robe up past his elbow, and Harry saw something upon the skin there, something like a vivid red tattoo - a skull, with a snake protruding from its mouth - the Dark Mark. Voldemort examined it carefully.

'It is back,' he said softly, 'they will all have noticed it ... and now, we shall see ... now we shall know ...'

He pressed his long, forefinger to the brand on Pettigrew's arm. The scar on Harry's forehead seared with a sharp pain again, and Pettigrew let out a howl: Voldemort removed his finger from Pettigrew's mark, it had turned jet black. A cruel satisfaction on his face Voldemort straightened up threw back his head and stared around the graveyard.

'How many will be brave enough to return when they feel it?' he whispered. 'And how many will be foolish enough to stay away?'

He began to pace up and down before Harry and Pettigrew, eyes sweeping the graveyard all the while. After a minute or so, he looked at Harry again, a cruel smile twisting his snake-like face.

'You stand, Harianna Potter, upon the remains of my late father,' he hissed. 'A Muggle and a fool ... very much like your dear mother. But they both had their uses, did they not? Your mother died to defend you as a child ... and I killed my father, and see how useful he had proved himself, in death ...'

'You see that house upon the hillside, Potter? My father lived there. My mother, a witch who lived here in this village fell in love with him. But he abandoned her when she told him what she saw ... he didn't like magic, my father ... He left her and returned to his Muggle parents before I was even born, Potter, and she died giving birth to me, leaving me to be raised in a Muggle orphanage ... but I vowed to find him ... I avenged myself upon him, that fool who gave me his name ... _Tom Riddle_...'

Still, Voldemort paced, his red eyes darting from grave to grave.

'Listen to me, reliving family history ...' he said quietly. 'Why, I am growing quite sentimental ... But look, Harianna! My _true_ family returns ...'

The air was suddenly full of the swishing of cloaks. Between graves, in every shadowy space wizards were Apparating. All of them were hooded and masked. And one by one they moved forwards ... slowly, cautiously, as though they could hardly believe their eyes. Voldemort stood in the silence waiting for them, then one of the Death Eater fell to his knees, crawled towards Voldemort, and kissed the hem of his black robes.

'Master ... master ...' he murmured.

The Death Eater behind him did the same; each of them approaching Voldemort on their knees, and kissing his robes, before backing away and standing up, forming a silent circle which enclosed Tom Riddle's grave, Harry, Voldemort and the sobbing heap that was Pettigrew. Yet they left gaps in the circle, as though waiting for more people. Voldemort, however, did not seem to expect more. He looked around the hooded faces sweeping through them all. Something Harry felt was tugging at the binds that tied her, someone was _helping her_ while Voldemort was distracted looking around, only when Voldemort turned did the pulling on the binds stop.

'Welcome, Death Eaters, thirteen years ... thirteen years since we last met. Yet you answer my call as though it was yesterday ... we are still united under the Dark Mark, then! _Or are we?'_

He pulled back his terrible face and sniffed, his slit - like nostrils widening.

'I smell treachery,' he said. 'And there is a stench of guilt upon the air.'

A shiver ran around the circle, as though each member of it longed, but did not dare, to step back from him.

'I see you all, whole and healthy, with your powers intact - such prompt appearances! - and I ask myself ... why did this band of wizards never come to the aid of their master, to whom they swore eternal loyalty? And I answer myself, they must have believed me broken, they thought I was gone. They slipped back among my enemies, and they pleaded innocence, and ignorance, and bewitchment ... '

'And then I ask myself, but how could they have believed I would not rise again? They, who knew the steps I took, long ago, to guard myself against mortal death? They, who had seen proofs of the immensity of my power, in the times when I was mightier than any wizard living? And I answer myself, perhaps they believed a still-greater power could exist, one that could vanquish even Lord Voldemort ... perhaps they now pay allegiance to another ... perhaps that champion of commoners, of Mudbloods and Muggles, Albus Dumbledore?'

At the mention of Dumbledore's name, the members of the circle stirred, some muttered and shook their heads. Voldemort ignored them.

'It is a disappointment to me ... I confess myself disappointed ...'

One of the men suddenly flung himself forwards, breaking the circle. The binds around Harry began to move again. The man in front of Voldemort trembled head to foot, he collapsed at Voldemort's feet.

'Master!' he shrieked. 'Master, forgive me! Forgive us all!'

Voldemort began to laugh. He raised his wand. ' _Crucio!'_ The Death Eater on the ground writhed and shrieked; Harry was sure the sound must carry to the houses around. Voldemort raised his wand. The tortured Death Eater lay flat upon the ground, gasping.

'Get up, Avery,' Voldemort said. 'Stand up. You ask for forgiveness? I do not forgive. I do not forget. Traitors all of you -'

The binds around Harry were loose enough for her to move now, but not enough so that she could wriggle free of them completely. Then, Voldemort turned so suddenly facing off towards her, but he did not stare at Harry, instead, he stared behind her; to who she assumed had been helping her.

'No Igor, I do not forget,' Voldemort said. 'You gave names, put loyal subjects in Azkaban, still you chose to return tonight - now I find you aiding Harianna Potter, most treacherous indeed.'

It had been Karkaroff? Karkaroff had been trying to help her. It didn't make sense, why would he do that? But before Harry could figure it out, Karkaroff too was launched into the air, landing by Voldemort's feet.

'I think we all need a little reminder, into why I do not take kindly to those who betray me. Don't you agree, Igor?' Voldemort said raising his wand.

'I saw no point in fleeing. You would have killed me anyway, my Lord.'

'Yes,' Voldemort said leaning over him. 'You are quite correct.' Voldemort pointed his wand at Karkaroff and muttered. ' _Avada Kedavra!'_

A blast of green light and Karkaroff body lay still on the ground. And Harry knew he was dead. Voldemort swept passed his body as though it meant nothing to him, and spoke once more to his Death Eaters.

'Thirteen long years ... I want thirteen years' repayment before I forgive you. Betray me,' he said. 'And you'll end up like our just like our dear friend, just did.' he paused looking around at them all. 'Now Wormtail here, has paid off some of his debt already, have you not Wormtail?' He looked down at Pettigrew, who continued to sob. 'You returned to me, not out of loyalty, but out of fear of your old friends. You deserve this pain, Wormtail. You know that, don't you?'

'Yes, master,' moaned Pettigrew, 'please, master ... please ...'

'Yet you helped return me to my body,' said Voldemort coolly, watching Pettigrew sob. 'Worthless and traitorous as you are, you helped me ... and Lord Voldemort rewards his helpers ...'

Voldemort raised his wand and whirled it through the air. A streak of what looked like molten silver hung shining in the wands wake. Momentarily shapeless, it writhed and then formed itself into a gleaming replica of a human hand, it soared downwards and fixed itself upon Pettigrew's bleeding wrist. Pettigrew's sobbing stopped abruptly, he raised his head and stared in disbelief at the silver hand.

'My Lord,' he whispered. 'Master ... it is beautiful ... thank you ... thank you ...' He scrambled forward on his knees and kissed the hem of Voldemort's robes.

'May your loyalty never waver again, Wormtail,' said Voldemort.

'No, my Lord ... never, my Lord ...'

Pettigrew stood up and took his place in the circle. Voldemort moved on, besides Pettigrew, there was a big gap, it was large enough for three people.

'Malfoy should be standing here,' Voldemort indicated to the spot besides Pettigrew. 'He has not renounced the old ways, though shows a respectable face to the world. Still ready to take lead in a spot of Muggle-torture, I believe, but fails to show. His loyalty will be tested if he arrives - or he will be killed.' Then Voldemort stared at the empty spot once more. 'The Lestranges should stand next to him,' Voldemort said quietly. 'They are entombed in Azkaban. They were faithful. They went to Azkaban rather than renounce me ... when Azkaban is broken open, they will be honoured beyond their dreams. The Dementors will join us ... they are our natural allies ... we will recall the banished giants ... I shall have all my devoted servants returned to me, and an army of creatures whom all fear...'

He walked on, speaking to his Death Eaters in turn until he stopped at the largest gap of them all, a gap Harry could now see, that happened to besides her. Voldemort stood surveying it with his blank, red eyes, as though he could see people standing there.

'And here we have six missing Death Eaters ... three dead in my service. One that I just killed ... one treacherous spy for Dumbledore ... Yes, Severus will be killed as well - and one, who remains my most faithful servant, and who has already re-entered my service.'

The Death Eater's stirred; they darted their attention sideways at each other.

'He is at Hogwarts, that faithful servant, and it was through his efforts that our young friend arrived tonight ... Yes, Harianna Potter kindly joined us for my rebirthing party. One might go so far as call her my guest of honour.'

There was silence, Voldemort lipless mouth curled into a grin. 'How I managed to return to you all, starts and end with my young friend here.'

He walked lazily to stand next to Harry.

'You know, of course, that they call this girl my downfall?' Voldemort said softly, his eyes upon her, Harry's scar began to burn so fiercely that she almost screamed. 'You all know that on the night I lost my powers and my body, I tried to kill her. Her mother died in the attempt to save her - and unwittingly provided her with a protection I admit I had not foreseen ... I could not touch the girl. Her mother left upon her the traces of her sacrifice ... this is old magic, I should have remembered it, I was foolish to overlook it ... but no matter. I can touch her now.'

Harry felt the cold tip of the long finger touch her and thought her head would burst with the pain. Voldemort laughed softly in her ear, then took the finger away. 'I miscalculated, my friends, I admit it. My curse was deflected and it rebounded upon me. Aaah ... pain beyond pain, nothing could have prepared me for it. I was ripped from my body, I was less than spirit, less than the meanest ghost ... but still, I was alive. What I was even I do not know ... I, who have gone further than anybody along the path that leads to immortality. You know my goal to conquer death. And now, I was tested, and it appeared that one or more of my experiments had worked ... for I had not been killed, though the curse should have done it. Nevertheless, I was powerless as the weakest creature alive, and without the means to help myself ... for I had no body, and every spell which might have helped me required the use of a wand ...'

'I remember forcing myself second by second, to exist ... I settled in a faraway place, in a forest, and I waited ... surely, one of my faithful Death Eaters would try and find me ... one of them would come and perform the magic I could not, to restore me to my body ... but I waited in vain ... Only one power remained to me. I could possess the bodies of others. But I dared not go where other humans were plentiful, for I knew Aurors were still searching for me ...Then four years ago ... the means for my return seemed assured. A young foolish wizard wandered across my path in the forest I made my home. Oh, he seemed the very chance I had been dreaming of .. for he was a teacher at Hogwarts ... he was easy to bend to my will ... he brought me back to this country, and after a while, I took possession of his body, to supervise him as he carried out my orders. But my plan failed. I did not manage to steal the Philosopher's Stone. I was not to assured immortal life. I was thwarted ... thwarted, once again, by Harianna Potter ...'

'The servant died when I left his body, and I was left as weak as I had ever been, I returned to my hiding place far away, and I will not pretend to you that I didn't then fear that I might never regain my powers ... I had given up hope, that any of my Death Eaters cared what had become of me ... and then, not even a year ago, when I almost abandoned hope, it happened at last ... a servant returned to me: Wormtail here decided to return to his master. He sought me in the country where it had long been rumoured I was hiding. But his journey back to me was not smooth, was it Wormtail? For one night, forgetting he was the most wanted criminal, he stopped by an inn for some food ... and whom should he meet there, but one Bertha Jorkins, a witch from the Ministry of Magic. Wormtail over powered her, and he brought her to me, she provided me with knowledge. She told me that the Triwizard Tournament would be played at Hogwarts this year. She told me that she knew of a faithful Death Eater who would be only too willing to help me, if I could only contact him. She told me many things ... but the means I used to break the Memory Charm upon her were powerful, her mind and body were both damaged beyond repair, she had now served her purpose. I could not possess her. I disposed of her.'

'Now Wormtail became the able-bodied servant I needed, and poor wizard though he is, Wormtail was able to follow the instructions I gave him, which would return me to a rudimentary weak body of my own, a body I would be able to inhabit while waiting the essential ingredients for true rebirth ... a spell or two of my own invention ... a little help from my dear Nagini, a potion concocted from unicorn blood, and the snake venom Nagini provided ... I was soon returned to an almost human form, and strong enough to travel. There was no hope of stealing the Philosopher's Stone, I knew Dumbledore would have seen to it that it was destroyed. But I was willing to embrace mortal life again, before chasing the immortal. I set my sights lower ... I would settle for my old body back again, and my old strength.'

'I knew that to achieve this - it is an old piece of Dark Magic, the potion that revived me tonight - I would need three powerful ingredients. One of them was already at hand, flesh given by a servant ... my father's bone, naturally, meant we would have to come here, where he was buried. But the blood of a foe ... Wormtail would have let me use any wizard, would you not, Wormtail? Any wizard who hated me ... as so many of them still do. But I knew the one I must use if I was to rise again, more powerful than I had been when I had fallen. I wanted Harianna Potter's blood. I wanted the blood of the one who stripped me of power thirteen years ago, for the lingering protection her mother gave her, would then reside in my veins too ...'

'But how to get Harianna Potter? For she has been better protected than I think she knows, protected in ways devised by Dumbledore long ago when it fell to him to arrange the girl's future. There was, of course, the Quidditch World Cup ... I thought her protection might be weaker there, but I was not yet strong enough to attempt kidnap in the midst of a horde of Ministry wizards. And then, the girl would return to Hogwarts, where she was under the crooked nose of that Muggle loving fool from morning to night. So how do I take her?'

'Why by using Bertha Jorkin's information, of course. Use my one faithful Death Eater, stationed at Hogwarts, to ensure the girl's name was entered into the Goblet of Fire. Use my Death Eater to ensure that the girl won the Tournament - that she touched the Triwizard Cup first - the Cup which my Death Eater had turned into a Portkey, which would bring her here, beyond the reach of Dumbledore's help and protection, and into my waiting arms. And here she is ... the girl you all believed had been my downfall ...'

Voldemort raised his wand. ' _Crucio!'_

It was pain beyond anything Harry had ever experienced; her very bones were on fire; her head was surely splitting along her scar; her eyes were rolling madly in her head; she wanted it to end ... to black out ... And then it was gone. She was hanging limply in the ropes binding her to the headstone of Voldemort's father, looking up into those bright red eyes. The night was ringing with the sound of the Death Eater's laughter.

'You see, I think, how foolish it was to suppose this girl could ever have been stronger than me, but I want there to be no mistake in anybody's mind. Harianna Potter escaped me by a lucky chance. And I am now going to prove my power by killing her, here and now, in front of you all, when there is no Dumbledore to help her, and no mother to die for her. I will give her, her chance. She will be allowed to fight, and you will be left in no doubt which of us is the stronger. Just a little longer, Nagini,' Voldemort said, and the snake slithered away through the grass, to where the Death Eater stood watching. Voldemort then moved Karkaroff body out of the way to one side.

'Now untie her, Wormtail, and give her back her wand.'

...

Harry was back on the ground again, the gag had been taken out, and her wand currently in her hand. The Death Eaters had closed ranks, forming a tighter circle around her and Voldemort.

'You have been taught how to duel, Harianna Potter?' said Voldemort softly.

Harry had attended a Duelling Club, and the only useful thing she had learnt there was one spell ... the Disarming spell. The use of that spell against Voldemort, though ... even Harry doubted its possibility. Even if she could deprive Voldemort of his wand, she was surrounded by Death Eaters, outnumbered by at least thirty to one. And Harry knew she would be facing the Avada Kedavra curse - Voldemort was right about one thing, she had no mother to die for her this time ... she was quite unprotected ... she even doubted that she'd be given a chance to live ... so trying to use the same Ancient Magic her mother had was out too.

'We bow to each other, Harianna,' Voldemort said bending a little but kept his snake-like face upturned to Harry. 'Come, the niceties must be observed ... Dumbledore would like you to show manners ... bow to death, Harianna ...'

The Death Eaters were laughing, Voldemort was smiling. Harry, however, did not bow. She was not going to let Voldemort play with her before killing her ... she was not going to give him that satisfaction ...

'I said, _bow,_ ' Voldemort said, raising his wand - and Harry felt her spine curve, as though an invisible hand was bending her forwards, and the Death Eaters laughed harder than ever.

'Very good,' said Voldemort raising his wand once more, the pressure bearing down upon Harry had uplifted. 'And now you face me, straight and proud, the way your father died ...'

'And now - we duel.'

Before Harry could do anything to defend herself, before she even had the chance to move; she had been hit again by the Cruciatus curse. The pain was intense, so all-consuming she no longer knew where she was ... knives were piercing every inch of her skin, her head was bursting with pain; she was screaming more loudly than she'd ever screamed in her life - And then it stopped. Harry scrambled to her feet; she was shaking all over, and she staggered as she made her way towards Voldemort. If he was going to kill her, she wasn't going to run from it ... she would die with honour the way her parents had.

'A little break,' said Voldemort, 'a little pause ... that hurt, didn't it, Harianna? You don't want me to do that again, do you?'

Harry didn't answer, she wished he'd just get on with it ... she was going to die, he might as well just kill her ... but she wasn't going to play along, she wasn't going to just obey Voldemort ... she wasn't going to beg ...

'I asked you whether you want me to do that again?' said Voldemort. 'Answer me! _Imperio!'_

Harry felt, the sensation of her mind been wiped of all thought ... it was blissful not to think, then she heard a voice ... _just answer 'no' ... say 'no' ... just answer 'no' ..._

Harry wasn't going to answer, she wasn't going to say it as much as the voice told her to.

'I WON'T!'

The words had burst from her mouth; echoing through the graveyard, and the dream like state was lifted - and then suddenly back rushed the aches that the Cruciatus Curse had left all over her body - back rushed the realisation of where she was, and what she was facing ...

'You won't?' said Voldemort, and the Death Eaters were not laughing now. 'You won't say "no"? Harianna, obedience is a virtue I need to teach you before you die ... perhaps another little dose of pain?'

Voldemort raised his wand, but this time Harry was ready, she flung herself sideways onto the ground; rolling behind the marble headstone of Voldemort's father, and she heard it crack as the curse missed her.

'We are not playing hide-and-seek, Harianna,' said Voldemort. 'You cannot hide from me. Does this mean that you are tired of our duel? Does this mean that you would prefer me to finish it now, Harianna? Come out, Harianna ... come out and play, then ... it will be quick ... it might even be painless ... I would not know ... I have never died ...'

'Oh, I'm not hiding, you snake-faced prick,' Harry shouted. 'I am not one of your Death Eaters, look at them all, so pathetic, haven't you noticed how they all fear you? And you call them your friends ... no Voldemort I do not fear you, I do not even fear dying ... No, I will fight you ...'

Harry stood up before Voldemort, gripping her wand tightly, and threw herself around the headstone, facing Voldemort. Voldemort was ready, as Harry shouted _'Expelliarmus!',_ Voldemort cried, ' _Avada Kedavra!'_

A jet of green light issued from Voldemort's wand just as a jet of red light blasted from Harry's - they met in mid-air - and suddenly, Harry's wand was vibrating as though an electric charge was surging through it - and a narrow beam of light was now connecting the two wands, neither red nor green, but bright, deep gold - and following the beam Harry saw that Voldemort was too gripping at his wand, that was shaking and vibrating. Then they both lifted into the air, their wands still connected by that thread of shimmering golden light. They were gliding away from the tombstone of Voldemort's father and came to rest on a patch of ground that was clear and free of graves ... The Death Eaters were shouting, they were asking Voldemort for instructions; they were closing in, re-forming the circle around Harry and Voldemort, some of them drawing their wands-

The golden thread connecting Harry and Voldemort splintered: though the wands remained connected, a thousand more off-shoots arched over Harry and Voldemort, crisscrossing until they were enclosed in a golden, dome-shaped web, a cage of light, beyond which the Death Eaters circled, their cries muffled now ...

'Do nothing!' Voldemort shrieked to the Death Eaters, and Harry saw his red eyes widen with astonishment at what was happening, saw him try to break the thread of light; Harry held onto her wand more tightly, with both of her hands, and the golden thread remained unbroken. 'Do nothing unless I command you!' Voldemort shouted to the Death Eaters.

And then an unearthly and beautiful sound filled the air ... it was coming from every thread. It was a sound Harry recognised, though she had only heard it once before in her life ... phoenix song... It was the sound of hope to Harry ... the most beautiful and welcome thing she had ever heard in her life ... it was the sound she connected with Dumbledore, and it was almost as though a friend was speaking in her ear, telling her not to break the connection.

But she already knew that she couldn't break the connection, but it was becoming much harder to maintain. Her wand began to vibrate more powerfully than ever ... and now the beam between her and Voldemort changed, too ... it was as though large beads of light were sliding up and down the thread connecting the wands. One of the beads of light was quivering, inches from the tip of Voldemort's wand, and then very slowly ... it moved along the thread ... it trembled for a moment ... and then it connected... At once Voldemort's wand began to emit echoing screams of pain ... then Voldemort's eyes widened with shock - a dense, smoky hand flew out of the tip and vanished ... the ghost of the hand he had made Pettigrew ... more shouts of pain ... and then something much larger began to blossom from Voldemort's wand tip, a great, greyish something that looked as though it was made of solidest, densest smoke ... it was a head ... now a chest and arms ... the torso of Igor Karkaroff.

If ever Harry might have released her wand from shock, it would have been then, but instinct kept her clutching her wand tightly so that the thread of golden light remained unbroken ... Harry knew what must be happening now ... Voldemort's spells were going in reverse order. Harry looked at Voldemort ... his eyes were still shocked ... he had no more expected this than Harry had ... more screams of pain ... and then something else emerged from its tip ... the dense shadow of a second head, quickly followed by arms and torso ... an old man Harry had once seen in a dream, had pushed himself out ...

'He was a real wizard, then?' said the old man, his eyes on Voldemort. 'Killed me, that one did ... you fight him, girl ...'

Another head was emerging from the wand tip already, this time it was a woman .. the shadow of Bertha Jorkins surveyed the battle before her wide eyes.

'Don't let go, now!' she cried. 'Don't let him get you, Harianna - don't let go!'

She and the other shadowy figures began to pace around the inner walls of the dome, while the Death Eaters flitted around the outside of it. Another head was emerging from the tip of Voldemort's wand ... and Harry knew when she saw it who it would be ... she knew, from the moment when Karkaroff had appeared from the wand ... because the woman appearing was the one she'd thought of more than any other tonight ... The smoky shadow of a young woman with long hair fell to the ground, straightened up, and looked at her ... and Harry looked back into the ghostly face of her mother.

'Your father's coming ...' she said. 'He wants to see you ... it will be all right ... hold on ...'

And he came ... first his head, then his body ... tall and untidy-haired, the smoky, shadowy form of James Potter blossomed from the end of Voldemort's wand, he fell to the ground and straightened up like his wife. He walked close to Harry, looking down at her with a beaming smile, and spoke in the same distant, echoing voice the others had, but so quietly, so that Voldemort, his face now livid with fear as his victims prowled around him, could not hear ...

'When the connection is broken, we will linger for only moments ... but we will give you time ... you must get to the Portkey, it will return you to Hogwarts ... do you understand, Anna?'

'Yes,' Harry gasped.

'Do it now,' whispered her father's voice. 'Be ready to run ... do it now ...'

Harry pulled her wand upwards with an almighty wrench, and the golden thread broke, the dome of light vanished, the Phoenix song died - but the shadowy figures of Voldemort's victims did not disappear - they were closing in upon Voldemort, shielding Harry from his gaze - and she ran as she never run in her life, knocking two stunned Death Eaters asides as she passed; she zig-zagged behind headstones, feeling their curses following her, hearing them hit the headstones - she was near Karkaroff's body now, he had tried to help her and she didn't think what Voldemort and his Death Eaters would do once she had gone back. In a split second decision, she leapt towards his body.

' _Stun her!'_ Voldemort screamed.

She was ten feet away from Karkaroff now, pointing her wand wildly over her shoulder she bellowed: ' _Impedimenta!'_ From the muffled yell, she must have caught one of them, but there was no time to look, she dived towards Karkaroff's body and heard more wand blasts behind her, and jets of light flew over her head as she fell, stretching out a hand to grab Karkaroff's arm -

'Stand aside! I will kill her! She is mine!' shrieked Voldemort.

Harry's hand had closed on Karkaroff's wrist; one tombstone stood between her and Voldemort, but Karkaroff would be too heavy to move, and the Cup was out of reach - Voldemort's eyes flamed in the darkness. Harry saw his mouth curl into a smile, saw him raise his wand.

' _Accio!'_ Harry yelled, pointing her wand at the Triwizard Cup. It flew into the air and soared towards her- Harry caught it by the handle. She heard Voldemort's scream of fury at the same moment as she felt the jerk behind her navel that meant the Portkey had worked - it was sending her away in a whirl of wind and colour, Karkaroff with her ... they were going back ...


	85. Chapter 85

Harry felt herself slam flat into the ground; her face was pressed into grass. She had closed her eyes while the Portkey transported her, and she kept them closed now. She did not move. All the breath seemed to have been knocked out of her. Her scar was still burning dully on her forehead ... A torrent of sound deafened and confused her, there were voices everywhere, footsteps screams ... still she remained where she was, then a pair of hands seized her and turned her over.

'Harry! Harry!'

She opened her eyes, she was looking up at the starry sky, and Albus Dumbledore was crouched over her. She had come back to the edge of the maze, she could see the stands rising above her, the shapes of people moving in them. Harry let go of the Cup, and her wand dropped, she raised her free hand and seized Dumbledore's wrist.

'He's back,' Harry whispered. 'He's back. Voldemort.'

'What's going on? What's happened?'

The face of Cornelius Fudge appeared over Harry; it looked white and appalled.

'My God - Karkaroff!' he whispered. 'Dumbledore - he's dead!'

'Harry, you can let go of him, now.' Dumbledore said.

Harry hadn't realised she was still gripping to the dead body of Karkaroff, she released her grip, fumbling for her wand which she dropped. 'He tried to help me,' she said to Dumbledore. 'I couldn't leave him after that.'

Dumbledore bent down and, with extraordinary strength for a man so old and thin, raised Harry from the ground, and sat her on her feet. Harry swayed, her head was pounding.

'She'll need to go to the hospital wing!' Fudge said. 'She's ill, she's injured - Dumbledore - Karkaroff -his students, they're in the stands ...'

'I'll deal with them - we must not let them see, someone also needs to speak with Lord Black, Sirius will be most relived -' Dumbledore said.

'I'll take Harianna, Dumbledore, I'll take her -'

'No, I would prefer -'

'Dumbledore, his students, they're coming towards us ... don't you think you should tell them before they get too close?'

'Harry, stay here -'

Harry could hear girls screaming ...

'It's all right, girl, I've got you ... come on ... hospital wing ...'

'Dumbledore said to stay,' Harry said, the pounding in her scar was making her feel as though she was going to throw up.

'You need to lie down ... come on, now ...'

Mad-Eye Moody was half pulling, half carrying her through the frightened crowd; Harry heard gasping, screaming and shouting as the man supporting her pushed a path through them, taking her back to the castle.

'What happened, Harianna?' he said.

'Cup was a Portkey,' said Harry, as they crossed the Entrance Hall. 'Took me to a graveyard ... and Voldemort was there ... Lord Voldemort ...'

They were going up the marble steps now ... 'The Dark Lord was there? What happened then?'

'Made a potion ... got his body back ...'

'The Dark Lord got his body back? He returned?'

'And the Death Eaters came ... he killed Karkaroff ... and then we duelled ...'

'You duelled with the Dark Lord?'

'Yes ... managed to get away ...'

'In here, Harianna... in here, and sit down ... you'll be all right now ... drink this ...'

Harry felt a cup being pushed into her hands when she made no move to drink it, Moody helped tip the stuff down Harry's throat; she coughed a peppery taste burning her throat. Moody looked as white as Fudge, and both eyes were fixed unblinkingly upon Harry's face.

'Voldemort's back, Harianna? You're sure he's back? How did he do it?'

'Took stuff from his father's grave, and from Pettigrew, and me,' Harry said.

'What did the Dark Lord take from you?' said Moody.

'Blood,' Harry said, raising her arm. Her sleeve was ripped where Pettigrew's dagger had torn it.

Moody let out a hiss. 'And the Death Eaters? They returned?'

'Yeah ... loads of them ...'

'How did he treat them?' Moody asked. 'Did he forgive them?'

Harry suddenly remembered though. She should have told Dumbledore, she should have said it right away - 'There's a Death Eater at Hogwarts! There's a Death Eater here - they put my name in the Goblet of Fire, they made sure I got through to the end -'

Harry tried to get up, but Moody pushed her back down.

'I know who the Death Eater is,' he said quietly.

Harry's mind spun with questions. How? How did he know? How could he know? Voldemort had said Snape was a spy confirming what she had seen in Dumbledore's Pensieve. So, it was not likely to have been him. Malfoy had not shown up and due to their family ties, he could not betray her. Karkaroff had been the only other Death Eater that had been here, but he too would not have tried helped her escape if he had been the person to place her name in the Goblet. So just how did Moody know who the Death Eater was? It didn't make sense. None of it made sense. Unless - no it couldn't be - Harry was gripping her wand tightly now - she looked over at the man in front of her - surely not, it was impossible - but yet her mind knew of the possibilities, there was more than one way to disguise yourself - Harry raised her wand quickly -

' _Stupefy!'_

There was a blinding flash of light, and a great crashing of Moody's office door being blasted apart. Moody was thrown backwards onto the floor. Harry turned to see Albus Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall, Professor Snape, and Sirius standing in the doorway. Each of them with their wands raised. Harry had not been the only one to cast the stunning spell. Dumbledore was standing in front of them all and at that moment, Harry fully understood why people said Dumbledore was the only wizard Voldemort had ever feared. The look upon Dumbledore's face as he stared down at the unconscious form of Mad-Eye. There was no benign smile upon Dumbledore's face, no twinkle in the eyes. There was cold fury in every line of his face and a sense of power radiated from Dumbledore as though he was giving off heat. He stepped into the office, placed a foot under Moody's body and kicked him over onto his back.

Sirius went straight to Harry. Stepping in sideways, his wand never wavering from the unconscious form.

'Anna,' he whispered hoarsely. 'You all right?'

'I'm fine.'

'Let's get you to the hospital wing.'

'No, Sirius,' Dumbledore said sharply.

'But - look at her, she's been through enough.'

'She will stay, because she needs to understand, understanding is the first step to acceptance, and only with acceptance can there be recovery. She needs to know who has put her through the ordeal she has suffered tonight, and why.'

Harry looked over at the unconscious Moody. 'I understand all right, that's not Moody.'

'No, it is not,' Dumbledore said. 'The real Moody would not have removed you from my sight after what happened tonight. The moment he took you, I knew - and I followed.'

Dumbledore bent over Moody's limp form and put a hand inside his robes. He pulled out his hip-flask and a set of keys. Then he turned to Professor Snape.

'Severus, please fetch me the strongest Truth Potion you possess,' he said and turned to Harry. 'If you could summon Winky, Harry that would be most kind.'

Harry frowned, how did - well it didn't matter. Harry called out the elf's name and she appeared in front of them, looking very oddly at Harry and waited for an order. Snape meanwhile swept from the room. Dumbledore walked over to the trunk and began placing keys into it. When he reached the seventh key, Harry let out a cry of amazement. She was looking down into a kind of pit, an underground room, and lying on the floor, apparently fast asleep, thin and starved in appearance, was the real Mad-Eye Moody. His wooden leg gone, the socket which should have held the magical eye looked empty beneath its lid, and chunks of grizzled hair were missing. Dumbledore climbed into the trunk, lowered himself and fell lightly onto the floor beside the sleeping Moody.

'Stunned - controlled by the Imperius curse - very weak, of course, they would have needed to keep him alive. Harry, throw down that cloak I pulled out, Alastor is freezing. Madam Pomfrey will need to see him, but he seems in no immediate danger.'

Harry threw the cloak down, and Dumbledore covered Moody with it and clambered out of the trunk. He then picked up the hip-flask, unscrewed it, and turned it over. A thick liquid splattered onto the floor.

'Polyjuice!'

'Yes, but I think, in the excitement of tonight, our fake Moody might have forgotten to take it as frequently as he should have done ... on the hour ... every hour ... we shall see.'

Dumbledore pulled out the chair at the desk and sat down, his eyes fixed upon the unconscious Moody on the floor. Harry stared at him too. Minutes passed in silence ... then before their very eyes, the face of the man began to change. The scars were disappearing, the skin becoming smooth. The grizzly hair was withdrawing, and turning the colour of straw. The wooden leg fell away as a normal leg regrew in its place; the magical eyeball had popped out and rolled away across the floor, a real eye replaced it. Harry saw a man lying before her, pale-skinned, slightly freckled, with a mop of fair hair. She knew who it was. She had seen him in Dumbledore's Pensieve - but he was much older now ... and Harry understood it was not Crouch that had been in Snape's office that night - it had been the son. There were hurried footsteps outside in the corridor. Snape had returned, stopping dead in the doorway.

Winky let out a piercing shriek. 'Master Barty, Master Barty, what is you doing here?' Then she flung herself forwards onto the young man's chest. 'You killed him! You is killed him! You is killed master's son!'

'He is simply Stunned, Winky,' said Dumbledore. 'Step aside, please. Severus, you have the Potion?'

Snape handed Dumbledore a small glass bottle of completely clear liquid.

'Veritaserum!' Harry heard Sirius mutter from beside her. And Harry who like Hermione read ahead knew about this Potion. It was the strongest Truth Potion that could be made, it was so powerful three drops would have the taker spilling their innermost secrets. Dumbledore got up, bent over the man on the floor, pulled him into a sitting position against the wall. Winky remained on her knees, trembling, her hands over her face. Dumbledore forced the man's mouth open and poured three drops inside it. He pointed his wand at the man's chest and said. ' _Enervate.'_

Crouch's son opened his eyes. His face was slack, his gazed unfocused. Dumbledore knelt before him so that their faces were level.

'Can you hear me?' Dumbledore asked.

The man's eyelids flickered. 'Yes,' he muttered.

'I would like you to tell us, how you come to be here. How did you escape Azkaban?'

'My mother saved me. She knew she was dying. She persuaded my father to rescue me as a last favour to her. He loved her as he had never loved me. He agreed, they came to visit me. They gave me a draught of Polyjuice Potion, containing one of my mother's hairs. She took the draught of Polyjuice Potion, containing one of my hairs. We took on each other's appearance.'

'Say no more, Master Barty, say no more, you is getting your father into trouble!'

But Crouch continued. 'The Dementors are blind. They sensed one healthy, one dying person entering Azkaban. They sensed one healthy, one dying person leaving it. My father smuggled me out, disguised as my mother, in case any prisoners were watching. My mother died short while afterwards in Azkaban. She was careful to drink Polyjuice until the end. She was buried under my name, and bearing my appearance.'

'And what did your father do with you, when he got you home?'

'Staged my mother's death. A quiet, private funeral. That grave is empty. The house-elf nursed me back to health. Then I had to be concealed. I had to be controlled. My father had to use several spells to subdue me. When I recovered my strength, I thought of finding my master ... of returning to his service.'

'How did your father subdue you?' said Dumbledore.

'The Imperius curse,' Crouch said. 'I was under my father's control. I was forced to wear an Invisibility Cloak day and night. I was always with the house-elf. She was my keeper and carer. She pitied me. She persuaded my father to give me occasional treats. Rewards for my good behaviour.'

'Master Barty,' Winky sobbed. 'You isn't ought to tell them, we is getting in trouble ...'

'Did anybody ever discover that you were still alive?' said Dumbledore. 'Did anyone know to expect your father and the house-elf?'

'Yes,' said Crouch. 'A witch in my father's office. Bertha Jorkins. She came to the house, with papers for my father's signature. He was not at home. Winky showed her inside and returned to the kitchen, to me. But Bertha Jorkins heard Winky talking to me. She came to investigate and heard enough to guess who was hiding under the Invisibility Cloak. My father arrived home. She confronted him. He put a very powerful Memory Charm on her to make her forget what she'd found out. Too powerful. He said it damaged her memory permanently.'

'Why is she coming to nose in my master's private business?' sobbed Winky. 'Why isn't she leaving us be?'

'Tell me about the Quidditch World Cup,' said Dumbledore.

'My father talked Winky into it,' said Crouch. 'She spent months persuading him. I had not left the house for years. I had loved Quidditch. Let him go, she said. He will be in his Invisibility Cloak. He can watch. He agreed in the end. It was carefully planned. My father led myself and Winky up to the Top Box early in the day. Winky was to say that she was saving a seat for my father. I was to sit there, invisible. When everybody left the box, we would emerge. Winky would appear to be alone. Nobody would ever know. But Winky didn't know that I was growing stronger. I was starting to fight my father's Imperius curse. There were times when I was almost myself again. It happened, there, in the Top Box. I found myself out in public, in the middle of the match, and I saw a wand. I had not been allowed a wand since before Azkaban. I stole it. Winky didn't know. Winky is frightened of heights. She had her face hidden.'

'Master Barty, you bad boy!' whispered Winky.

'So, you took the wand,' said Dumbledore, 'and what did you do with it?'

'We went back to the tent,' said Crouch. 'Then we heard them. We heard the Death Eaters. The ones who had never been to Azkaban. The ones who never suffered for my master, they turned their backs on him. They were not enslaved, as I was. They were free to seek him, but they did not. They were merely making sport of Muggles. The sound of their voices awoke me. My mind clear than it had been in years. I was angry. I had the wand. I wanted to attack them for their disloyalty. My father had left the tent, he had gone to free the Muggles. Winky was afraid to see me so angry, she used her brand of magic to bind me to her. She pulled me from the tent, into the forest away from the Death Eaters. I tried to hold her back, I wanted to return to the campsite. I wanted to show those Death Eaters what loyalty to the Dark Lord meant, to punish them for their lack of it. I used the stolen wand to cast the Dark Mark into the sky.'

'Ministry Wizards arrived. They shoot stunning spells, but Winky had already used her magic against me. I had dropped the wand. When Winky was discovered, my father knew I must be nearby. He searched the bushes where she was found and felt me lying there. He waited until the other Ministry members had left the forest. He put me back under the Imperius curse and took me home. He dismissed Winky. She had failed him. She had almost let me escape. Now it was just father and me, alone in the house and then ... my master came for me.'

'He arrived at our house late one night, in the arms of his servant Wormtail. My master had found out that I was still alive. He had captured Bertha Jorkins in Albania. He had tortured her. She told him a great deal. She told him about the Triwizard Tournament. She told him the old Auror, Moody, was going to teach at Hogwarts. He tutored her until he broke through the Memory Charm my father had placed upon her. She told him I had escaped from Azkaban. She told him my father kept me imprisoned to prevent me seeking my master. And so, my master knew I was still his faithful servant. My master conceived a plan, based upon the information Bertha had given him. He needed me. He arrived at our house near midnight. My father answered the door.'

'It was very quick. My father was placed under the Imperius curse by my master. Now my father was the one imprisoned, controlled. My master forced him to go about his business, as usual, to act as though nothing was wrong. And I was released. I awoke. I was myself again, alive as I hadn't been in years.'

'What did Lord Voldemort ask you to do?' said Dumbledore.

'He asked me whether I was ready to risk everything for him. I was ready. He told me he needed to place a faithful servant at Hogwarts. A servant who would guide Harianna Potter through the Triwizard Tournament without appearing to do so. It wasn't easy ... the girl is smarter than she looks. And to do so without arousing suspicion, I had to use every ounce of cunning I possessed. As long as I could get her into the maze, preferably with a decent head start - then I knew, I would have a chance of getting rid of the other champions, leaving her way clear. But first -'

'You needed Alastor Moody,' said Dumbledore.

'Wormtail and I did it. We had prepared the Polyjuice Potion beforehand. We journeyed to his house. Moody put up a struggle. There was a commotion. We managed to subdue him just in time. Forced him into a compartment of his own magical trunk. Took some of his hair and added it to the Potion. I drank it, I became Moody's double. I took his leg and eye. I was ready to face Arthur Weasley when he arrived to sort out the disturbance. I made the dustbins move around the yard. I told Arthur Weasley I had heard intruders in my yard, who had set the dustbins off. Then I packed up Moody's clothes and Dark detectors, put them in the trunk with Moody, and set off for Hogwarts. I kept him alive, under the Imperius Curse. I wanted to be able to question him. To find out his past, learn his habits so that I could even fool Dumbledore. I also needed his hair for the Polyjuice Potion. The other ingredients were easy. I stole them from the dungeons. When the Potions master found me in his office, I said I was under orders to search it.'

'What became of Wormtail after you attacked Moody?' said Dumbledore.

'Wormtail returned to care for my master, in my father's house, and keep watch over my father.'

'But your father escaped,' said Dumbledore.

'Yes. After a while, he began to fight the Imperius curse. My master decided it was no longer safe for him to leave the house. He forced him to send letters to the Ministry instead. But Wormtail neglected his duty. He was not watchful enough. My father escaped. My master guest that he was heading for Hogwarts. My father was going to tell Dumbledore everything. My master sent me word of my father's escape. He told me to stop him at all costs. So I waited and watched. I used the map I had taken from Harianna Potter. The map that had almost ruined everything.'

'Map?' said Dumbledore. 'What map is this?'

Sirius gave her a look, to which Harry shrugged sheepishly. It hadn't been her fault at the time, she didn't see the name of who was standing in front of her, she believed him to be Moody.

'Potter's map of Hogwarts. Potter saw me on it. Potter saw me stealing more ingredients for the Polyjuice Potion from Snape's office one night. She thought I was my father as we have the same first name. I took the map from Potter that night. I told her that my father was obsessed with catching Dark wizards and she believed me. For a week, I waited for my father to arrive. One evening, the map showed my father entering the grounds. I pulled on my Invisibility Cloak, and went down to meet him. He was walking around the edge of the Forest. The Potter came with Krum, I could not harm Potter, my master needed her. Potter ran to get Dumbledore, I Stunned Krum. I killed my father.'

' _Noo!'_ wailed Winky. 'Master Barty, what is you saying?'

'You killed your father,' Dumbledore said. 'What did you do with the body?'

'Carried it to the Forest. Covered it with the Invisibility Cloak. I had the map with me, I watched Potter run into Snape. Dumbledore joined them. I watched Potter bring Dumbledore out of the castle. I walked back out of the Forest, doubled round behind them, went to meet them. I Dumbledore Snape had told me where to come. Dumbledore told me to go and look for my father. I went back to my father's body. I watched the map. When everyone was gone, I Transfigured my father's body. He became a bone ... I buried it, while wearing the Invisibility Cloak.'

There was compete silence now, expect for Winky's continued sobs. Then Dumbledore said. 'And tonight ...'

'I offered to carry the Triwizard Cup into the maze before dinner,' whispered Crouch. 'Turned it into a Portkey. My master's plan worked. He is returned to power and I will be honoured by him beyond the dreams of wizards.'

Dumbledore stood up. He stared down at Barty Crouch for a moment with disgust on his face. Then he raised his wand once more and ropes flew out of it, ropes which twisted around Barty Crouch, binding him tightly. He turned to Professor McGonagall. 'Minerva, could I ask you to stand guard here while I take Harry upstairs?'

'Of course,' said Professor McGonagall.

'Severus,' Dumbledore turned to Snape. 'please tell Madam Pomfrey to come down here. We need to get Alastor Moody into the hospital wing. Then go into the grounds, find Cornelius Fudge, and bring him up to this office. He will undoubtedly want to question Crouch himself. tell him I will be in the hospital wing in half an hour's time if he needs me.'

Snape nodded and swept out of the room, Professor McGonagall had her wand pointed steadily at Crouch. Harry summoned the map, and caught it as it flew out towards her. She was never going to let anyone have it again.

'Sirius, Harry, I want you both to come to my office, first.' said Dumbledore.


	86. Chapter 86

Sirius was shaking his head, in disbelief, as they reached Dumbledore's office. Sirius lead her towards the chair, placing her down in it.

'How did you know?' Sirius muttered. 'How did you figure it out, that he wasn't who he said he was? You attacked him after all -'

'He gave himself away,' Harry said. 'Said he knew who the Death Eater was - it didn't make sense; how could he know? Until I figured out he had been talking about himself - so I attacked before he had the chance to attack me, once was enough for the night.'

Dumbledore was now sitting down opposite her, behind his desk. He was looking at Harry, and she knew what he was going to ask, what he wanted to know.

'You want to know what happened?' Harry said.

'Can't we leave it until the morning, let her have a sleep. Let her rest,' Sirius said harshly.

'If I thought it would help, by putting Harry into an enchanted sleep, then I would do so. But I know better and so does your goddaughter. Numbing the pain for a while will make it worse when she finally feels it.' Dumbledore said softly. 'Harry, you have shown bravery beyond anything I could have expected of you. I ask you to demonstrate your courage one more time. I ask you to tell us what happened.'

Harry sighed, took a deep breath, and began to tell them. How she landed in the graveyard, how her scar hurt so badly she dropped her wand, how she was tied to the grave of Voldemort's father. The Potion which had revived Voldemort; saw the Death Eaters Apparating to him. How Voldemort killed Karkaroff. Once or twice Sirius made a noise as though about say something, he had placed a hand on her shoulder squeezing it tightly, but Dumbledore raised his hand to stop him. Harry was grateful as it was easier to keep going now she started. Told them of Voldemort's tale - of the ingredients used to revive him.

'He used Blood magic,' Harry said. 'Took my blood, said it would make him stronger than if he'd used someone else's. He said the protection my mother gave me - he would have it, too. And he was right - he could touch me without hurting himself, he touched my face.'

'Very well,' Dumbledore said. 'Voldemort has overcome that particular barrier. Please continue, Harry.'

'He got Pettigrew to untie me, said we were going to duel, that I would be given the chance to fight,' Harry chuckled.

'Anna, I refuse to find that funny,' Sirius said.

'But it is,' Harry said. 'He should have just killed me. He cast the Cruciatus curse, first - then he tried the Imperius curse - didn't work though - he wanted me to tell him that I didn't want to be tortured again - but I wouldn't say no - I wouldn't give in. Then he tried to curse me with the Cruciatus curse again - but I was ready - I dodged it, landed up behind a headstone - he accused me of playing hide and seek - so I told him - I told him, I wasn't scared of him that I would fight - we cast our spells at the same time and our wands connected - it caused Voldemort's wand to reverse his spell - Priori Incantatem - I saw - echoes I guess of his victims - of Karkaroff - an old man, Bertha Jorkins ... my mum - and - and my dad.'

'But why would your wands connect?' Sirius said.

'Because,' Dumbledore said. 'Harry's and Voldemort's wand share cores. Each of them contains a feather from the tail of the same Phoenix. This Phoenix, in fact,' he added, pointing towards Fawkes. 'Mr Ollivander wrote to me to tell me you had brought the second wand, the moment you left his shop four years ago.'

'The wands, of course, would not work against each other correctly, if forced to do battle ... the very rare effect will take place. One of the wands will force the other to regurgitate spells it has performed - in reverse - you were quite right Harry, you did see echoes of the people Voldemort last killed.'

'My dad told me what to do - they gave me a distraction - time to get away - I just couldn't leave Karkaroff - I didn't like to think of what they would do to his body once I was gone.'

'I will say it again, you have shown bravery beyond anything I could have expected of you tonight. You have shown bravery equal to those who died fighting Voldemort at the height of his powers. You have shouldered a grown wizard's burden and found yourself equal to it - and you have now given us all that we have a right to expect. You will come with me to the hospital wing. I do not want you sleeping in the dormitory tonight. a sleeping Potion, and some peace ...'

'If you can keep the Weasley twins quiet enough,' Harry said. 'I might just stay awake to watch, that.'

They stood, Sirius, walking beside her as Dumbledore lead them to the hospital wing. When Dumbledore pushed open the door, Harry saw Mrs Weasley, Bill, Fred, George, Ron, Hermione, all three Malfoys and the Diggorys all grouped around a harassed looking Madam Pomfrey. Most of them appeared to be demanding to know where she was and what was happening. All of them whipped around as they entered, and Mrs Weasley let out a kind of muffled scream. 'Harry! Oh Harry!' She started to hurry towards her, and George wasn't far behind his mother, but Dumbledore moved between them.

'Molly,' he said holding up a hand. 'please listen to me for a moment. Harry has been through a terrible ordeal. She has just had to relive it for me. What she needs now is sleep, peace and quiet. If you would like to stay,' he said looking around. 'you may do so. But I do not want you questioning her until she is ready to answer, and certainly not this evening.'

Mrs Weasley nodded, she rounded on them all, as though they were being noisy. 'Did you hear? She needs quiet!'

'I will be back Harry as I have to meet with Fudge,' Dumbledore said. 'I would like you to remain here tomorrow.'

Madam Pomfrey led Harry to her usual bed, she caught sight of Moody lying motionless in a bed not too far away. His wooden leg and magical eye were lying on the bedside table.

'Is he OK?' Harry asked.

'He'll be fine,' Madam Pomfrey said giving her some pyjamas and pulling the screens around her. She took off her robes, pulled on the pyjamas and got into the bed. The screens were pulled aside, and concerned faces filled around the bed.

'I'm all right,' she told them. 'Just tired.'

Madam Pomfrey had returned holding a Goblet, placed it down on the bedside she took out her wand held the cut on Harry's arm. 'Drink all the potion, it's for dreamless sleep.'

Harry only managed a few mouthfuls before she felt herself becoming drowsy, her exhaustion had taken over and carried her off to sleep.

She woke, feeling warm and sleepy, that she didn't want to open her eyes. The room was still dimly lit; she was sure it was still night-time and had a feeling that she hadn't been asleep for long. Then heard whispering around her.

'They'll wake her if they don't shut up!'

'What are they shouting about? Nothing else can have happened, can it?'

Harry opened her eyes, Mrs Weasley had been frowning towards the doorway.

'That's Fudge's voice, and Minerva's McGonagall's, isn't it? But what are they arguing about?'

Harry could hear them too: people shouting and running towards the hospital wing.

'Regrettable, but all the same, Minerva -' Cornelius Fudge said loudly.

'You should have never brought it inside the castle!' yelled Professor McGonagall. 'When Dumbledore finds out-'

The hospital doors burst open. Fudge came striding up the ward. Professor McGonagall and Snape were at his heels.

'Where's Dumbledore?' Fudge demanded of Mrs Weasley.

'He's not here,' Mrs Weasley said angrily. 'This is a hospital wing, Minister, don't you think you'd do better to-'

But the door opened again, and Dumbledore came sweeping up the ward. 'What has happened?' Dumbledore said sharply. 'Why are you disturbing these people? Minerva, I'm surprised at you - I asked you to guard over Barty Crouch.'

'There is no need to stand guard over him anymore, the Minister has seen to that!' she shrieked.

'When we told Mr Fudge that we caught the Death Eater responsible for tonight's events, he seemed to feel his personal safety was in question,' Snape said in a low voice. 'He insisted on summoning a Dementor to accompany him into the castle. He brought it up to the office where Bart Crouch-'

'I told him you would not agree, I told him you would never allow, the moment that - thing entered the room - it swooped down on Crouch and - and-' said Professor McGonagall.

Harry felt a chill in her stomach, she did not need her Professor to finish her sentence to know what had happened. Barty Crouch had received the Dementor's Kiss.

'By all accounts, he is no loss!' blustered Fudged. 'It seems he has been responsible for several deaths!'

'But he cannot now give testimony,' said Dumbledore. 'He cannot give evidence about why he killed those people.'

'Why he killed them? Well that's no mystery, is it?' blustered Fudge. 'He was a raving lunatic! From what Minerva and Severus have told me, he seems to have thought he was doing it all on You Know Who's instructions!'

'Lord Voldemort was giving him instructions. Those people's deaths were mere by-products of a plan to restore Voldemort to full strength. The plan succeeded. Voldemort has been restored to his body.'

Fudge looked as though someone had just swung a heavy weight into his face. Dazed and blinking, he stared back at Dumbledore as if he couldn't quite believe what he had just heard.

'You Know Who ... returned? Preposterous. Come now, Dumbledore ...'

'As Minerva and Severus have doubtless told you, we heard Barty Crouch confess. Under the influence of Veritaserum, he told us how he was smuggled out of Azkaban, and how Voldemort - learning of his existence from Bertha Jorkins - went to free him from his father, and used him to capture Harianna. The plan worked, I tell you. Crouch has helped Voldemort return.'

'See here, Dumbledore, you - you can't seriously believe that. You Know Who - back? Crouch may certainly have believed himself to be acting upon You Know Who's orders - but to take the word of a lunatic like that -'

'When Harianna touched the Cup tonight she was transported straight to Voldemort, she witnessed his rebirth. I will explain it all to you if you step into my office.'

Dumbledore glanced around at Harry and saw that she was awake, but shook his head and said. 'I'm afraid I cannot permit you to question Harianna tonight.'

Fudge too glanced at Harry, then looked back at Dumbledore, and said, 'You are prepared to take Harianna's word on this, are you, Dumbledore?'

'I certainly believe Harianna, I heard Crouch's confession, I heard of what happened after she touched the Triwizard Cup; the two stories make sense, they explain everything that has happened since Bertha Jorkins disappeared last summer.'ed

'You are prepared to believe that Lord Voldemort has returned, on the word of a lunatic murder, and a girl who ... well...' Fudge shot Harry a look, and she understood.

'You've been reading Rita Skeeter, Mr Fudge,' Harry said quietly.

'And if I have?' Fudge said defiantly, then he turned back to Dumbledore. 'If I have discovered that you've been certain facts about the girl very quiet ... A Parselmouth, eh? And having funny turns all over the place -'

'So, I can speak to snakes,' Harry said. 'It's not a big deal - it doesn't make me evil - it doesn't make me who I am.' Harry turned to Dumbledore. 'Professor with all due respect I think you're fighting a lost cause ... he's not going to believe a single word.'

'In all events, we must try,' Dumbledore said to her, then turned back to Fudge. 'Voldemort has returned, if you accept that fact straight away, and take the necessary measures, we may still be able to save the situation. The first and most important step is to remove Azkaban from the control of the Dementors -'

'Preposterous!' shouted Fudge. 'Remove the Dementors! I'd be kicked out of office for suggesting it! Half of us only feel safe in our beds at night because we know the Dementors are standing guard at Azkaban!'

'The rest of us sleep soundly in our beds, Cornelius, knowing that you put Voldemort's most dangerous supports in the care of the creature who will join him the instant he asks them! They will not remain loyal to you. Voldemort can offer them much more scope for their powers and their pleasures than you can! With the Dementors behind him, and his old supporters returned to him, you will be hard pressed to stop him regaining the sort of power he had thirteen years ago!' Dumbledore said, and he pressed on. 'The next step you must take - and at once, is to send envoys to the giants.'

'Envoys to the Giants?' Fudge shrieked. 'What madness is this?'

'Extend them the hand of friendship, now, before it is too late, or Voldemort will persuade them, as he did before, that he alone among wizards will give them their rights and their freedom!'

'You can't be serious! If the magical community got the wind that I had approached the giants - people hate them, Dumbledore - end of my career -'

'You are blinded, by the love of the office you hold, Cornelius! You place too much importance, and you always have done, on the so-called purity of blood! You fail to recognise that it matters not what someone is born, but what they grew to be. I tell you now - take the steps I have suggested, and you will be remembered, in office or not, as one of the bravest and greatest Ministers for Magic we have ever known. Fail to act - and history will remember you as the man who stepped aside, and allowed Voldemort a second chance to destroy the world we have tried to rebuild!'

'Insane,' Fudge whispered. 'Mad ...'

'If your determination to shut your eyes will carry you as far as this, we have reached a parting of the ways. You must act as you see fit. And I shall act as I see fit.'

'Now see here, Dumbledore, I've given you free rein, always. I've had a lot of respect for you. I might not have agreed with some of your decisions, but I've kept quiet. But if you're going to work against me -' Fudge said.

'The only one against whom I intend to work, is Lord Voldemort himself.' said Dumbledore. 'If you are against him, then we remain, Cornelius, on the same side.'

It seemed Fudge could think of no answer to this. He rocked backwards and forwards on his feet for a moment. Finally, he said, with a hint of plea in his voice. 'He can't be back, Dumbledore, he just can't be ...'

Snape strode forwards, past Dumbledore, pulling up the left sleeve of his robes as went. He stuck out his forearm and showed it to Fudge, who recoiled.

'There,' said Snape harshly. 'Proof. The Dark Mark. It is not as clear as it was, an hour or so ago when it burnt black, but you can still see it. Every Death Eater has had the sign burnt into them by the Dark Lord. It was a means of distinguishing each other, and his means of summoning us to him. When he touched the Mark of any Death Eater, we were to Disapparate and Apparate, instantly at his side. This Mark has been growing clearer all year. Karkaroff's too. I thought he fled - When we both felt the Mark burn. We both knew he had returned. Karakaroff feared the Dark Lord vengeance. He betrayed too many of his fellow Death Eaters to be sure of a welcome back into the fold.'

Harry realised why Karkaroff had helped her then, what his last words had truly meant. His final act had not been one of bravery but one of desperation he believed that Harry, who had defeated Voldemort before, would be able to do so again. But he would have had to tie her first -

Fudge stepped back from Snape, he was shaking his head. He did not seem to have taken in a word Snape had said. He stared, apparently repelled, at the ugly mark on Snape's arm, then looked up at Dumbledore and whispered. 'I don't know what your staff are playing at Dumbledore, but I have heard enough. I have no more to add. I will be in touch with you tomorrow, to discuss the running of this school. I must return to the Ministry.'

Fudge had almost reached the door when he paused. He turned around, strode back, and stopped at Harry's bed. 'Your winnings,' he said shortly, taking a large bag of gold out his pocket, and dropping it onto Harry's beside-table. 'One thousand Galleons. There should have been a presentation ceremony, but in the circumstances ...'

Fudge swiftly made his way back to the door, slamming it behind him. The moment he disappeared, Dumbledore turned to look at the large group surrounding Harry's bed.

'There is work to be done,' he said. 'Molly am I right in thinking I can count on you and Arthur?'

'Of course, you can,' Mrs Weasley said. 'He knows what Fudge is. It's Arthur's fondness for Muggles that has held him back at the Ministry all these years. Fudge thinks he lacks proper wizarding pride.'

'Then I need to send a message to him,' said Dumbledore. 'All those that we can persuade of the truth must be notified immediately, and Arthur is well placed to contact those at the Ministry who are not as short-sighted as Cornelius.'

'I will go,' Mr Diggory said quietly and slowly, looking at Dumbledore. 'I do not believe for a second,' he explained, 'that someone who acts as selfless as what Harianna did tonight, in the maze. Would lie about the return of You Know Who.' He turned to his son. 'Cedric explained how, Harianna helped him - if he touched that Cup - like Harianna had done - we could have lost him. I want to see that never happens.' he turned back to Dumbledore. 'You have our support.'

'If you would be so kind then, Amos.' Dumbledore said. 'Tell him what has happened. Tell him I'll be in direct contact with him shortly. You will both need to be discreet, however. If Fudge thinks I am interfering at the Ministry -'

'Leave it to me,' Mr Diggory replied. He clapped a hand on his son's shoulder, told him to rest, and strode quickly from the room.

'Minerva,' Dumbledore said turning to Professor McGonagall, 'I want to see Hagrid in my office as soon as possible. Also - if she'll consent to come - Madame Maxime.'

Professor McGonagall nodded and left without a word.

'Poppy, would you be so kind, and follow Severus to the room where we kept Barty Crouch, in a moment. I think you'll find a house-elf called Winky in considerable distress. Do what you can for her,' then he turned to Harry. 'If you would call Dobby for us, Harry. I think he'll be able to look after her.'

Harry did so, and Dumbledore turned to Sirius. 'Sirius I need you to set off at once, alert Remus, Arabella Figg, Mundungus - the old crowd. I will contact you.'

Sirius bent down, hugged Harry. 'You'll see me soon,' he whispered. 'No way am I letting you stay at the Muggles unprotected. I've got to do what I can first though, OK kiddo.'

'OK,' Harry said. 'I love you.'

'I love you too, Anna.'

Sirius too fled from the room.

'Severus,' said Dumbledore turning to Snape, 'you know what I must ask you to do -'

'He can't,' Harry said, and Dumbledore turned his head. 'Voldemort knows - what I saw in your Pensieve - he knows - he said he'd kill Professor Snape.'

'Then,' Dumbledore said thoughtfully. 'it appears we are at a disadvantage. Severus if you could take Dobby to Winky. I'm sure you'll need to take arrangements afterward, now we are aware of this information.'

Snape nodded, and Harry ordered Dobby to go with Snape, so he could look after Winky. Mr Malfoy was looking from Snape to Dumbledore and then to Harry as though putting together pieces of a puzzle.

'You're not,' he said to Dumbledore. 'I'll go, I have to make my excuses anyway.'

Dumbledore gave him a calculating look. 'I must warn you if he finds out. He will most likely kill you.'

'I know my loyalty will be tested, Dumbledore,' Mr Malfoy said. 'I am not foolish and he will see and hear what he needs to. Just because I cannot betray, it does not mean I have to be loyal.'

'I'll be in touch,' Dumbledore said. 'Thank you.'

'Don't be so foolish,' Mr Malfoy said. 'I would have to have done it anyway, considering matters.'

Harry looked at Draco, who was currently looking anywhere but her. She hadn't realised how much power a Head a Black held or their heir for that matter.

'Then good luck,' said Dumbledore. 'Now I must go downstairs, as the Durmstrang students are our guests, I must see to them. Harry - take the rest of your potion. I will see you all later.'

Harry slumped back against the pillows as Dumbledore disappeared. Her friends and Mrs Weasley were all looking at her, though none of them spoke for a long time.

'You've got to take the rest of your potion, Harry,' Mrs Weasley said at last.

Everything, the whole events of that day came back to Harry, she could feel hot tears rolling down her cheeks.

'It wasn't your fault, Anna.' George said, his thumb caressing over one of her hands.

'Of course, it is,' Harry said. 'He used my blood, he's back because of me.'

Tears were falling fast now, then arms came around her and she was hit with a musky smell. One which she recognised - George. It was nice being held while she cried, George had always been there for her. There was a loud slamming noise, and they broke apart. Hermione was standing by the window. She was holding something tight in her hand.

'Sorry,' she whispered.

Harry grabbed the Goblet and down the rest of the potion. The effect was instantaneous. Heavy irresistible waves of dreamless sleep broke over her, she fell back onto the pillows and thought no more.

...

When Harry returned to the Gryffindor Tower the following evening, from what Ron and Hermione had told her. Dumbledore had spoken to the school that morning, he had merely requested that they leave Harry alone and that nobody was to ask her questions or badger her to tell the story of what happened in the maze. Most people, she noticed, were skirting around her in the corridors, avoiding her eyes. Some whispered behind their hands as she passed. It didn't bother her at all, let them believe what they wanted, the truth would come out in the end. Her friends became the support she needed, they spoke about other things, or let her sit in silence. The Gryffindor Table would never likely be the same again, as students from different houses sat around it, talking to her. She was grateful she had made so many wonderful friends. It was with the support of such wonderful friends, she got through the Leaving Feast. Having listened to Dumbledore cause a stir of panic throughout the Hall as he explained of Lord Voldemort's return, had not been easy.

On the morning of leaving, Harry had said her farewells to her fellow champions, before making her way to the carriages that would lead them to the station. They managed to get a compartment to themselves. When Hermione dislodged a copy of the _Daily_ _Prophet_ Harry wasn't sure if she wanted to know what it might say. But Hermione, seeing her looking at it, said calmly. 'There's nothing in there. You can look for yourself, but there's nothing at all. I've been checking every day. Just a small piece the day after the third task, saying you won the Tournament. They didn't mention Karkaroff. Nothing about any of it. If you ask me, Fudge is forcing them to keep quiet.'

'He'll never keep Rita quiet, not on a story like this,' said Harry.

'Oh, Rita hasn't written anything at all since the morning of your OWL exam. As a matter of fact, Rita Skeeter isn't going to be writing anything for a little while. Not unless she wants me to spill the beans on her.'

'What are you talking about?' said Ron.

'I found out how she was listening in on private conversations when she wasn't supposed to be on the grounds.' Hermione said. 'We got her Harry.' And she pulled out a small sealed glass jar out of her bag. 'You gave me the clue, Harry. _Bugging_ \- see- she can turn herself into a beetle.'

'She's an Animagus?' Harry said.

Hermione grinned. 'An unregistered Animagus at that.'

Harry remembered something. 'There was a beetle on the statue the night we overheard Hagrid.'

'Exactly, and Viktor pulled a beetle out of my hair after we had our conversation by the lake. And unless I'm very much mistaken she was in her form nearby when you were speaking with Sirius whilst at the Hog's Head. And she could have been perched on the window-sill of the Arithmancy class the day your scar hurt. She's been buzzing around for stories all year.'

'And that's how she's been getting those interviews with the Slytherins.'

'Yes. I've told her I'll let her out when we get back to London, I've put an Unbreakable Charm on the jar, so she can't transform. And I've told her she's to keep her horrible quill to herself for a year. See if she can break the habit of writing horrible lies about people.'

The door compartment slid open as Hermione placed the beetle back inside her bag. It was Fred and George.

'Hermione, remind us to add you,' George said sitting down beside Harry.

'To the list of people not to mess with,' said Fred.

''We thought we'd come to brighten up the rest of your journey,' George explained.

'I'm not going to have to hex you both for another stupid prank,' Harry muttered. 'Am I?'

'Oh no,' said Fred, pulling out some cards. 'Just thought you might like a game of Exploding Snap.'

They were half way through their fifth game when Harry decided to ask them.

'You going to tell me, then?' she said to George. 'Who've you been borrowing Hedwig to send letters to?'

'Oh,' said George darkly. ' _That.'_

'It doesn't matter,' said Fred shaking his head. 'It wasn't anything important. Not now anyway.'

'We've given up,' said George shrugging.

'Given up what, exactly?' Harry said.

'We were writing to Ludo Bagman.' George said.

'Why?'

Fred hesitated, then said. 'Remember that bet we had with him, at the Quidditch World Cup? About how Ireland would win, but Krum would get the Snitch?'

'Yeah,' Ron said slowly. 'What about it?'

'Well that git paid us in leprechaun gold he'd caught from the Irish mascots,' Fred said.

'He didn't!' Harry said.

'He must have made a mistake - it must have been an accident.' Hermione said.

'Yeah, that's what we thought.' George laughed bitterly.

Ron held up his hand. 'Wait a minute - am I missing something, here?' he asked looking around at them all. Harry sighed.

'Leprechaun gold vanishes, Ron,' Harry explained. 'I didn't tell you because I know that you're funny about the subject of money.'

Ron blinked at her, clearly thinking it over. Then he smiled. 'Mate, I learned one thing from you this year, you kept going on about how having something or where you come from or what you even are, doesn't make you who you are. You were right, it doesn't. The money has never made you, who you are. And I'm sorry I've not been able to deal with that, as much as I should have.'

Harry smiled, then turned back to Fred and George. 'So, what happened?'

'Well, we found out what was going on in the end. We thought if we just wrote to him, and told him he'd made a mistake, he'd cough up. But he didn't, he ignored our letter. We tried to talk to him at Hogwarts, but he was always making some excuse to get away from us.'

'In the end, he turned pretty nasty,' said Fred. 'Told us we were too young to gamble, and he wasn't giving us anything.'

'So, we asked for our money back,' said George.

'He didn't refuse!' gasped Hermione.

'Right in one,' said Fred.

'But that was all your savings!' said Ron.

'Tell me about it.' said George. 'Lee told us in the end, his dad had a bit of trouble getting money off Bagman as well. Turns out he's in big trouble with the goblins. Borrowed loads of gold off them. A gang of them cornered him in the woods after the World Cup and took all the gold he had, and it still wasn't enough to cover all his debts. They followed him all the way to Hogwarts to keep an eye on him. He's lost everything gambling. Hasn't got two Galleons to rub together. And you know how the idiot tried to pay the goblins back?'

'How?' said Harry.

'He put a bet on you, Harry,' said Fred. 'Put a big bet on you to win the Tournament. Bet against the goblins.'

'But Harry did win!' said Ron.

'I only won because Cedric let me,' Harry said.

'Exactly, the goblins play as dirty as Bagman,' George said. 'Bagman bet she'd win outright, which included winning of her own accord, so he had to run for it. Went right after the third task.'

George sighed deeply and started dealing out the cards again. The rest of the journey passed pleasantly enough, Harry couldn't stop thinking about the summer ahead. She wondered how long she'd have to be at the Dursleys for until Sirius got her. She wondered what Voldemort was up now. What would he be doing next? But she wasn't going to sit back, Harry was going to be ready, even if she couldn't use traceable magic while at the Dursleys. Harry could still learn ways to never let herself feel weak again. All too soon the Hogwarts Express was slowing down and pulled into platform nine and three-quarters. The usual confusion and noise filled the corridors as the students began to disembark. Ron and Hermione struggled out of the compartment carrying their trunks. Harry, however, stayed put.

'Fred - George - wait a moment.'

The twins turned. Harry pulled open her trunk and drew out her Triwizard winnings.

'Take it,' she said, placing the sack into George's hands.

'What?' said Fred, looking flabbergasted.

'Take it,' Harry repeated firmly. 'I don't want it.'

'Anna,' George said weakly. 'there's a thousand Galleons in here. We're not taking it.'

Harry pulled out her wand. 'Oh, yes you are. It's for the joke shop, so you are taking the damn money,' she said. 'I don't want it. I don't need it. So, I'll invest it. I could do with a few laughs. We all could do with a few laughs. I've got a feeling we're going to need them more than usual before long.'

'You're mental,' Fred said.

'No, I'm not,' Harry said. 'Think of how many Canary Creams you can make with it.'

Fred looked from Harry to George. 'I'll leave you to sort this out,' he said to his brother. 'But I don't think she's going to take no for answer.'

Fred nodded towards her, shook his head and left the compartment carrying his trunk, muttering, 'Barmy ... completely barmy ...'

George blinked, staring at the doorway, for a few moments, then turned his head back to Harry.

'Anna,' he began, but Harry raised her wand at him. 'you can lower your wand.' he added defensively. 'Are you sure?'

'Yeah,' Harry said lowering her wand. 'Just don't tell your mum where you got it from, though I don't think she'll be all that keen for you guys to enter the Ministry now.'

George shook his head and pocketed the money. 'Fred's right, completely barmy.'

'I resent that.'

George chuckled and pulled her into a hug. 'Stay safe, keep in contact with us.'

Harry nodded against his shoulder. 'I'll try.'

'And Anna,' George said, making Harry look up at him. 'Thank you.'

A thumb was caressing her cheek, George leaned in a kissed her on her cheek. He pulled away slowly, and before Harry could comprehend what had happened. George whispered, 'Oh, bugger it.' and leaned in again this time soft lips hesitantly kissed her own.


	87. Chapter 87

**_A.N ... Warning! There are a few changes! Do not hate me! Sorry for long wait ... but wanted to make sure everything made sense before I posted... Enjoy!_**

* * *

Harry was once again in her little hiding spot, in the flowerbed, hidden behind a large bush of hydrangea. One might wonder why Harry was hidden at all, and why she chose to hide here at all. Well the answer was simple, it was the middle of the summer and all she wanted to do was listen to the news without being asked why. The Dursleys had found it very odd that she had been listening to the news. Which had not been very interesting at all - the reason she was listening was because she had not heard any news from anyone and the most-darkest wizard of their age, Lord Voldemort had returned. She just wanted to know if anything strange was happening, but even on the Muggle news Voldemort was being strangely quiet. The _Daily Prophet_ the wizarding paper was full of rubbish and had no updates at all, not that it surprised her, not after the Minister for Magic refusing to believe that Voldemort had returned. Harry had given up with even trying to read it, it had been no point subscribing to it.

The only odd thing that had been happening, was that she had the feeling she was being watched. Often, she had felt this feeling when she left the house belonging to the Dursleys. Sometimes she would get the feeling when she was inside the house too, but that was on the days she leant out of her open bedroom window. Harry pulled herself out of the bushes, walked around the edge of the garden so she wouldn't be in view of her Aunt and Uncle unless they were close enough to the window. Once again, as she walked she registered the feeling of being watched. Well she had given them the slip before, she could do so again.

Not only did she know the area well, she had a little trick hidden up her sleeve. One form of magic that couldn't even be traced, because it did not require the person to use their wand or a require a spell for a person to do it. Harry was of course thinking of her Animagus form. It was one of the reasons the Ministry of Magic liked to keep taps on those who could turn into animals. Harry though was one of the few that was unregistered. Her godfather Sirius Black, had been an unregistered Animagus for years before he declared himself. That had been mainly due to the fact the Ministry thought he had been living as a Muggle for thirteen years. Her father had been one as well, transforming himself into a stag, there were only two other registered Animagus that Harry was aware of a horrible reporter by the name of Rita Skeeter and Peter Pettigrew. Harry dove once more out of sight at the end of the alley, checking her surroundings and quickly transformed and flew off out of sight. The trouble was even in her Animagus form she had to be careful not to be spotted, the reason why was because each person's form had markings so you could tell who the witch or wizard was. And because her form was a rare species of bird, known to be from another country.

When she reached her destination, she landed nearby a tree on the ground, checking her surroundings once more before she changed back. The feeling of being watched had disappeared, and Harry had landed in a local park. It was quiet but by no means empty, on the swings in front of her was a boy of her own age. The figure in front of her was unmistakable, he was as vast as ever, but a year's hard dieting and the discovery of a new talent had wrought quite a change in his physique. He too looked on edge as his eyes swept around the park. The figure finally spotted her and some of the tension left.

'You're late,' he said.

'Sorry Dudley,' Harry said.

'Hear anything?'

Harry shook her head, sitting down on the swing next to his. 'Nothing.'

Dudley sighed and kicked the bag at his feet. This summer had been odd on him too. His _friends_ and himself had got into a spot of trouble with the law. Stealing, vandalising, smoking and even drinking. Harry was sure that there was more to that list but her cousin had told her of that much. The brush with the law had struck a chord with him, Dudley had received a caution, the very beginning of the summer holidays. Harry wasn't sure how they got to the situation where they could stand to be in each other presence, whether it had been the hours she spent tutoring him in maths, because he needed to get his grade up if he wanted to continue his new talent for boxing. As far as Harry was considered he was just putting his old talent for punching things into some actual use.

'You should just tell them,' Dudley said. 'Mum and dad, you should just tell them.'

Harry shook her head. 'They'd kick me out in a heartbeat and we both know it.'

Yes, somehow Harry had managed to tell Dudley, a vague description of what was going on, and to her surprise, he had actually listened. Maybe that is what had changed between them, they were talking now and listening to each other.

'So, I decided I need new friends,' Dudley suddenly said changing the subject. It seemed that he too had learned when a conversation was over.

'About time,' Harry muttered. 'No offence, but I never liked them.'

Dudley gave a weak smile and said. 'Think you can help me with Algebra again. The numbers and letters just confuse me.'

Harry chuckled, she had been about to answer when she froze for a moment, then began to hastily search their surroundings.

'Harry?' Dudley asked.

Harry shook her head, raised a finger to her lips, she could definitely sense that someone was here. They were being watched.

'Run!' Harry said. 'We're not safe outside, come on. Run!'

And they did, well Harry jogged beside Dudley as she was quite athletic herself, she could have easily out run him. But who had been watching them had seen them together. They would attack him also, given half the chance. Harry was not taking any chances, she carried her wand whether she went, if it came to it she would use magic to protect them. As they reached the door to number four Dudley opened it with his key and pushed it wide open, slamming the door behind them. They were both panting for breath, leaning over on their knees.

'What - was that - about?' Dudley breathed out.

'We - were - being - watched,' Harry said. 'By - some of my - lot.'

Then Harry heard a booming voice, one which belonged to her uncle.

'WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT? WHAT DO YOU MEAN THAT YOU WERE BEING WATCHED BY SOME OF YOUR LOT? WELL ANSWER ME, GIRL!'

Harry looked up, her uncle's face was purple, Dudley too was blinking up at him, then turned to her.

'Told you, to tell them.'

Harry took a deep breath and began to tell him parts of what she knew.

...

 _Muggles know about Voldemort - they fear for their own safety._

 _Almost got kicked out._

 _H_

Harry had copied these words down on two separate pieces of parchment the moment she reached the desk in her bedroom. The first she addressed to Sirius, the other she addressed to her two best friends Ron and Hermione. Harry had hesitated over writing to her best friends. She had been lucky to receive an owl from them. Any news her friends might send her had long since been dashed. From what she gathered was that they were in the same place, hence why she had only written one letter to them. She thought a bit of vague information was a nice retaliation to their vague letters to her. To make matters worse she had been locked back in her bedroom, by the locks she thought she got rid off. Her anger was getting the better of her, as she had snapped at her owl Hedwig as she sent her off four nights ago.

Her uncle entered her bedroom on the fourth night, informing her that they were going out and she wasn't to leave. Not that she would have been able to consider it, he locked her door. It made no difference to her if they were in the house or not, she could not even summon the energy to get up and turn on her bedroom light. The room grew steadily darker around her as she lay listening to the night sounds through the open window. The empty house creaked around pipes gurgled. Harry lay there in a kind of stupor, thinking of nothing, suspended in misery. Then, quite distinctly, she heard a crash in the kitchen below and felt the magical waves coming from it. Whoever it was, they were not alone. She bolted upright, grabbed for her wand, and stuffed it into her clothes, slowly she made her way to the door.

She stood her body flush against the wall next to it, waiting for the moment it opened. Dudley had taught her a few ways how to defend herself earlier the the summer. The door gave a loud click and swung open. In the darkness, Harry saw as well as felt a magical person enter her bedroom. Their wand was out, Harry pushed them into her trunk so that they'd fall over it and onto the bed. There was a person outside the room, who made to grab her but she elbowed them in the stomach, Harry could tell there were more people on the landing, so instead of rushing past them. Harry grabbed the banister, and vaulted over it. Landing awkwardly she slid the rest of the way down the stairs, rushed to her feet at the bottom, and pelted for the front door. She had just reached it, when someone had grabbed the wrist of her right hand. The moment they touched her, their magic felt familiar to her. But Harry didn't think on it, she let go off the door handle, and with all her might swung her fist at her assailant. She heard a crack, and her hand hurt, she must have broken their nose. But it had worked, her other hand was free. Without second thought she reached for the door and retched it open - just to hear as she did so -

'Christ Anna, that hurt!'

It was a voice she recognised well, besides only two other people called her Anna. Harry stopped mid-motion, turned her head and flicked on the light. Sirius was standing next to the door, a hand held his nose, his face had a look of grimace. No wonder she recognised his magic. Now she thought about it, there was another person here who's magic she recognised. And sure enough, Remus was heading down the stairs, looking a bit winded. Harry looked around at the witches and wizards. There was a woman with purple hair also heading down the stairs behind Remus. She looked the youngest there, she was clutching at the side of her ribs. Then there was a bald black wizard, with a single gold hoop in his ear. Mad-Eye Moody also came into view, and a wizard she had met before in the Leaky Cauldron; Dedalus Diggle. And there were four others she didn't know.

'That was sure some welcome, Anna,' Remus huffed out.

'Are you sure it's her, Lupin?' growled Moody. 'It'd be a nice lookout if we bring back some Death Eater impersonating her. We ought to ask her something only the real Potter would know. Unless anyone brought Veritaserum?'

'I'm sure, they'd have a hard time impersonating her,' Remus said, sounding normal again. He had obviously caught back his breath. 'Only someone as reckless as Anna, could pull what she just did off. But to ease your mind. Anna, what form does your Patronus take?'

'Stag,' Harry said. 'I'll swap you a question, for a question. What two words wipe the map clean?'

'Mischief managed,' Remus said. 'Everyone happy now?'

'Very,' Harry said. 'I'll get you some ice for your nose, Sirius.'

Harry lead the way and turned on the kitchen light. She steered Sirius into a seat, then rummaged the freezer for some ice and handed it over. 'Not that I don't like the surprise visit, but is there a reason that you're all here?'

'We've come to take you away,' Remus said.

'Right,' Harry said looking around the room, surely it didn't take this many people to collect one underage witch. And she heard Remus say from beside her. 'Oh course, introductions.' Harry nodded her head.

'The woman you pushed into your bed,' Remus indicated to the young witch with purple hair. 'is Nymphadora-'

' _Don't_ call me Nymphadora, Remus,' she said with a shudder, 'it's Tonks.'

'Nymphadora Tonks, who prefers to be known by her surname only,' Remus finished.

'So, would you if your fool of a mother had called you Nymphadora,' muttered Tonks.

'Sounds like we have something in common, sorry about upstairs. But I wasn't about to let myself get attacked,' Harry said.

Tonks raised an eyebrow. 'Don't worry about it, what do you mean, we have something in common.'

'I don't like my name either,' Harry said. 'I prefer that my friends call me Harry.'

Remus shook his head. 'This is Kingsley Shacklebolt,' he said indicating to the tall black wizard. 'That's Elphias Doge, Dedalus Diggle -'

'We've met before,' Harry said, 'Twice actually.'

'Emmeline Vance.' A stately-looking witch in an emerald green shawl inclined her head. 'Sturgis Podmore.' A square-jawed wizard with thick straw-coloured hair winked. 'And Hesita Jones.' A pink cheeked, black-haired witch waved at her.

'Of course, you know who Alastor Moody, is,' Remus said. 'A surprising number of people volunteered to come and get you.'

'Yeah, well, the more the better,' said Moody. 'We're your guard Potter.'

'We're just waiting for the signal to tell us it's safe to set off,' Remus explained. 'We've got about fifteen minutes.'

'I'll best pack, then,' Harry said getting up.

'I'll come help you,' Tonks said.

They walked to Harry's room, who only unpacked her Muggle clothing, and a few essentials started to gather it up. Tonks paused at her open wardrobe to look critically at her reflection in the mirror on the inside of the door.

'You know, I don't think violet's really my colour,' she said. 'Do you think it makes me look a bit peaky?'

'Not really,' Harry said.

'I think it does,' said Tonks. She screwed up her eyes in a strained expression. A second later her hair had turned bubble-gum pink.

'Wow, cool,' Harry said. 'I've never met a Metamorphmagus before.'

'Yeah, it can be dead handy. I got top marks in Concealment and Disguise during Auror training without any study at all.'

'You're an Auror?' Harry said impressed.

'Yeah,' said Tonks looking proud. 'Kingsley is as well, he's a bit higher up than me, though. I only qualified a year ago, nearly failed on Stealth and Tracking. I'm dead clumsy, did you hear me break that plate downstairs when we arrived?'

'Yeah, I did,' Harry said, placing her clothes into her trunk.

'You'll want your broom out,' Tonks said. 'We're flying to Headquarters.'

...

The flight had been quite pleasant and Harry now stared at the piece of paper in her hands. Written upon it in narrow handwriting that was vaguely familiar, were the words; _The Headquarters of the Order of Phoenix may be found at number twelve, Grimmauld Place, London._

Moody had pulled the note out from her hands and set it on fire. Harry couldn't help but wonder that the person who wrote that message had got the wrong number. Because as far as she could see number twelve didn't even exist. But as she thought about the message, a battered door emerged out of nowhere between numbers eleven and thirteen, followed swiftly by dirty walls and grimy windows. She walked up the stone steps and Sirius pulled out his wand and tapped the door once. Harry heard many loud, metallic clicks and what sounded like the clatter of a chain. The door creaked open.

'Get in quick, Anna,' Remus whispered, 'but don't go far inside and don't touch anything.'

Harry stepped over the threshold into the almost total darkness of the hall. She could smell damp, dust, a rotting smell; the place had the feeling of a derelict building. She looked over her shoulder and saw the others filing in behind her. Remus and Tonks carrying her trunk and Hedwig's cage. Moody limped inside and closed the front door so that the darkness in the hall became complete.

Harry felt the effects of the Disillusionment Charm being uplifted. The others' hushed voices were giving Harry an odd feeling of foreboding; it was as though they had just entered the house of a dying person. She heard a soft hissing noise and then old-fashioned gas lamps sputtered into life all along the walls, casting a flicker of light over the peeling wallpaper and threadbare carpet of a long, gloomy hallway, where a cobwebby chandelier glimmered overhead and age-blackened portraits hung crooked on the walls. There were hurried footsteps and Ron's mother, Mrs Weasley, emerged from a door at the far end of the hall. She was beaming in welcome as she hurried towards them, though Harry noticed that she was thinner and paler than she had been last time she had seen her.

'Oh Harry, it's lovely to see you!' she whispered, pulling her into a rib-cracking hug before holding her at arm's length and examining her critically. 'You're looking peaky; you need feeding up, but you'll have to wait a bit for dinner, I'm afraid.' she turned to the gang of wizards behind her and whispered urgently. 'He's just arrived, the meeting's started.'

'I'll take Anna upstairs to her room quickly,' Sirius said.

'My room?'

Sirius nodded. 'Works the same way as Runewald, magically connected to you, come on quietly now.'

They reached the second landing, when Sirius stopped and indicted at the wall. For a few seconds, it appeared to only have three bedroom doors, but as soon as Harry touched the wall, the wall paper changed into a fourth bedroom door, her name appeared on it. The one thing she loved about having a room magically connected to her, was that only she and Sirius could come and go as they pleased. Everyone else had to be invited in. It was decorated with the same cream, and gold colours she had in her bedroom at Runewald. This room at least was clean.

'Ron and Hermione are in rooms down at the end of the hall,' Sirius said placing her trunk into her room by the four-poster bed. 'I've got to go, talk to you in a bit OK, kiddo.'

Harry nodded, it wasn't like she was going to have much of a choice about it. Sirius left the room. Harry feel onto the bed, deep in thought. Though she wanted to see her friends, Harry unpacked first though and opened the bedroom window, so the Hedwig would be able to fly in. She then exited her room, and walked down the hallway. Figuring out what room they were in had been easy as she could hear hushed voices from inside the door to the right. Upon opening the door she caught a glimpse of a gloomy high-ceiling, twin bedded room; then there was loud twittering noise, followed by an even louder shriek, and her vision was completely obscured by a large quantity of very bushy hair. Hermione had thrown herself on to her in a hug that nearly knocked her flat, while Ron's tiny owl, Pigwidgeon, zoomed excitedly round and round their heads.

'Harry! Oh Harry! Oh, how are you? Are you all right? Have you been furious with us? I bet you have, I know our letters were useless - but we couldn't tell you anything, Dumbledore made us swear we wouldn't, oh, we've got so much to tell you, and you've got things to tell us - those Muggles! When we heard - just outrageous -'

'Let her breathe, Hermione,' said Ron, grinning as he closed the door behind Harry. He seemed to have grown several more inches during their month apart, making him taller and more gangly looking than ever. Hedwig was perched on top of a wardrobe. Harry sensed another magical person, and she noticed that there was another figure in the bedroom, she was surprised that the house was still standing. It belonged to a pale faced boy with rather blonde hair.

'Draco?' Harry said.

'Oh,' he smirked. 'I'm just here while the meeting is on. Heaven forbid I'd have to be stuck cleaning like a Muggle like your friends.'

'I could always make you help,' said a familiar voice from the door. 'Besides you're not just here for the meeting.'

Harry turned her head before he had even spoken, she again had sensed another person. And smiling at her was a person she had only seen a month ago, her former Triwizard Champion rival and fellow Hogwarts school friend; Cedric Diggory. Cedric was a handsome almost eighteen-year-old Hufflepuff who would be entering his last year at Hogwarts this year. Harry looked around the room.

'Like I said,' Hermione said. 'We've got a lot to tell you.'

'OK then,' Harry said, sitting down on Ron's bed. 'You best get started then. You can begin with, what is this place? And why does it register my magic?'

'Ahh,' Draco said. 'That would be because you happen to be in The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black.'

'This is Sirius's place?'

'Yours too, technically,' Draco said. 'As for where we are -'

'It's the Headquarters of the Order of Phoenix,' Ron said.

'It's a secret society,' Hermione said. 'Dumbledore's in charge, he founded it. It's the people who fought against You Know Who last time.'

'Voldemort, Hermione, you might as well use it,' Harry said. 'He'll kill you either way.' she sighed. 'So, who's in it?'

'Quite a few people -' Cedric said. 'My parents, most of the Weasleys, the Malfoys -'

'We've met about twenty of them,' said Ron, 'but we think there are more.'

'So, Voldemort! What's happening? What's he up to? Where is he? What are we doing to stop him?'

'They won't let us into Order meetings, Harry,' Cedric explained. 'So, we don't know the details.'

'But we have a general idea,' Hermione said.

'Fred and George have invented Extendable Ears, see,' said Ron. 'They're really useful.'

'Extendable Ears?' Harry repeated.

'Yeah. Only we've had to stop using them lately because mum found out and went berserk. Fred and George had to hide them all to stop mum binning them. But we got a good bit of use out of them before mum realised what was going on. We know some of the Order are following Death Eaters, keeping tabs on them, you know-'

'Some of them are working on recruiting more people to the Order -'

'And some of them are guarding something,' Cedric said.

Two loud cracks sounded within the walls of the room, making most of the jump, all expect Harry she had sensed their magic. The Weasley twins were grinning identically at her, Harry subconsciously bit her lip. The last time she had seen the twins, she had given them her Triwizard winnings and George had kissed her.

'Stop doing that!' Hermione said weakly to the twins.

' _Sorry_ , we thought we heard someone say our names,' George said.

'So, we came to find out why,' said Fred winding up what looked like a piece of string.

'They were telling me about your new invention,' Harry explained. 'I see you passed your Apparition tests, then.'

'With distinction.' said Fred.

'You could have used the stairs like everybody else,' Cedric said.

'But, there's no fun in that,' George retorted.

Harry chuckled, there was no changing the twins. Then Harry looked at the door, sensing another person, it opened and Ginny walked into the room.

'Oh, hello, Harry!' she greeted, then she turned to Fred and George, she said, 'It's a no-go with the Extendable Ears, mum's gone and put an Imperturbable Charm on the kitchen door.'

'How d'you know?' said George.

'Tonks told me how to find out, you just chuck stuff at the door and if it can't make contact the door's been Imperturbed. I've been flicking Dungbombs at it from the top of the stairs and they just soar away from it, so there's no way the Extendable Ears will be able to get under the gap.' Ginny said.

'Shame, Snape's here as well as Malfoy's dad,' George said carefully closing the door. 'Giving a report Top secret.'

'Git,' said Fred. 'Snape that is.'

'He's on our side,' said Hermione reprovingly.

'Doesn't stop him from being a git. The way he looks at us.'

'Bill doesn't like him either,' said Ginny.

'Bill's in the Order? Is he here?'

'Yeah, he applied for a desk job just so he could work for the Order,' said Fred. 'He says he misses the tombs, but,' he smirked, 'there are compensations.'

'What?'

'Remember Fleur Delacour?' said George. 'She's got a job at Gringotts to _eemprove 'er Eeenglish -'_

'And Bill's been giving her a lot of private lessons,' sniggered Fred.

'Charlie's in the Order, too,' said George, 'But he's still in Romania. Dumbledore wants as many foreign wizards brought in as possible so Charlie's trying to make contact on his days off.'

'Couldn't Percy do that?' Harry asked. The last she heard, the third Weasley brother was working in the Department of International Magical Co-operation at the Ministry of Magic. At her words, all the Weasleys and Hermione exchanged darkly significant looks.

'Whatever you do, don't mention Percy in front of mum and dad,' Ron said in a tense voice.

'OK, why?'

'Because every time Percy's name is mentioned, dad breaks whatever his holding and mum starts crying,' said Fred.

'It's been awful,' Ginny said sadly.

'I think we're well shot of him,' said George, with an uncharacteristically ugly look on his face.

'What happened?'

'Percy and dad had a row. I've never seen dad row with anyone like that. It's normally mum who shouts.' Fred said.

'It was the first week back after term ended,' said Ron. 'We were about to come and join the Order. Percy came home and told us he'd been promoted.'

Harry could see where this was going, considering Percy failed to notice that his boss was being controlled by Lord Voldemort, not that the Ministry believed it - they all thought Mr Crouch had gone mad.

'Yeah, we were all surprised,' said George looking at Harry shaking her head. 'because Percy got into a load of trouble about Crouch, there was an inquiry and everything. But he came home and told dad that he'd been offered a position in Fudge's own office: Junior Assistant to the Minister. He expected dad to be all impressed.'

'Apparently, Fudge has been storming round the Ministry checking that nobody's having contact with Dumbledore. He's name is mud with the Ministry these days, see,' said Fred. 'They all think he's just making trouble saying You Know Who's back.'

'Dad says Fudge has made it clear that anyone who's in league with Dumbledore can clear out their desks,' said George.

'And Fudge suspects dad, he knows he's friendly with Dumbledore, and he's always thought dad's a bit of a weirdo because of his Muggle obsession.'

'Your dad reckoned, Fudge only wanted Percy in his office so he could use him as a spy,' Harry said.

'Right in one.'

'Percy said some awful stuff - said dad had no ambition and that's why we've always been - you know - not had a lot of money, and that, he's been struggling against dad's lousy reputation ever since he joined the Ministry. Told dad he was an idiot to run around with Dumbledore, and that Dumbledore was heading for big trouble and dad was going down with him. And he said he knew where his loyalty lay and it was with the Ministry, he was going to make sure everyone knew he didn't belong to our family any more. And he packed his bags the same night and left.' said Ron.

'Mum's been in a right state,' Fred said. 'She tried to talk to him, but he slammed the door in her face.'

'But Percy must know Voldemort's back,' Harry said. 'He's not stupid, he must know your mum and dad wouldn't risk anything without proof.'

'Yeah well, your name got dragged into the row,' said George folding his arms, looking completely unimpressed. 'Percy said the only evidence was your word and - that it wasn't good enough.'

'Percy takes the _Daily Prophet_ seriously.' Hermione said.

'Oh yes, those lovely articles hinting that I'm deluded, attention-seeking person who thinks that I'm a great tragic hero or something.' Harry muttered. 'Like I need or want the attention.'

Seconds later, Harry could feel a presence approaching the door and Mrs Weasley appeared in the doorway.

'Oh, good you're all here. The meeting's over, you can come down now. Everyone's dying to see you, Harry. And who's left all those Dungbombs outside the kitchen door?'

'Crookshanks,' Ginny said. 'He loves playing with them.'

'Oh, I thought it might have been Kreacher, he keeps doing odd things like that. Now don't forget to keep your voices down in the hall. Ginny your hands are filthy, what have you been doing? Go and wash them before dinner, please.'

'Who's Kreacher?' Harry muttered.

'The house-elf who lives here,' Ron said. 'Nutter. Never met one like him.'

'As in Dob weird?' Harry said.

'Worse.'


	88. Chapter 88

The moment Harry entered the kitchen, after meeting Sirius's mother, she was attacked by two elves and almost fell over as they both clung to her leg.

'Mistress! Mistress!' the both squeaked.

'Dobby, Winky,' Harry said. 'Not that it's not nice to see you both, but could you let go of me now. I'm starving.' Harry felt her legs be released, and the two elves ears dropped. 'It's OK, I missed you guys too. But let me eat first, then we'll catch up.'

Harry glanced around the kitchen, Mr Weasley had jumped to his feet and several of the other people were glancing at her oddly. Harry turned to face her friends who by the looks of their faces, looked rather smug. Harry made her way to the table sitting down besides Sirius and George wordlessly slid into the seat next to hers. His hand brushed hers for a moment and Harry was sure her face had heated up.

'This, is Mundungus, Anna,' Sirius gestured to the pile of rags, which gave a prolonged grunting snore, then jerked awake.

'Some'n say m'name?' Mundungus mumbled sleepily. 'I 'gree with Sirius ...' he raised a very grubby hand in the air as though voting, his droopy, bloodshot eyes unfocused.

Harry wasn't the only one who giggled.

'The meeting's over, Dung,' Sirius said. 'Anna's arrived.'

'Eh?' said Mundungus, peering balefully at Harry through his matted ginger hair. 'Blimey, so she 'as. Yeah ... you all right, Anna?'

'Fine,' Harry said. 'And its Harry, privileged people only get to call me Anna.'

'Hear that,' George piped up. 'I'm a privileged person.'

'No,' Harry retorted. 'I just got fed up with correcting you all the time.'

George playfully mocked being wounded. 'That hurt, Anna.'

They had stew for dinner not the Harry managed to eat much. After the Tournament, even the temptation of food had died down, as much as she liked Mrs Weasleys cooking. It wasn't long before she was pushing away her unfinished plate. She heard Sirius sigh from the seat next to her, and Harry looked up at him.

'You know, I'm surprised at you. I thought the first thing you'd do when you got here would be to start asking questions about Voldemort.'

The atmosphere in the room changed. Harry glanced around at her friends then back to Sirius. 'I did, but they told me it was no point in asking - as they we're not allowed in the Order -'

'They were quite right,' Mrs Weasley irrupted. 'You're too young.'

' - I figured you wouldn't tell me anymore then what they know - which of course is nothing.'

'Since when did someone have to be in the Order of the Phoenix to ask questions?' Sirius said. 'She has a right to know what's been happen-'

'Wait a minute!' George interrupted loudly.

'How comes Harry gets her questions answered?' Fred said angrily.

'We've been trying to get stuff out of you for a month and you haven't told us a single thing!' said George.

'" _You're too young, you're not in the Order",'_ said Fred, in a high-pitched voice that sounded uncannily like his mother's. 'Harry's not even of age!'

'No offence, Anna,' George added.

'It's not my fault you haven't been told what the Order's doing,' said Sirius calmly. 'Anna on the other hand -'

'It's not down to you to decide what's good for Harry!' said Mrs Weasley.

Harry shot up out of her seat. 'Stop it!'

The table was glancing oddly between Mrs Weasley, Sirius and Harry, and Harry slumped back into her seat. She was not going to have petty arguments, not over her. It was Mr Weasley who broke the silence.

'Dumbledore knows the position has changed, Molly. He accepts that Harry will have to be filled in, to a certain extent, now that she is staying at Headquarters.'

'There's a difference between that and inviting her to ask whatever she likes!'

'Personally,' Remus said. 'I think it's better that Anna gets an overview of what's been happening,' he said carefully. 'in exchange for the tale of what happened while she was at her aunt and uncles, that almost lead to her being kicked out.'

'Dursleys found out Voldemort was back,' Harry shrugged. 'End of.'

Remus gave her a calculating look. 'I do not believe that, I reckon there is more to it. And we would all like to know what.'

Harry looked at Sirius, but she could tell from the look on his face, she was getting no help there. 'Fine.'

'So, Anna ... what do you want to know?' Sirius said.

'Why is Voldemort keeping quiet?'

Harry as she looked around at the adults surrounding the table, got the feeling they were not expecting her to ask that. 'I have eyes, I can read you know.' she said irritably. 'It's not hard to work out.'

'He doesn't want to draw attention to himself,' said Sirius. 'His little comeback didn't go to plan - you weren't supposed to survive - only his Death Eaters were supposed to know.'

'And I told the one person, that he didn't want to know,' Harry said. 'OK that makes sense, I had been wondering.'

'Damn kid - you're smart!'

'Kingsley, mate, that's nothing!' Sirius said, shaking his head. 'Should have seen her when she stayed with me last summer - theorising away -'

'I was bored, at the time,' Harry interrupted, and she changed the subject back again. 'So, what has the Order been doing?'

'Working as hard as we can to make sure Voldemort can't carry out his plans,' said Sirius.

'So, he wants to build up his army,' Harry said. 'I remember his little comeback speech.'

'We've been trying to convince as many people as we can that You Know Who really has returned, put them on their guard,' said Bill. 'It's proving tricky though.'

'Fudge hasn't shifted his position at all. He's absolutely refusing to believe that You Know Who has returned.' said Tonks.

'Why is he being so stupid?'

'Dumbledore, Fudge is frightened of him, you see,' Mr Weasley said. 'Thinks Dumbledore's plotting to overthrow him. He thinks that Dumbledore wants the Minister for Magic -'

'So, he discredits, Dumbledore instead.' Harry said rubbing her forehead. 'I saw the _Daily Prophet_ last week.'

'None of what was printed was true,' Remus said. 'They didn't take away his Chairmanship of the International Confederation of Wizards because he was getting old, Dumbledore was voted out by Ministry wizards after he made a speech announcing Voldemort's return. They demoted him from Chief Warlock on the Wizengamot - that's the Wizard High Court - and they're talking about taking away his Order of Merlin, First Class, too.'

'But Dumbledore says he doesn't care what they do as long as they don't take him off the Chocolate Frog Cards,' said Bill grinning.

'It's not funny,' Mr Weasley said sharply. 'If he carries on defying the Ministry orders like this he could end up in Azkaban, and the last thing we want is to have Dumbledore locked up. While You Know Who knows Dumbledore's out there and wise to what he's up to he's going to go cautiously. If Dumbledore's out of the way - well, You Know Who will have a clear field.'

'And gathering followers is only one thing Voldemort's interested in.' Sirius said. 'He's got other plans too, plans he can put into operation very quietly indeed, and he's concentrating on those for the moment.'

'Voldemort is after, some kind of weapon?' Harry said. 'Something worse than the Killing Curse?'

'Not worse, no,' Sirius said. 'But dangerous if he got to it.'

'That's enough!' Mrs Weasley said. 'We've given them plenty of information. Any more and you might as well induct them into the Order straight away.'

'Why not?' said Harry. 'I'll join, I want to join. I want to fight.'

'No.'

It was not Mrs Weasley who spoke this time, but Remus. 'The Order is comprised only of overage wizards,' he said. 'Wizards that have left school,' he added glancing around at Fred, George and Cedric. 'There are dangers involved of which you can have no idea, any of you ... Molly is right, we've told you enough.'

Harry knew not to push it, Remus when angry was not someone she wanted to see or mess with.

'Now Anna,' Sirius said breaking the silence. 'Tell us what happened at your aunt and uncles.'

Harry sighed. 'Fine, it was just another boring evening at the Dursleys - I had hidden myself so I could listen to the news - they thought I was being odd - anyway it had reported nothing again - so I made my way to go meet up with Dudley - it's a long story - but as I was heading out, I could feel someone watching me - since the beginning of summer, I'd been getting that feeling,' Harry said. 'I thought I was imagining it at first, ran into Mrs Figg a few times - an old lady that lives close by - but it continued - so I got smart, started shaking them off my tail - I thought it had worked too - for a while Dudley and I were at the local park, just talking about things, we go there to think - then I felt it again, stronger this time - I knew it was magical presence-'

'I knew it,' Mundungus said. 'I told you all I had a feeling she could sense me tailing her -'

'You've been tailing me!' Harry said.

'You didn't expect us to let you wander around on your own after what happened!' Mr Weasley said.

'YOU'VE BEEN TAILING ME!' Harry repeated, bolting once more from her seat. 'DO YOU REALISE HOW CLOSE I CAME TO BEING KICKED OUT! AND ALL BECAUSE YOU LOT WERE TAILING ME!'

'Anna, we were trying to protect you.' Sirius said.

'SO, THE ORDER'S IDEA OF PROTECTING ME WAS FORMING SOME KIND OF - POTTERWATCH!' Harry raged. 'Funny way of protecting me. I could have cast magic, I could have been expelled!'

'The idea was to stop you from using any magical spells,' Sirius said. 'We didn't want you to get into trouble with the Ministry.'

However well-reasoned this was, Harry was still furious.

'Anna, I know you're angry but we need to talk about your ability to sense magic,' Sirius said softly.

Harry sat back down in her seat, folding her arms across her chest, refusing to meet any of the adults' eyes.

'It's quite a rare ability to have,' Remus said. 'You have to be born with it, it's that rare.'

'But it's no surprise really,' Sirius said. 'You were always sensitive to your surroundings even as a baby. You didn't like Peter, that's for sure.'

'And as far as the present is concerned, from what I've heard, and seen,' Mr Weasley said. 'You're still are very sensitive to your surroundings.'

Harry looked up at them, blinking. 'So, it's got nothing to do with Voldemort?'

Sirius shook his head. 'No kiddo, why do you think that?'

'I can speak Parseltongue because Voldemort can speak it,' Harry said. 'I thought that maybe - it doesn't matter.'

'You Know Who has never had the ability of Empathetic Magic,' Mr Malfoy said. 'Not to our knowledge and as his circle we know a lot about his capabilities.'

'Empathetic Magic?' Harry repeated.

'That's the name for it,' Remus said. 'The ability to sense another person's magic and the ability to connect emotionally to others. Makes the person very aware of their surroundings. A person to have this kind of magic is called an Empath.'

'Does this mean, that I'm going to have to stop playing Quidditch?'

Sirius gave a bark like laugh. 'No, kiddo, you don't sense magical enchanted things like Quidditch balls. It just means that you can sense a persons' magic without even trying and you'll be able to feel emotions - more like a wave of emotion from someone and the same for other people when it comes to yours. '

'What do mean without trying?' Harry said.

'Harry,' Mr Weasley said softly. 'Unless a wizard is angry or in a very emotional state, those without the Empath ability can't sense others magic.'

'Anna, we were following you all summer, no magic was used once we were close to you,' Sirius said. 'And yet you could still sense that we were there.'

'You know,' Tonks said. 'I don't feel so bad about you being able to overpower me now.'

Harry thought for a moment, then said, 'But Dumbledore -'

'Anyone can feel his magic,' Mr Weasley said. 'He's a powerful wizard. It goes the same way with any powerful witch or wizard who's powerful. Their magic literally radiates off them and they aren't even aware that they are doing it.'

'It can't be helped,' Sirius said. 'Learning control of it takes years of practice.'

'Are there other Empaths?'

'Well two others that we know of in our age,' Remus said. 'Dumbledore and,' his eyes flicked along the table, then back again.

'And myself,' said a very sarcastic voice at the end. Harry turned her head towards her Potions Professor. Snape looked irritated and his demeanour was cold. If his magic didn't feel different to his outlook Harry wouldn't have believed it. 'The Headmaster hardly has time to train you in the ways of controlling this ability. So, I surmise that it falls to me, eight o'clock tomorrow morning, meet me in the drawing room. It's about time someone informed you of the power you hold.'

Snape got up from his seat, 'If this meeting is over, I have potions that need attending to,' he looked at Harry. 'And Potter, try to not be late.' And then he swept from the room.

'So, Anna gets to use magic,' said George. 'but we get told off for every little spell we use!'

'Don't be so silly,' Mrs Weasley said. 'Empathetic Magic doesn't require the use of spells.'

Harry, however, was staring blankly at the door. 'What did he mean?'

'Mean by what, Harry dear?' Mrs Weasley said.

'By, "it's about time someone informed you of the power you hold." What did he mean?' Harry said, looking around at them all to receive sheepish looks. It was Hermione who spoke.

'Well, know how Mr Weasley was saying that anyone could sense Professor Dumbledore's magic,' she said and Harry nodded. 'Well we can all sense yours, it's practically buzzing. Has been since the moment you stepped into the house.'

'It's how we knew you arrived, mate,' Ron said.

Harry was shaking her head at them. 'No - I can't be - mistake - has to be.'

'It's no mistake, Harianna,' Draco said. 'Your magic has always radiated off you, first, it was when you were just casting spells - then it grew.'

'We've just got used it,' Ginny who was grinning, shrugged.

'And that's the other reason,' Tonks said. 'That I don't feel so bad that my heiress managed to overpower me.'

...

They were mental, all of them. There was no way she could be powerful. Being an Empath she could get, she could understand, but magically powerful. Harry hadn't done anything extraordinary - OK so she pulled off a Patronus at the age of thirteen but that had nothing to do with being powerful. She just believed she could do it. Her mornings at Headquarters were spent learning how to Mediate or focus her Empath abilities with Snape, well the mornings he was there. Afternoons were spent cleaning with the others. Harry didn't mind this so much, having been used to cleaning by hand. Though she preferred to work alone, as she got through cleaning the rooms quicker. Or the afternoons were spent cleaning out creatures inhabiting Grimmauld Place. Today Snape wasn't there so Harry helped the others tackle the Doxys . The twins had just told Harry about their Skiving Snackboxes for the joke shop. Mrs Weasley had left to go prepare dinner.

'Dobby and Winky try to help her,' George said. 'But mum loves being in charge of the kitchen. So, Sirius, has them trying to figure out how to take down his mothers' portrait.'

The door-bell clung and at once, everyone dashed over to the window to look down on the doorstep. They could see the top of an unkempt gingery head and a stack of precariously balanced cauldrons.

'Mundungus!' Hermione said. 'What's he brought all those cauldrons for?'

Fred and George had crossed the room and stood beside it, listening closely.

'Mundungus is talking to Sirius and Kingsley,' Fred muttered. 'Can't hear properly ... d'you reckon we can risk we can risk the Extendable Ears?'

'Might be worth it,' said George. 'I could sneak upstairs and get a pair -'

But at that precise moment, there was an explosion of sound from downstairs that rendered Extendable Ears quite unnecessary. All of them could hear exactly what Mrs Weasley was shouting.

'WE ARE NOT A HIDEOUT FOR STOLEN GOODS!'

'I love hearing mum shouting at someone else,' said Fred and he opened the door an inch to allow Mrs Weasley's voice to permeate the room. 'it makes such a nice change.'

'-COMPLETELY IRRESPONSIBLE, AS IF WE HAVEN'T GOT ENOUGH TO WORRY ABOUT WITHOUT DRAGGING STOLEN CAULDRONS INTO THE HOUSE-'

'The idiots are letting her get into her stride,' said George. 'You've got to head her off early otherwise she builds up a head of steam and goes on for hours - and there goes Sirius's mum.'

Mrs Weasley's voice was lost to the shrieks and screams from the portrait in the hall. George made to shut the door to drown out the noise, but before he could do so, a house-elf edged into the room. It looked very old, its skin seemed to be several times too big for it. There was a quantity of white hair growing out of its large bat-like ears. Its eyes were bloodshot and watery grey. The elf took no notice of Harry and the rest. Acting as though it could not see them, it shuffled hunchbacked, slowly and doggedly towards the far end of the room, all the while muttering under its breath.

'...smells like a drain and criminal to boot, but she's no better, nasty blood traitor with her brats messing up my mistress's house, if she knew, if she knew the scum they've let into her house, oh, my poor mistress, oh the shame of it, Mudbloods and werewolves and traitors and thieves ...'

'Hello Kreacher,' Fred said loudly, closing the door with a snap. The house-elf froze in his tracks, stopped muttering, and gave a very pronounced and very unconvincing start of surprise.

'Kreacher did not see young master,' he said, turning around, bowing to Fred. 'Nasty little brat of a blood traitor it is.'

'Sorry?' said George. 'Didn't quite catch that last bit.'

'Kreacher said nothing,' said the elf, with a second bow to George. 'and there's it's twin, unnatural little beast they are.'

'Hey,' Harry said loudly. The elf turned and stared at her.

'A new girl is here too, Kreacher doesn't know her name. What is she doing here? Kreacher doesn't know ...'

'This is Harianna, Kreacher,' said Hermione tentatively, then her mouth closed as Harry had held her hand up.

'Don't be fooled, the elf knows exactly who I am,' Harry said. 'The house registered me as the heir.'

Kreacher was eyeing Harry, and she lowered herself to his level. 'You may not have to obey my orders, just yet - but know this - say one word - one more nasty word and I'll have Dob and Wink wash your mouth out for the rest of the year. So, think very wisely about you say.' Harry said. 'What did you want anyway?'

'Kreacher is cleaning,' he said evasively. Harry turned her head suddenly towards the door, Sirius had opened it; he was glowering at the elf from the doorway and said. 'A likely story. Every time you show up pretending to be cleaning, you sneak something off to your room so we can't throw it out.'

'Kreacher would never move anything from its proper place in Master's house,' said the elf, the muttered very fast. 'Mistress would never forgive Kreacher if the tapestry was thrown out, seven centuries it's been in the family, Kreacher must save it, Kreacher will not let Master and the blood traitors and the brats destroy it -'

'I thought it might be that,' said Sirius, casting a disdainful look at the opposite wall. 'She'll have put another Permanent Sticking Charm on the back of it, I don't doubt, but if I can get rid of it I certainly will. Now go away, Kreacher.'

It seemed that Kreacher did not dare disobey a direct order, nevertheless, he exited the room muttering under his breath.

'I told you, he was a nasty piece of work, Anna,' Sirius said. 'Still, think you could work your magic.'

Harry shook her head. 'I think, it's even past my capabilities.'

'If you could just set him free,' Hermione said. 'Maybe -'

'We can't set him free, he knows too much about the Order,' Sirius said walking across the room and Harry followed. The tapestry looked immensely old: it was faded, nevertheless the golden, thread with which it was embroidered still glinted brightly enough. Large words at the very top of the tapestry read: _The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black 'Toujours Ppur'._

'You're not on here!' Harry said examining the bottom of the tree closely.

'I used to be,' Sirius said. 'Got blasted off when I ran away.'

'When you went to nan andgrandad's?' Harry asked, knowing this part of his history already.

'Yeah, until I was seventeen I got a place of my own. My uncle Alphard had left me a decent bit of gold - he's been wiped off too.'

Harry looked back to the tree and saw a name besides where Sirius's should have been. It had his date of birth followed by a date of death.

'Regulus, he was younger than me,' said Sirius, noticing where Harry was looking. 'and a much better son, as I was constantly reminded.'

'But he died.'

'Yeah, stupid idiot ... he joined the Death Eaters.' Sirius said and Harry looked up towards his face as he continued. 'He was murdered by Voldemort or on his orders most likely; I doubt Regulus was ever important enough to killed by Voldemort in person. From what I found out after he died, he got in so far, then panicked about what he was being asked to do and tried to back out. Well, you don't just hand in your resignation to Voldemort. It's a lifetime service or death.'

'Lunch,' said Mrs Weasley.

'Oh good,' said Sirius, leading the way down the stairs. 'I came up to talk to you anyway, Anna.'

Harry looked at him questionably. 'It's not about my magic, is it?'

'No.'

'And you haven't come to talk to me about boys again, have you? Once was enough for that conversation,' Harry said. 'I really don't need to hear it again.'

Sirius chuckled. 'Not that either, but now you mention it -'

'Don't or I'll tell everyone the real reason behind the name Snuffles.' Harry said.

Sirius gave her a scolding look, then beaming smile. 'You've learnt the ways well. I'm proud.'

Harry shrugged. 'So, what did you come to tell me?'

'Well I've got a date for a rather important appeal,' Sirius said. 'And you need to be there for it. Unless you don't want me to go ahead with it.'

Harry froze in the hallway, right by Sirius mother's portrait and her shout for joy woke his mother up. She sent Sirius a sheepish look as he shut up his mother again.

'I'll take that as the go ahead, then.' Sirius said.

...

The morning of the appeal Harry woke up very early, the idea had to be to go into work with Sirius. She pulled on a smart casual dress, put her hair, that was long enough it fell passed her shoulders and put into a ponytail. Harry still had the side swept fringe to help cover her scar and her secret weapon, to help conceal it; makeup.

'For someone who hates early wake up calls,' Sirius said as Harry entered the kitchen. 'You're sure in a good mood.'

'You felt that?' Harry said. 'Sorry.'

Harry was still getting used to the fact that she could project her emotions across to others. Her Empath abilities were growing stronger, and as much as she pained to admit it her lessons with Snape had been useful. Harry could no longer say he couldn't teach. It just seemed he was only able to teach something he was passionate about. Not that his cold and hard attitude changed, but they had at least gone back to not disliking one another.

'Don't worry about it,' Sirius said shaking his head.

Sirius thought it would be better, for them to appear at the Ministry the non-magical way as Harry was not old enough to Apparate. And one did not just drive into the Ministry of Magic. Harry was glad Sirius managed to talk Mr Weasley out of joining them. Though Harry noticed as they walked to the, Sirius right hand was kept inside his jacket. His left hand barely left her shoulder. His eyes kept sweeping across the street. Harry wondered if he forgot that she could sense magical presences or was just being over cautious. They headed for the underground and got off at a station in the very heart of London. They emerged on to a broad street lined with imposing looking buildings and already full of traffic. Sirius led her down a side road. The further they walked, the smaller and less imposing the buildings became, until finally they reached a street that contained several rather shabby-looking offices, a pub and an overflowing skip. Sirius lead her to an old telephone box, which was missing several panes of glass and stood before a heavily graffitied wall. Sirius reached past Harry fore the receiver after closing the doors. The telephone apparatus was hanging crookedly from the wall as though a vandal had tried to rip it off.'

'Do me a favour Anna,' Sirius said. 'Dial six, two, four, four, two. So, I don't have to lean over you.'

Harry dialled the number, and as the dial whirred smoothly back into place, a cool female voice sounded inside the telephone box, not from the receiver, but loudly and plainly as though an invisible woman were standing beside them.

'Welcome to the Ministry of Magic. Please state your name and business.'

'Lord Sirius Black, Muggle Relations Office and Harianna Potter, who's been brought here for a guardianship appeal.'

'Thank you,' said the cool female voice. 'Visitor, please take the badge and attach it to the front of your robes.'

There was a click and a rattle, and something slid out of the metal chute where returned coins usually appeared. She picked it up: it was a silver badge with _Harianna Potter, Guardian Appeal_ on it. She pinned it to the front of her dress, as the female voice spoke again 'Visitor to the Ministry, you are required to submit to a search and your wand for registration at the security desk, which is located at the far end of the Atrium.'

The floor of the telephone box shuddered. They were sinking slowly into the ground. Harry watched apprehensively as the pavement seemed to rise up past the glass windows of the telephone box. After about a minute, a chink of golden light illuminated her feet. The door of the telephone box sprang open and Sirius stepped out of it, followed by Harry, whose mouth had fallen open. The magical presence of the Ministry of Magic was overwhelming, it would be as so many witches and wizards worked for it. Harry looked around, they were standing at one end of a very long and splendid hall with a highly polished, dark wood floor. The walls on each side were panelled in shiny dark wood and had many gilded fireplaces set into them. Halfway down the hall was a fountain. A group of golden statues, larger than life-size, stood in the middle of a circular pool.

Harry followed Sirius, wending his way between the Ministry workers, they passed the fountain, they stepped out of the stream of Ministry employees heading for the golden gates. Seated at a desk to the left, beneath a sign saying _Security,_ a badly-shaven wizard in peacock blue robes looked up.

'One visitor check,' Sirius said gesturing towards Harry.

'Step over here,' said the wizard. Harry walked closer to him and the wizard held up a long golden rod, thin and flexible as a car aerial, and passed it up and down Harry's front and back.

'Wand,' grunted the security wizard, now holding out his hand. Harry produced her wand. The wizard dropped it on a strange brass instrument, which looked something like a set of scales with only one dish. It began to vibrate. A narrow strip of parchment came speeding out a slit in the base. The wizard tore this off and read the writing.

'Eleven inches, phoenix-feather core, been in use four years. That correct?'

'Yes,' said Harry.

'I keep this,' said the wizard, impaling the slip of parchment on a small brass spike. 'You get this back,' he added, trusting the wand at Harry.

'Thank you.'

'Hang on ..' said the wizard slowly. His eyes darted from the silver visitor's badge on Harry's chest, then to Sirius.

'Thank you, Eric,' said Sirius firmly, grasping Harry firmly and steering her through the golden gates. Jostled slightly by the crowd, Harry walked through the gates into the smaller hall beyond, where at least twenty lifts stood behind wrought golden grills. Sirius and Harry the closest one. The lift ascended slowly, chains rattling, while the same cool female voice Harry heard in the telephone box rang out again.

'Level seven, Department of Magical Games and Sports, incorporating the British and Irish Quidditch League, Headquarters, Official Gobstones Club and Ludicrous Patents Office.' The lift doors opened. Harry glimpsed untidy-looking corridor, with various posters of Quidditch teams tacked lopsidedly on the walls. Harry waited as floor by floor witches and wizards got off, until-

'Level Two, Department of Magical Law Enforcement, including the Improper Use of Magic Office, Auror Headquarters and Wizengamot Administration Services.'

Sirius lead them off the lift. Along the corridor, the walked through a pair of heavy oak doors and emerged in a cluttered open area divided into cubicles. A lopsided sign on the nearest cubicle read: _Auror Headquarters._ Harry caught sight of wanted posters as they passed. And they marched off, into a dimly lit and shabby corridor.

'Door at the end's Arthur's,' Sirius whispered to her, as he pushed open a door to the right. Harry walked into Sirius's office. 'I work quite closely with Arthur so they put me on this floor.'

It was a rather small office, but Sirius had kept it tidy. There were two photographs on the desk. One of her mum and dad, with Sirius on their wedding day. And a recent one, taken only last year by Remus. Harry smiled as she watched herself smile and wave in the photo, Sirius grinning broadly besides her, laughing his head off. There was a knock on the door, then it opened Mr Weasley stood at it panting. 'Sirius, they've moved your appeal - I tried to send a message but you of course where on the way. You should have been there five minutes ago, it started at eight o'clock and it's down in old Courtroom Ten -'

'Courtroom Ten!' Sirius repeated completely shocked. 'But that's -'

'Sirius, no time.' Mr Weasley said.

'Come on, Anna,' Sirius said. 'This way quickly, or it won't look good.'

They rushed back down to the lifts, Sirius jabbed impatiently at the 'down' button. The lift clattered into view and they hurried inside. Sirius cursed furiously every time it stopped and pummelled the number nine button.

'The Atrium,' said the cool female and the golden grilles slid open.

'Morning Sirius,' said a wizard in a sepulchral voice as the lift began to descend. 'Don't often see you down here.'

'Urgent business Bode, sorry,' Sirius said.

'Ah yes,' said Bode. 'Your appeal.'

'Department of Mysteries,' said the cool female voice, and left it at that.

'Quick Anna,' Sirius said as the lift doors rattled open, and they sped up a corridor that was quite different from those above. The walls were bare. The only door was a plain black one set at the very end of the corridor. Harry expected them to go through it, but Sirius dragged here to the left, where there was an opening leading down a flight of steps. They reached the bottom of the steps and ran along yet another corridor. The door they passed here heavy wooden ones with iron bolts and keyholes. They reached Courtroom Ten.

'This is it, kiddo,' Sirius said swallowing hard and turned the heavy iron door handle.


	89. Chapter 89

Harry gasped: she could not help herself. The large dungeon she had entered was horribly familiar. She had not only seen it before, she had been here before. This was the place she had fallen into in Dumbledore's Pensieve. The walls were made of dark stone, dimly lit by torches. Empty benches rose on either side of them, but ahead, in the highest benches of all, were many shadowy figures. They had all been talking in low voices, but as the heavy door swung closed behind them, silence fell. A cold male voice rang across the courtroom.

'You're late.'

'Forgive us,' Sirius said and Harry could tell he was holding back snarling at them. 'We had not received the owl informing us the time had changed.'

'Take your seat.'

Harry dropped her gaze to the chair in the centre of the room, the arms of which were covered in chains. She had seen those chains spring into life and bind whoever sat in the chair. Sirius though pale and shaking slightly sat, he indicated that Harry should stand at the edge of the room. Harry knew her turn would come.

Harry looked up to the benches, there were about fifty people, wearing plum-coloured robes with elaborately worked silver 'W' on the left-hand side of the chest. In the very middle of the front row sat Cornelius Fudge; the Minister for Magic. Harry knew then that this was going to be no ordinary appeal for guardianship. She glanced over to Sirius, his grey eyes were set and calculating, she knew that he too, had come to the same conclusion.

'Very, well,' said Fudge shortly. 'Lord Black is with us finally - let us begin. Are you ready?' he called down the row.

'Yes sir,' said an eager voice Harry knew. It belonged to Percy Weasley.

'Guardianship appeal of Harianna Jamie Potter, born that of the thirty-first July, nineteen-eighty, set on the date of the twelfth of August,' said Fudge. 'Person applying for full guardianship and custody of Miss Harianna Jamie Potter is one Lord Sirius Orion Black born that of November third, nineteen-fifty-nine. Are those details correct?'

'Yes, they are,' Sirius said.

'Very well,' said Fudge. 'Current residence for Miss Harianna Jamie Potter is that of number four Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey?'

'Yes,' Sirius said.

'Please state to the court why you wish to remove Miss Potter from her current address.'

Harry gulped, she had been right, this was going to be no ordinary appeal, one mention of Voldemort and they would lose everything.

'That's quite simple, Minister,' Sirius said calmly. 'I love her.'

Harry felt a wave of affection towards Sirius right now. Gasps could be heard throughout the room. Harry glanced sheepishly towards a smirking Sirius.

'She has the ability of an Empath?' Harry heard a witch say.

'Yes, Madam Bones,' Sirius address the witch. 'A power we recently came into light, but of no surprise, Anna - forgive me - Harianna has always been aware of her surroundings, even as a small child.'

'Are you able to help and guide her, with her ability?' a wizard asked.

'Action has already been taken,' Sirius said. 'Professor Snape of Hogwarts, who also has the gift, has kindly agreed to help Harianna control it.'

'Why make the appeal for guardianship now, why not earlier?' asked another witch. 'Miss Potter will be due to take her OWLs this year - removing her from her home - could cause a decline in academic achievements - for she, according to her school records has already taken one OWL, in Arithmancy.'

'Yes, she has,' Sirius said. 'But I do not fear that her academic achievements would decline in any form. I feel they would increase.'

'Elaborate, for the court Lord Black.' said Fudge.

Now Sirius was really smirking. 'Anna is clever, really clever. She was able to produce a Patronus at the mere age of thirteen.'

'She can produce a fully-fledged Patronus?' said Madam Bones

'Yes.'

'A corporal Patronus?' Madam Bones asked.

'Yes, it's a stag, it's always a stag.'

'And she learned this at school?'

'Yes, taught to her by Remus Lupin, who at the time was the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher.'

'Impressive,' said Madam Bones, staring down towards Harry, 'a true Patronus at her age ... very impressive indeed.'

Some of the wizards and witches around her were muttering and nodding their heads.

'That is not the only thing she has been able to do,' Sirius said. 'Within two weeks while staying between her aunt and uncles and my own residence - Harianna invented a way to make it possible for Wizard to access Muggle money, via their own vault. Most of you would now be aware of the card, that Gringotts offers you to enable you to do so.'

'The card, that requires the users magical signature - so that only the person who owns the card can use it,' said another wizard.

'The very same one,' Sirius said. 'The Goblins would be more than happy to verify the fact, Harianna has made them quite a small fortune from it.'

'Miss Potter if you would now take the seat.' Fudge said firmly. 'The court would like to question you.'

Sirius got up and swapped places as Harry passed him, he whispered two words 'remain calm.' Harry took the seat and looked up.

'By all accounts, we have heard what you are capable of achieving,' said Fudge. 'What troubles me is that we know nothing of your home life. Care to tell us about your childhood Miss Potter and why you would be so keen to leave the home of your loving aunt and uncle?'

Now that was a tough question, Harry had never, not once spoken of her childhood. Sirius was frowning at her, Harry blinked and looked up. And spoke, told them - though, there were details major details she left out - her past as far as she was concerned was her own business.

...

Harry and Sirius had just got back to a very noisy racket coming from the kitchen. They glanced at each other and made their way in, listening Fred and George's voices, which sounded completely bewildered and slightly offended.

'Prefect?'

'Dumbledore must have made a mistake.'

'No one in their right minds would make you a prefect.'

'They learnt that from you,' Sirius muttered in her ear. 'Didn't they?' Harry nodded and the pushed open the door.

From the looks of her friend's faces and their letters in their hands, the Hogwarts school letters had arrived. Draco had also been looking at his Prefect badge with a slightly smug look on his face. That choice was no surprise to Harry. Ron was still gaping at his letter but it Hermione was the one who looked nervous. Harry didn't need her friend to tell her why.

'Congratulations,' Harry said, smiling from Hermione to Hermione. 'Both of you.'

'I - I thought, you might have been picked,' Hermione said.

'Moi,' Harry said. ' _please,_ give me a bit of credit. I've caused far too much trouble.'

'Yeah, well at least one of you have got their priorities right.' Fred said.

Mrs Weasley entered the kitchen with dirty laundry. 'Oh good, the book list have arrived, at last. If you give them to me, I'll take them over to Diagon Alley this afternoon and get your books while your packing. Ron, I'll have to get you more pyjamas, these are at least six inches too short, I can't believe how fast you're growing ... what colour would you like?'

'Get him red and gold to match his badge,' said George smirking.

'Match his what?'

'His badge, his lovely shiny new _prefect's badge_.' said Fred, pointing at the offending badge.

Mrs Weasley let out a shriek, the laundry fell to the floor. 'I don't believe it! Oh, Ron, how wonderful! A prefect! That's everyone in the family!'

'What are Fred and I, next-door neighbours?' said George indignantly, as his mother pushed him aside and flung her arms around her youngest son.

'Wait until your father hears! Ron, I'm so proud of you, what wonderful news, you could end up Head Boy just like Bill and Percy, it's the first step! Oh, what a thing to happen in the middle of all this worry, I'm just so thrilled, oh, Ronnie -'

Fred and George were both making loud retching noises behind her back but Mrs Weasley didn't notice; arms tight around Ron's neck, she was kissing him all over his face, which had turned a brighter scarlet than his badge.

'Mum ... don't ... mum, get a grip...' he muttered, trying to push her away.

She let go of him and said breathlessly, 'Well, what will it be? We gave Percy an owl, but you've already got one, of course.'

'W-what do yo mean?' said Ron, looking as though he did not dare believe his ears.

'You've got to have a reward for this!' Mrs Weasley said fondly. 'How about a nice new set of dress robes?'

'Anna, fixed his last ones up,' George blurted out. 'They look just fine.'

'Don't drag me into this,' Harry said holding her hands up. 'Besides, your mum was suggesting.'

'Mum, can I have a new broom?' Ron said hopefully.

Mrs Weasley's face fell slightly; broomsticks were expensive.

'Not a really good one!' Ron hastened to add. 'Just - just a new one for a change... there's a new Cleansweep out.'

'Of course, you can ... well, I'd better get going if I've got a broom to buy too.' Mrs Weasley said.

'Wait a minute Molly,' Sirius said. 'We just got back, Anna hasn't had a chance to open her letter yet.'

Harry blinked. 'Oh of course,' she said making her way over. 'My letter is here right?' Ginny held it out for her and Harry tore it open. It seemed slightly thick and there was a good reason. It contained three pieces of parchment - her school list supplies, the usual reminder about start of term, a badge and - her result for her OWL. Harry stood there feeling quite numb, staring at the parchment as the conversation went on around her.

'You don't mind if we don't kiss you, do you Ron?' said Fred in a falsely anxious voice.

'We could curtsey if you like,' said George.

'Oh, shut up,' said Ron, scowling at them.

'Or what?' said Fred, an evil grin spreading. 'Going to give put us in detention?'

'I'd love to see him try,' sniggered George.

'You might not listen to Ron,' Harry said. 'But you'll definitely listen to me.'

'Anna, what are you - Fred look-'

'You've been made Quidditch Captain!'

'Uh huh,' Harry nodded. 'Seems I didn't cause enough trouble.'

'Well there is no need to continue staring at the parchment now is there,' Sirius said. 'Why are you staring at it so intensely?'

'It's my OWL result for Arithmancy,' Harry said. 'I - I - passed-'

'Now there's a shock,' Draco said sarcastically. 'What with?'

'Outstanding - I'm starting a NEWT, this year.'

...

Mrs Weasley returned from Diagon Alley around six o'clock laden with books and carrying a long package wrapped in thick brown paper that Ron took from her with a moan of longing. Mrs Weasley looked in a better mood than Harry had seen her all holiday. The kitchen had a banner over the heavily laden dinner table, that read congratulations prefects.

'I thought we could have a little celebration party, not a sit-down dinner,' Mrs Weasley told them as they entered the kitchen. 'Your father and Bill are on their way, Ron. I've sent them both owls and they're thrilled,' she added beaming.

Sirius, Remus, Mr Malfoy, Tonks and Kingsley Shacklebolt were already in the kitchen. Harry hurried over to Sirius, Draco following her. Sirius, Remus and Mr Malfoy were talking about the guardianship appeal in hushed tones.

'... full trial - the whole of Wizengamot were there,' Sirius said. 'We were doomed from the start.'

Draco frowned and gave Harry a puzzling look and she shook her head mouthing; 'we lost.'

'But why?' Remus said. 'It was just a simple case! Any ideas Lucius?'

'My only one is that it was a test of loyalty,' Mr Malfoy said. 'But then Dumbledore-'

'Dumbledore wasn't going to help,' Sirius snapped, and he shook his head. 'It was down to me.'

'We're not giving up though, right?' Harry said.

Sirius turned his head. 'Just try and stop me. Just try and stop me. We never forget we don't give up-'

'And we don't give in,' Harry said finishing it for him. She had often heard those words. Mad-Eye Moody stumped into the kitchen shortly afterwards.

'Oh, Alastor, I'm glad you're here,' said Mrs Weasley brightly, as Mad-Eye shrugged off his travelling cloak. 'We've been wanting to ask you for ages - could you have a look in the writing desk in the drawing room and tell us what's inside it? We haven't wanted to open it just in case it's something really nasty.'

'No problem, Molly ...' Moody's electric-blue eye swivelled upwards and stared fixedly through the ceiling of the kitchen. 'Drawing room ...' he growled. 'Desk in the corner? Yeah, I see it ... yeah, it's a Boggart ... want me to go up and get rid of it, Molly?'

'No, no, I'll do it myself later.' Mrs Weasley said still beaming.

Harry went over to the table to help herself to food as Mr Weasley and Bill arrived. Mrs Weasley was in such a good mood she did not even complain that they had brought Mundungus with them. Mrs Weasley left the kitchen once most of the food had been consumed, to tackle the Boggart. Harry had been telling Remus about her researching into the magic behind the number five. To think that it all started out with her mothers' necklace and what she thought the five sided star symbolised - Ancient Magic.

'Anna,' Remus said slightly confused. 'I think we need to get you a new hobby for when your bored.'

Harry shook her head and put her plate down.

'Leave the girl alone,' Moody growled. 'she'll need all the brains she can master up with Voldemort out there.'

Moody took a swig from his hipflask, his electric-blue eye staring at Harry. 'Come here, I've got something that might interest you,' he said. From an inner pocket of his robes Moody a very tattered old wizarding photograph. 'Original Order of the Phoenix,' Moody growled. 'Found it last night when I was looking for my spare Invisibility Cloak, seeing as Podmore hasn't had the manners to return my best one ... thought people might like to see it.'

Harry took the photograph, a small crowd of people, some waving at her.

'There's me,' said Moody, unnecessarily pointing at himself. 'Dumbledore besides me, Dedalus Diggle on the other side ... that's Marlene McKinnon, she was killed two weeks after this was taken, they got her whole family. That's Frank and Alice Longbottom -'

Harry almost froze at the names. Alice Longbottom, had a round friendly face and though she had never met Neville's mother before. They looked alike.

'-poor devils,' growled Moody. 'Better dead than what happened to them ... and that's Emmeline Vance, you've met her, and that's Lupin, obviously ... Benjy Fenwick, we only ever found bits of him ... shift aside there,' he added, poking the picture, and the little photographic people edged sideways, so that those who were partially obscured could move to the front. 'That's Edgar Bones ... brother of Amelia Bones, they got him and his family, too ... Sturgis Podmore ... Caradoc Dearborn, vanished six months after this, we never found his body … Hagrid, of course ... Elphias Doge, you've met him ... Gideon and his brother Fabian Prewett, it took five Death Eaters to kill them, they fought like heroes -'

The people in the photograph jostled among themselves and those hidden right at the back appeared at the forefront of the picture. 'That's Dumbledore's brother Aberforth, only time I ever met him, strange bloke ... that's Doras Meadowes, Voldemort killed her personally ... Sirius when he had short hair and ... there you go, thought that would interest you!'

Harry's heart turned over. Her mother and father were beaming up at her, sitting on either side of a small, watery-eyed man whom Harry recognised at once as Pettigrew. She refused to call him Wormtail, she knew the story of how the Marauders came up with their nicknames. Harry was spared the trouble of having to say anything as Sirius had just said, 'What's that you've got there, Mad-Eye?' and Moody had turned towards him. Harry crossed the kitchen, slipped through the door, before anyone could stop her.

'Anna?' a voice whispered out softly towards her. Harry turned and smiled softly, towards him. George had come after her. 'You, all right? I saw your face, in there. What was it Moody was showing you?'

'Photograph of the original Order,' Harry whispered back. 'My parents - I don't know why it was such a shock,' she explained and George, pulled her close to him, wrapping his arms around her. 'I'd seen pictures of them before, but to have it sprung on me like that - and those people - people who died or tortured ... all waving and smiling out at you, not knowing that they were doomed - Moody might find it interesting, I find that - disturbing.'

'Do you want me to go back in there and prank him, for messing with my girl?' George said. 'I could _so_ pull it off.'

'Don't me so silly,' Harry said. 'And your girl?' she said shaking her head. 'I don't know about that.'

'Sorry,' George said in a teasing tone, his thumb caressing her cheek. 'but I think you'll find you have no choice in the matter.'

Just as she been about to reply Harry glanced up the stairs, she could feel a wave of intense sadness. Harry moved away from George's embrace slowly, and began to climb the stairs, George followed her. As they reached the first landing, they heard noises. Someone was sobbing in the drawing room. Harry and George exchanged a look, crossing the hall and opened the drawing room door. Mrs Weasley was cowering against the dark wall, her wand in her hand, her whole body shaking with sobs. Sprawled on the dusty old carpet, clearly dead, was Ron.

'Mrs Weasley?' Harry called softly.

' _R- r - riddikulus!'_ Mrs Weasley sobbed, pointing her shaking wand at Ron's body. _Crack._ Ron's body turned into Bill's, spread-eagled on his back, his eyes open and empty. Mrs Weasley sobbed harder than ever. ' _R- riddikulus!'_ she sobbed again. _Crack._ Mr Weasley's body replaced Bill's, his glasses askew, a trickle of blood running down his face. 'No!' Mrs Weasley moaned. 'No ... _riddikulus! Riddikulus! RIDDIKULUS!' Crack._ Dead twins. _Crack._ Dead Percy. _Crack._ Dead Harry.

'Mrs Weasley, come on let's get you out of here,' Harry told her, ignoring her own dead body on the floor.

'It's OK, mum, I can deal with the Boggart,' George said stepping forward. ' _Riddikulus!'_ Harry's dead body vanished and turned into fireworks. George waved his wand again and the fireworks too disappeared.

Remus came running into the room, closely followed by Sirius, with Moody stumping along behind them. Remus and Sirius just caught sight of George changing dead Boggart Harry as they entered the room.

'Oh- oh - oh!' gulped Mrs Weasley, and she broke into a storm of crying, her face in her hands.

'Molly,' said Remus bleakly, walking over to her. 'Molly don't ...'

Next second she was sobbing her heart out on Remus's shoulder. 'Molly, it was just a Boggart,' he said soothingly, patting her on the head. 'Just a stupid Boggart ...'

'I see them d-dead all the time!' Mrs Weasley moaned into his shoulder. 'All the time! I d-dream about it ...'

Sirius was staring at the patch of carpet where Boggart pretending to be Harry's body, had lain. Moody was looking at Harry. She had the funny feeling Moody's magical eye had followed her all the way out of the kitchen.

'D- d- don't tell Arthur,' Mrs Weasley was gulping now, mopping her eyes frantically with her cuffs. 'I d-don't want him to know ... being silly ...'

Remus handed her a handkerchief and she blew her nose.

'Harry, George, I'm so sorry. What must you think of me?' she said shakily. 'Not even able to get rid of a Boggart ...'

'Don't be silly,' said Harry.

'I'm just s-s-so worried,' she said, tears spilling out of her eyes again. 'Half the f-family's in the Order, it'll b-b-be a miracle if we all come through this ... and P-Percy's not talking to us .. what if something d-dreadful happens and we never made it up with him? And what's going to happen if Arthur and I get killed, who's g-going to look after Ron and Ginny?'

'Molly, that's enough,' said Remus firmly. 'This isn't like last time. The Order are better prepared, we've got a head start, we know what Voldemort's up to -'

Mrs Weasley gave a little squeak of fright at the sound of the name.

'Oh Molly, come on, it's about time you got used to hearing his name - look, I can't promise no one's going to get hurt, nobody can promise that, but we're much better off than we were last time. You weren't in the Order then, you don't understand. Last time we were outnumbered twenty to one by Death Eaters and they were picking us off one by one ...'

'Don't worry about Percy,' said Sirius abruptly. 'He'll come around. It's only a matter of time before Voldemort moves into the open; once he does, the whole Ministry's going to be begging us to forgive them. And I'm not sure I'll be accepting the Ministry's apology,' he added bitterly.

'Me neither,' Harry said firmly. George gave her a puzzled look. 'We lost the appeal.' she muttered in explanation.

'And as for who's going to look after Ron and Ginny if you and Arthur died,' Remus said smiling slightly, 'what do you think we'd do, let them starve?'

...

Harry had a very odd night's sleep, the night before returning to Hogwarts. She dreamed of her parents, Mrs Weasley sobbing - George changing dead Boggart Harry into a spider and squishing her and walking down a corridor ending with a locked door. There was a lot of commotion in the house. From what she could hear as she checked she had everything, Harry gathered Fred and George had bewitched their trunks to fly downstairs to save the bother of carrying them. They had to wait Sturgis Podmore to arrive or they would be a guard short - correction Harry would be a guard short. When they finally left, Tonks met them at the end street disguised as an old woman with tightly curled grey hair and wore a purple hair. Sirius kept close to Harry, his eyes wondering around the street for signs of trouble. It took them twenty minutes to reach King's Cross on foot. With every loaded onto the train, Draco, Ron and Hermione disappeared to the Prefects compartment. Cedric had disappeared to catch up with his own friends, while Harry said her farewells and boarded the train with the twins and Ginny.

'Well,' said Fred, clapping his hands together, 'can't stand around chatting all day, we've got business to discuss with Lee.'

'See, you later, Princess.' George said winking, and they disappeared down the corridor. Harry had an odd sense of loss. She had never travelled on the Hogwarts Express without Ron or Hermione.

'Come on,' Ginny said, 'if we get a move on we'll be able to save them places. They don't have to stay in the Prefect's compartment all the way.'

'Right,' Harry said. As they struggled down the corridor, peering through the glass-panelled doors into the compartments they passed, which were already full. Harry could not help noticing that a lot of people stared back at her with great interest and that several of them nudged their neighbours and pointed her out.

'You're projecting, Harry,' Ginny said as they walked passed the fifth compartment that had a similar reaction.

'Sorry,' Harry said. 'can't help it sometimes.'

In the very last carriage they met Neville Longbottom.

'Hi, Harry,' he said. 'Hi, Ginny ... every where's full ... I can't find a seat ...'

'What are you talking about?' said Ginny, who had squeezed past Neville to peer into the compartment behind him. 'There's room in this one, there's only Loony Lovegood in here -'

Neville mumbled something about not wanting to disturb anyone.

'Don't be silly,' Ginny said laughing. She slid the door open and pulled her trunk inside. Harry followed and whispered into Neville's ear. 'Don't worry I've got your back, remember.' Neville grinned and followed her.

'Hi, Luna,' said Ginny, 'is it OK if we take these seats.'

The girl besides the window looked up. She had straggly, waist length, dirty blonde hair, very pale eyebrow and protuberant eyes that gave her a permanently surprised look. Harry knew at once why Neville had chosen to pass this compartment by. The girl gave off an aura of distinct dottiness. Perhaps it was the fact that she had stuck her wand behind her left ear, or that she had chosen to wear a necklace of Butterbeer corks, or that she was reading a magazine upside-down. Her eyes ranged over Neville and came to rest on Harry. She nodded.

'Thanks,' said Ginny, smiling at her. Together they stowed their trunks and Hedwig's cage in the luggage rack and sat down. Luna watched them over her upside-down magazine, which was called _The_ _Quibbler._ She did not seem to need to blink as much as normal humans. She stared and stared at Harry, who had taken the seat opposite her.

'Had a good summer, Luna?' Ginny asked.

'Yes,' said Luna dreamily, without taking her eyes off Harry. 'Yes, it was quite enjoyable, you know. You're Harianna Potter,' she added.

'I know I am,' Harry said bitterly.

Neville and Ginny chuckled.

'Don't mind, Harry, she just hates her fame is all,' Ginny said. 'This is Neville Longbottom, Luna, he's a year above us, guys this is Luna Lovegood. Luna's my year, but in Ravenclaw.'

How Harry landed up sitting next to Luna an hour later in deep conversation, when Hermione walked in with Ron. She did not know but not a word was said. Ron glanced at Ginny for an explanation, who merely shrugged her shoulders in return. Harry liked this girl, for one she didn't read the trash in the _Daily Prophet_ and two, all though the girl gave off an odd appearance she was smarter then she actually looked. And that had won Harry over, even if Luna didn't think much to Hagrid's teaching.

'So, who are the Prefects from each house?' Harry eventually asked Ron and Hermione.

'Parkinson got the other Slytherin Prefect badge,' Hermione said.

'Ernie Macmillan and Hannah Abbot are Hufflepuffs,' Ron said

'And Anthony Goldstein and Padma Patil for Ravenclaw,' Hermione said.

'So, the only one we should have any trouble with,' Harry said. 'Is Parkinson.'

'Seems like it,' Ron said, then pointing at the magazine in Harry's hand. 'Anything good in there?'

'Of course, not,' said Hermione scathingly before Harry could answer. ' _The Quibbler's_ rubbish, everyone knows that.'

'Excuse me,' said Luna; her voice suddenly lost its dreamy quality. 'My father's the editor.'

'I quite happen to like it,' Harry said shrugging handing the magazine back. 'Thanks for letting me look at it.' Hermione gave Harry and odd look, to which Harry grinned back at her. Any magazine that didn't print lies about her, was of course going to win her over.

The weather couldn't make up its mind as they travelled further north. Rain spattered the windows in a half-hearted way, then the sun put in a feeble appearance before clouds drifted over it once more. When darkness fell and the lamps came on inside the carriages, Hermione suggested that they had better change. She and Ron had carefully pinned their prefect badges to their chests. Harry too had pinned her Quidditch Captain's badge to her own. At last, the train began to slow down and they heard the usual racket up and down it as everybody scrambled to get their luggage and pets assembled. As Ron and Hermione were supposed to supervise all this, they disappeared from the carriage again, leaving Harry and the others to look after Crookshanks and Pigwidgeon.

They shuffled out of the compartment feeling the first sting of the night air on their faces. Once on the platform Harry looked down the platform, listening for the familiar call of 'first-years over here.' But it didn't come. Instead quite a different voice, a brisk female one, was calling out, 'First-years line up over here, please! All first-years to me!' A lantern came swinging towards Harry and by its light she saw the prominent chin and severe haircut of Professor Grubbly-Plank, a witch who had covered Hagrid's Care of Magical Creatures lessons for a while the previous year.

Harry and Ginny became separated as they moved off along the crowd the platform and out through the by the crowd, Harry wondered where Hagrid could be. She looked around for Ron and Hermione, wanting to know what they thought about the reappearance of Professor Grubbly-Plank, but neither of them was anywhere near her, so she allowed herself to be shunted forwards on the dark rain-washed road outside Hogsmeade Station. Here stood the hundred or so horseless stagecoaches that always took the students above first year up to the castle. But the coaches were no longer horseless. There were creatures standing between the carriage shafts. They were completely fleshless, their black coats clinging to their skeletons, of which every bone was visible. Their heads were dragonish, and their pupils-less eyes white and staring. Wings sprouted from each wither - vast, black leathery wings that looked as though they ought to belong to giant bats.

'Where's Pig?' said Ron's voice, right behind Harry.

'Luna carried him out, I lost her in the crowd, Ginny too,' Harry said, turning quickly, eager to consult Ron about Hagrid. 'Where d'you reckon -'

'Hagrid is? I dunno,' said Ron, sounding worried. 'He'd better be OK...'

A short distance away, Pansy Parkinson, followed by Crabbe and Goyle, were pushing some timid-looking second years out of the way so that they could get a coach to themselves. Seconds later, Hermione emerged panting through the crowd.

'Parkinson was being so foul to a first-year back there. I swear I'm going to report her, she's only had her badge three minutes and she's using it to bully people worse than ever ... where's Crookshanks?'

'Ginny's got him,' said Harry. 'There she is ...'

Ginny had just emerged from the crowd, clutching a squirming Crookshanks.

'Thanks,' said Hermione, relieving Ginny of the cat. 'Come on, let's get a carriage together before they fill up ...'

'I haven't got Pig yet!' Ron said, but Hermione was already heading off towards the nearest unoccupied coach. Harry remained behind with Ron.

'Do you know what those things are?' Harry asked Ron, nodding at the creatures pulling the carriages.

'What things?'

'The creatures pulling the -'

Luna appeared holding Pigwidgeon's cage in her arms.

'Here you are,' she said. 'He's a sweet little owl, isn't he?'

'Er ... yeah ... he's all right,' said Ron gruffly. 'Well come on, then, let's get in ... what were you saying, Harry?'

'The creatures pulling the carriages,' Harry said. 'I wondered what they were.'

'There's nothing pulling the carriages mate,' Ron said. 'You feeling all right?'

A thought occurred to her at Ron's bemused look. What if he couldn't see them, like how before she could not see anything. 'I ... yeah ...'

'Shall we get in then?' said Ron uncertainly, looking at Harry though worried about her.

'Yeah,' Harry said. 'Yeah, go on ...'

'It's all right,' said a dreamy voice from beside Harry as Ron vanished into the coach's dark interior. 'You're not mad or anything. I can see them, too.'

'Can you?' Harry said desperately, turning to Luna.

'Oh yes,' said Luna, 'I've been able to see them ever since my first day here. They've always pulled the carriages. Don't worry. You're just as sane as I am.'


	90. Chapter 90

Harry was too busy, to listen to the Sorting Hat. Her mind had wandered elsewhere and as the sorting took place and a hushed conversation broke out.

'Did everyone see that Grubby-Plank woman?' said Ginny. 'What's she doing back here? Hagrid can't have left, can he?'

'He can't have left,' said Ron.

'He's too loyal to Dumbledore, to leave,' said Hermione. 'And he would have told us.'

'You don't think he's hurt or anything, do you?' George said.

'No,' Harry said at once.

'But where is he, then?'

There was a slight pause, then Harry said very quietly so that other wouldn't hear, 'Maybe he's not back yet. You know - from his mission - the thing he was doing over the summer for Dumbledore.'

'Yeah ... yeah, that'll be it,' said Ron, sounding reassured, but Hermione bit her lip, looking up and down the staff table as though hoping for some conclusive explanation of Hagrid's absence.

'Who's that?' she said sharply, pointing towards the middle of the staff table.

Harry's eyes followed hers. They lit first upon Professor Dumbledore, sitting in his high-backed golden chair at the centre of the long staff table. Dumbledore's head was inclined towards the woman sitting next to him, who was talking into his ear. She had short, curly, mouse-brown hair in which she had placed a horrible pink Alice band that matched the fluffy pink cardigan she wore over her robes. Then she turned her face slightly and she saw, with a shock of recognition, a pallid, toad-like face and a pair of prominent pouchy eyes.

'Umbridge,' Harry said in a disgusted manner.

'Who?' said Hermione.

'She works for Fudge! She's the one that cost us, to lose the appeal.'

'Nice cardigan,' said Ron, smirking.

'She works for Fudge!' Hermione repeated, frowning. 'What on earth's she doing here, then?'

Harry looked from Dumbledore to Umbridge, a theory already forming. 'I have an idea, and I don't think we're going to like it.'

But before Harry should say any more the last first-year student had been sorted and Professor Dumbledore had risen to his feet.

'To our newcomers,' said Dumbledore in a ringing voice, his arms stretched wide and a beaming smile on his lips, 'welcome! To our old hands - welcome back! There is a time for speech, but this not it. Tuck in!'

There was an appreciative laugh and an outbreak of applause as Dumbledore sat down. Food appeared out of nowhere, onto the five long tables. Harry happily tucked in with the others. A little while later, Professor McGonagall, swept down the table with Professor Vector rather discreetly and gestured to Harry to follow them.

Harry was shaking her head as she reentered the hall - what she had just heard only confirmed her theory.

'What was all that about?' Hermione asked.

Harry shook her head and pointed towards Dumbledore who had stood up once more.

'Well, now that we are all digesting another magnificent feast, I beg a few moments of your attention for the usual start-of-term notices,' said Dumbledore. 'First-years ought to know that the Forest in the grounds is out-of-bounds to students - and a few of our older students ought to know by now, too. Mr Filch, the caretaker, has asked me, to remind you all that magic is not permitted in corridors between classes, nor are a number of other things, all of which can be checked on the extensive list now fastened to Mr Filch's door.'

'We have two changes in staffing this year. We are very pleased to welcome back Professor Grubby-Plank, who will be taking Care of Magical Creatures lessons; we are also delighted to introduce Professor Umbridge, our new Defence Against the Arts teacher.'

There was a round of polite applause, during which Harry, Ron and Hermione exchanged slightly panicked looks; Dumbledore had not said for how long Grubby-Plank would be teaching. Dumbledore continued, 'Try-outs for the house Quidditch teams will take place on the -' He broke off, looking enquiringly at Professor Umbridge. As she was not much taller standing than sitting, there was a moment when nobody understood why Dumbledore had stopped talking, but then Professor Umbridge cleared her throat, 'Hem, hem,' and it became clear that she had got to her feet and was intending to make a speech. Dumbledore only looked taken aback for a moment, then he sat down and looked alertly at Professor Umbridge as though he desired nothing better than to listen to her talk. Other members of staff were not as adept at hiding their surprise and many of the students were smirking.

'She obviously has no clue, how things are done at Hogwarts,' George muttered into Harry's ear. Harry, however, had been frowning the whole time.

'Thank you, Headmaster,' Professor Umbridge simpered, 'for those kind words of welcome. Well, it is lovely to be back at Hogwarts, I must say! And to see such happy little faces looking up at me!'

Harry smirked as she glanced around. None of the faces she could see looked happy. On the contrary, they all looked rather taken-aback at being addressed as though they were five years old. 'I am very much looking forward to getting to know you all and I'm sure we'll be very good friends!'

'I'll be her friend as long as I don't have to borrow that cardigan,' Parvati whispered to Lavender.

Professor Umbridge cleared her throat again, but when she continued, some of the breathiness had vanished from her voice. She sounded much more business like and her words had a dull learned-by-heart sound to them.

'The Ministry of Magic has always considered the education of young witches and wizards to be of vital importance. The rare gifts which you were born with may come to nothing if not nurtured and honed by careful instruction. The ancient skills unique to the wizarding community must be passed down the generations lest we lose them forever. The treasure trove of magical knowledge amassed by our ancestors must be guarded, replenished and polished by those who have been called to the noble profession of teaching.'

'Every headmaster and headmistress of Hogwarts have brought something new to the weighty task of governing this historic school, and that is as it should be, for without progress there will be stagnation and decay. There again, progress for progress's sake must be discouraged, for our tried and tested traditions often require no tinkering. A balance, then, between old and new, between permanence and change, between tradition and innovation ...'

Professor Umbridge did not seem to notice the restlessness of her audience. A full-scale riot could have broken out under her nose and Harry was sure, that she would have ploughed on with her speech.

'... because some changes will be for the better, while others will come, in the fullness of time, to be recognised as errors of judgement. Meanwhile, some old habits will be retained, and rightly so, whereas other, outmoded and outworn, must be abandoned. Let us move forward, then, into a new era of openness, effectiveness and accountability, intent on preserving what ought to be preserved, perfecting what needs to be perfected, and pruning wherever we find practices that ought to be prohibited.'

She sat down. Dumbledore clapped, the staff followed his lead, though Harry noticed that several of them brought their hand together only once or twice. Dumbledore stood up again.

'Thank you very much, Professor Umbridge, that was most illuminating,' he said bowing to her. 'Now as I was saying, Quidditch tryouts will be held, and arranged by your house team Captains' anybody wishing to try-out for their teams please speak either with your Head of house ...'

'Yes, it certainly was illuminating,' said Hermione in a low voice.

'You're not telling me you enjoyed it?' Ron said. 'That was the dullest speech I've heard, and I grew up with Percy.'

'I said illuminating, not enjoyable,' said Hermione and she turned to Harry. 'You were right.'

'What?' Ron said looking from Harry to Hermione and back again. 'What has this got to do with your idea?'

'That speech explained everything,' Hermione said.

'Did it?' said George. 'Sounded like a load of waffle to me.'

'There was some important stuff hidden in the waffle,' said Hermione grimly.

'Was there?' said Ron blankly.

'How about: "progress for progress's sake must be discouraged"? Or: "Pruning wherever we find practices that ought to be prohibited"?' Hermione said.

'Well, what does it mean?' said Ron impatiently.

'The Ministry's interfering at Hogwarts.' Hermione said.

'They can't,' Ron said. 'Surely not.'

'They've already started Ron,' Harry said gloomily. 'You know how I was excited to study a NEWT this year, well the Ministry has put a stop to it. It's deemed to be too "stressful" and I should focus on my OWLs.'

'They're stopping you -' George said in bemusement.

'From what I could make out,' Harry said. 'It's because they are scared that I'm clever.'

'And the Ministry doesn't want to encourage that,' Hermione said. 'They need the public to think she's lost the plot.'

Harry entered the common room a while later with Neville, Hermione and Ron were sorting out the first-years. The common room looked as welcoming as ever, a cosy circular room full of dilapidated squashy armchairs and rickety old tables. a fire was crackling merrily in the grate. Fred and George were pinning something up on the notice-board. Harry waved good night to them and headed towards the dorms, Neville who still had his _Mimbulus Mimletonia_ in his hands followed her. They reached the bottom of the steps and Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnigan were heading up the boys' stairs.

'Hi,' she said, stepping onto the girl's staircase.

'Hey, Harry,' said Dean. 'Good holiday?'

'Not bad,' Harry muttered. 'You?'

'Yeah, it was OK,' chuckled Dean. 'Better than Seamus's anyway, he was just telling me.'

'Why what happened, Seamus?' Neville said.

'Me mam didn't want me to come back.'

'But why?' Neville said.

'Well,' he said in a measured voice, 'I suppose ... because of Harry...'

'What do you mean, because of Harry?' Neville said.

'Well,' Seamus said again, avoiding Harry's eye, 'she ... er ... well, it's not just her, it's Dumbledore too ...'

'She believes the _Daily Prophet_?' said Harry. 'She thinks I'm a liar and Dumbledore's an old fool?'

Seamus looked up at her. 'Yeah, something like that.'

'Very well,' Harry said. 'I'll be sure to keep my distance-'

Seamus looked up at her and said, 'Look ... what did happen that night when you, when ... with Karkaroff and all?'

Seamus sounded nervous and eager at the same time. Dean had gone oddly still.

'No point in asking me,' Harry said. 'Whatever I tell you could be a lie - could have killed himself for all I know,' she added swiftly turning. 'Goodnight Neville.'

'Night, Harry,' Neville said. 'Before you go, you should know we believe you. My Gran says it's the _Daily Prophet_ going downhill, not Dumbledore. Gran's always said You Know Who would come back one day. Says if Dumbledore says he's back, he's back.'

Harry smiled then looked at Dean.

'My parents are Muggles, Harry,' he said. 'They know nothing about any deaths at Hogwarts because I'm not stupid enough to tell them. Besides, I believe you too,' he shrugged. 'No offence to your mum, Seamus but she doesn't know Harry, does she. And I don't recall her lying about anything.'

...

Heads turned as Harry walked over to the Gryffindor table. She could gather what most of them were thinking ... stupid _Daily Prophet_ articles Harry had just been cornered by McGonagall about when she wanted to do tryouts. Which is why she had been late into the Hall.

'Morning, Harry,' Angelina said, grinning beside Fred, as Harry sat down next to George. 'Congratulations on the badge Captain.'

'Ange, don't, please,' Harry said. 'I think I've heard, "yes Captain", and "no Captain" or "whatever you say Captain" enough times thank you.'

She chuckled. 'So, try-outs, when are you doing them for? We need a new Keeper. Do you want us there?'

'Friday! And that's a good idea, actually!'

'Ange, what did you do that for?' George said. 'You've put ideas into Anna's head now.'

'It'll be like Wood all over again.' Fred said.

Harry chuckled. 'I promise not to be like Oliver, but for whatever reason, I can't make a practice or game, Ange is in charge. I trust her judgement.'

The twins pulled faces as though they were offended and went back to their own breakfasts.

'I'd forgotten Wood had left,' Hermione said vaguely as she pulled the toast towards her. 'I suppose that will make quite a difference to the team?'

'Umm,' Harry said. 'He was a good Keeper, I just hope I am able to replace him.'

'It wouldn't hurt to have some new blood, though, would it?' said Ron.

With a whoosh and clatter, hundreds of owls came soaring in through the upper windows. They descended all over the Hall bringing letters and packages to their owners. Hedwig was nowhere to be seen, but considering her main correspondent was Sirius, which she doubted he would have anything new to tell her after twenty-four hours apart. Though two barn owls did swoop down in front of Harry and Hermione. Both of them carrying the _Daily Prophet._

'What are you still getting that for?' Ron asked.

'It's best to know what the enemy is saying,' Harry said. 'We learnt that last year, remember.'

Harry caught sight of Professor McGonagall was moving along the table handing out timetables.

'Today is awful!' Ron groaned. 'History of Magic, double Potions, Divination and double Defence Against the Dark Arts ... Binns, Snape, Trelawney and that Umbridge woman all in one day! I wish you two would hurry up and get those Skiving Snackboxes sorted.'

'Do mine ears deceive me?' said Fred. 'Hogwarts prefects surely don't wish to skive off lessons?'

'This is the worst Monday I've ever seen.'

'Fair point, little bro,' said Fred. 'You can have a bit of Nosebleed Nougat cheap if you like.'

'Why's it cheap?' said Ron suspiciously.

'Because you'll keep bleeding till you shrivel up, we haven't got an antidote yet.' said George.

'Cheers,' said Ron moodily, pocketing his timetable, 'but I think I'll take the lessons.'

'And speaking of your Skiving Snackboxes,' said Hermione, eyeing Fred and George beadily, 'you can't advertise for testers on the Gryffindor notice board.'

'Says who?' said George, looking astonished.

'Says me,' said Hermione. 'And Ron.'

'Leave me out of it,' Ron said hastily.

Hermione glared at him. Fred and George sniggered.

'You'll be singing a different tune soon enough, Hermione, you'll be begging us for a Snackbox before long,' said Fred.

'It's OWL year. And with your exams coming up. The teachers will be keeping your noses so hard to that grindstone they'll be rubbed raw,' said Fred with satisfaction.

'Half our year had minor breakdowns up to OWLs,' said George happily. 'Tears and tantrums ... Patricia Stimpson kept coming over faint ...'

'Kenneth Towler came out in boils, d'you remember?' said Fred reminiscently.

'That's 'cause you put Bulbadox powder in his pyjamas,' said George.

'Oh yeah,' said Fred grinning. 'I'd forgotten ... hard to keep track sometimes, isn't it?'

'Anyway, it was a nightmare of a year, the fifth,' said George. 'If you care about exam results, anyway. Fred and I managed to keep our peckers up somehow.'

'Yeah … you got, what was it, three OWLs each?' said Ron

'Yep,' said Fred unconcernedly. 'But we feel our futures lie outside the world of academic achievement.'

'We seriously debated whether we were going to bother coming back for our seventh year,' George said brightly. 'now that we've got-'

He broke off at a warning look from Harry, who knew George had been about to mention the Triwizard winnings she had given them.

'- now that we've got our OWLs,' George said hastily. 'I mean, do we really need NEWTs? But we didn't think mum could take us leaving school early, not on top of Percy turning out to be the world's biggest prat.'

'We're not going to waste our last year here, though,' said Fred. 'We're going to use it to do a bit of market research, find out exactly what the average Hogwarts student requires from a joke shop, carefully evaluate the results of our research, then produce products to fit the demand.'

'But where are you going to get the gold to start a joke shop?' asked Hermione sceptically. 'You're going to need all the ingredients and materials - and premises too, I suppose ...'

'Ask us no questions and we'll tell you no lies, Hermione. C'mon, George, if we get there early we might be able to sell a few Extendable Ears before Herbology.' Fred said. 'And the joke shop isn't the only reason we came back. I've got a girlfriend too, that's was an added benefit.'

'I'm an added benefit?' Ange said in a disbelieving voice.

'Whoa,' George said. 'Someone's in trouble now. At least I can keep my mouth shut. That way Anna has no reason to have a go at me.'

Harry glanced up, blinking at him in surprise.

'I told you, already,' George teased. 'You've got no choice in the matter.'

'You know Ange ... I'm thinking we should hex them for those remarks,' Harry said dangerously.

'Umm ... I was thinking the same thing,' Angelina said. 'Any ideas?'

'I've got a few ...'

Fred and George hastily made their way out of the Great Hall.

...

Harry had partnered Neville in Potions again, it seemed for the best after they learnt this arrangement worked well. And Neville actually passed the class without exploding his cauldron. It did not stop Snape from belittling him. Harry and Hermione left Ron as he went off to Divination. And for the first time ever Harry found Arithmancy boring, as History had been because she, of course, had already sat the work. She hated the Ministry - hated them.

Ron met them on the way down to their Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson.

'D'you realise how much homework we've got already? Binns set us a foot-and-half-long essay on giant wars, Snape wants a foot on the use of moonstones, and I've just been given a month's dream diary from Trelawney! Fred and George weren't wrong about OWL year, were they? That Umbridge woman had better not give us any ...'

Harry could hardly complain as, during Arithmancy, she had started doing her homework. It stopped her from being bored at least. When they entered the classroom they found Professor Umbridge already seated at the teacher's desk. The class was quiet as it entered the room; Professor Umbridge was, as yet, an unknown quantity and nobody knew how strict a disciplinarian she was likely to be.

'Well, good afternoon!' she said when the whole class had taken their seats. A few people mumbled 'good afternoon' in reply.

'Tut, tut,' said Professor Umbridge. 'That won't do, now, will, it? I should like you, please, to reply "Good afternoon, Professor Umbridge". One more time, please. Good afternoon, class!'

'Good afternoon, Professor Umbridge,' they chanted back to her.

'There, now,' said Professor Umbridge. 'That wasn't too difficult, was it? Wands away and quills out, please.'

Many of the class exchanged gloomy looks; the order 'wands away' had never yet been followed by a lesson they had found interesting. Harry put her wand away and pulled out quill, ink and parchment. Professor Umbridge opened her own handbag, extracted her wand and tapped the blackboard sharply with it; words appeared on the board at once: _Defence Against the Dark Arts, A Return to Basic Principles._

'Well now, you're teaching in this subject has been rather disrupted and fragmented, hasn't it?' stated Professor Umbridge. 'The constant changing of teachers, many of whom do not seem to have followed any Ministry-approved curriculum, has unfortunately resulted in your being far below the standard we would expect to see in your OWL year. You will be pleased to know, however, that these problems are now rectified. We will be following a carefully structured, theory-centred, Ministry-approved course of defensive magic this year. Copy down the following please.'

She tapped the blackboard again; the first message vanished and was replaced by the 'Course Aims.' For a couple of minutes, the room was full of the sound of scratching quills on parchment. Harry hated the Ministry, even more, she had caught on early just what a "carefully structured, theory-centred, Ministry-approved course of defensive magic" meant. It meant no magic at all.

'Has everybody got a copy of _Defensive Magical Theory_ by Wilbert Slinkhard?'

There was a dull murmur of assent throughout the class.

'I think we'll try that again,' Professor Umbridge said. 'When I ask you a question, I should like you to reply, "Yes, Professor Umbridge", or "No, Professor Umbridge". So: has everyone got a copy of _Defensive Magical Theory_ by Wilbert Slinkhard?'

'Yes, Professor Umbridge,' rang through the room.

'Good,' said Professor Umbridge. 'I should like you to turn to page five and read "Chapter One, Basics for Binners". There will be no need to talk.'

Professor Umbridge left the blackboard and settled herself in the chair, observing them all closely. Harry turned to page five and started to read... It was desperately dull, Harry didn't know what was worse her boring History and Arithmancy lessons or this. Several silent minutes passed. Next, to her, Ron was absent-mindedly turning his quill over and over in his fingers, staring at the same spot on the page. Harry looked right and received a surprise to shake her out of her torpor. Hermione had not even opened her copy of her book. She was staring fixedly at Professor Umbridge with her hand in the air.

After several moments had passed of Hermione doing this, Harry was not the only one watching her. The chapter they had been instructed to read was so tedious that more and more people were choosing to watch Hermione's mute attempt to catch Professor Umbridge's eye rather than struggle through with 'Basic for Beginners'. When more than half the class were staring at Hermione rather than at their books, Professor Umbridge seemed to decide that she could ignore the situation no longer.

'Did you want to ask something about the chapter, dear?' she asked Hermione, as though she had only just noticed her.

'Not about the chapter, no.'

'Well, we're reading just now,' said Professor Umbridge. 'If you have other queries we can deal with them at the end of class.'

'I've got a query about your course aims,' said Hermione.

Professor Umbridge raised her eyebrows. 'And your name is?'

'Hermione Granger.'

'Well Miss Granger, I think the course aims are perfectly clear if you read them through carefully,' said Professor Umbridge.

'Well I don't,' said Hermione bluntly. 'There's nothing written up there about using defensive spells.'

'Using defensive spells?' Professor Umbridge repeated with a little laugh. 'Why, I can't imagine any situation arising in my classroom that would require you to use a defensive spell, Miss Granger. You surely aren't expecting to be attacked during class?'

'We're not going to use magic?' Ron exclaimed loudly, looking from Harry to Hermione, then to Umbridge.

'Students raise their hands when they wish to speak in my class, Mr -?'

'Weasley,' said Ron, thrusting his hand into the air.

Hermione had raised her hand into the air again. And Harry was beginning to smirk.

'Yes, Miss Granger? You wanted to ask something else?'

'Yes,' said Hermione. 'Surely the whole point of Defence Against the Dark Arts is to practise defensive spells?'

'Are you a Ministry-trained educational expert, Miss Granger?' asked Professor Umbridge.

'No, but-'

'Well then, I'm afraid you are not qualified to decide what the "whole point" of any class is. Wizards much older and clever than you have devised our new programme of study. You will be learning about defensive spells in a secure, risk-free way-'

'What use is that?' Ron said loudly. 'If we're going to be attacked, it won't be in a -'

'Hand, Mr Weasley!'

Ron thrust his hand into the air. Several other people had their hands up, too.

'And your name is?' Professor Umbridge said to Dean.

'Dean Thomas.'

'Well, Mr Thomas?'

'Well, it's like Ron said, isn't it?' said Dean. 'If we're going to be attacked, it won't be risk-free.'

'I repeat, do you expect to be attacked during my classes?'

'No but-'

Professor Umbridge talked over him. 'I do not wish to criticise the way things have been run in this school, but you have been exposed to some very irresponsible wizards in this class, very irresponsible indeed. You have been introduced to spells that have been complex, inappropriate to your age group and potentially lethal. You've been frightened into believing that you are likely to meet Dark attacks every other day-'

'No we haven't,' Hermione said, 'we just-'

' _Your hand is not up, Miss Granger!'_

Hermione put her hand up. Professor Umbridge turned away from her. 'It is my understanding that my predecessor not only performed illegal curses in front of you, he actually performed them on you.'

'Well, he turned out to be a maniac, didn't he?' said Dean hotly. 'Mind you, we still learned loads.'

' _Your hand is not up, Mr Thomas!'_ thrilled Professor Umbridge. 'Now, it is the view of the Ministry that a theoretical knowledge will be more than sufficient to get you through your examination, which after all, is what school is all about. And your name is?'

'Parvati Patil, and isn't there a practical bit in our Defence Against the Dark Arts OWL? Aren't we supposed to show that we can actually do the counter-curses and things?'

'As long as you have studied the theory hard enough, there is no reason why you should not be able to perform the spells under carefully controlled examination conditions,' said Professor Umbridge.

'Without ever practising them beforehand?' said Parvati incredulously. 'Are you telling us that the first time we'll get to do the spells will be during our exam?'

'I repeat, as long as you studied the theory hard enough-'

Harry thrust her hand into the air. 'What good's the theory going to be in the real world?'

'This is, school, Miss Potter, not the real world,' she said softly.

'But you're meant to prepare us for what's out there. How we supposed to defend ourselves?' Harry said getting to her feet. 'Or is that the whole point - first the Ministry stops me from studying a NEWT this year - and now you're stopping us from performing magic! What's the Ministry so frightened of? Do they think we're going to form an - army or something if we learn a bunch of spells!'

'That's enough Miss Potter, sit back down,' Umbridge said. 'And stop projecting your emotions. Now - as for what is out there - there is nothing waiting out there, Miss Potter.'

'Tell that to Voldemort,' Harry snapped, her anger reaching boiling point, and she remained standing. Ron had gasped; Lavender Brown uttered a little scream; Neville slipped sideways off his stool. Professor Umbridge, however, did not flinch. She was staring at Harry with a grimly satisfied expression on her face.

'Ten points from Gryffindor, Miss Potter.'

The classroom was silent and still. Everyone was staring at either Umbridge or Harry.

'Now, let me make a few things quite plain.' Professor Umbridge said addressing the class. 'You have been told that a certain Dark wizard has returned from the dead -'

'He wasn't dead,' Harry shouted angrily, 'but yeah, he's returned!'

'Miss Potter, you have already lost your house ten points do not make matters worse for yourself,' Professor Umbridge said quickly. 'As I was saying, you have been informed that a certain Dark wizard is at large once again. _This is a lie.'_

'It's NOT a lie!' Harry said. 'I saw him, I fought him!'

'Detention, Miss Potter!' said Umbridge. ' Tomorrow evening, five o'clock. My office. I repeat _this is a lie._ The Ministry of Magic guarantees that you are not in danger from any Dark wizard. If you are still worried, by all means, come and see me outside class hours. If someone is alarming you with fibs about reborn Dark wizards, I would like to hear it. I am here to help. I am your friend. And now, you will kindly continue your reading. Page five, "Basics for Beginners".'

Professor Umbridge sat down behind her desk. Harry, however, was still standing up. Everyone was staring at her; Seamus looked half-scared, half-fascinated.

'So according to the Ministry, Igor Karkaroff, just dropped dead of his own accord,' Harry said.

'Igor Karkaroff's death was a tragic accident,' Professor Umbridge said coldly.

'It was murder,' Harry said. She could feel herself shaking. 'Voldemort killed him and you know it.'

Professor Umbridge's face was blank. For a moment, Harry thought she was going to scream at her. Then she said, in her softest, most girlish voice, 'Come here, Miss Potter.'

Harry kicked her chair aside and strode towards the teachers' desk. Professor Umbridge pulled a small roll of pink parchment out of her handbag, stretched it out on the desk, dipped her quill into a bottle of ink and started scribbling, hunched over so that Harry could not see what she was writing. After a minute or so she rolled up the parchment and tapped it with her wand; it sealed itself seamlessly so that she could not open it.

'Take, this to Professor McGonagall,' said Professor Umbridge, holding out the note to her. She took it from her without saying a word, turned on her heel and stormed out of the classroom, slamming the classroom door shut behind her.

...

A week, one whole weeks' worth of detention with Umbridge. It meant that Harry would be unable to sort out the Quidditch try-outs. And Harry was not going to move them just to suit Umbridge. The news of Harry's shouting match with Umbridge had travelled around exceptionally fast even by Hogwarts' standards. Harry had to put up with the whispers as she passed students in the corridor and during mealtimes. By dinner the next day Harry had both Luna Lovegood and Ernie Macmillan, tell her that they believed her. Harry ate her dinner quickly, she wanted to eat something at least before dealing with Umbridge.

When Harry left Umbridge's office later that night, she was sure it was well past midnight. Her hand hurt from using the quill Umbridge had given her. She had written lines with her own blood, and the words she had written were etched upon her hand. Well if Umbridge wanted to play this game of who was the weakest and not give Harry a chance to do any of her homework. Harry was going to make sure her work didn't drop and that the Quidditch team was ready. Umbridge was not going to know what hit her.

At breakfast Harry sat there while eating toast, practising the Vanishing Spell.

'Will you quit making the bacon vanish!' Fred exclaimed loudly. 'I'm bloody hungry and I really fancy some.'

'Nope,' Harry said flicking her wand again at his plate he had dropped bacon onto and made it disappear. 'I decided, that this is your punishment - I'm going to vanish any foods you happen to love,' she added, flicking her wand towards George's plate, Angelina giggled at the looks on Fred and George's faces, 'and that goes for you, too, George.'

'How long is this, going to go on for?' George said, picking up some toast, frowning pointedly at Harry.

Harry shrugged. 'For as long as I feel like it.'

Ron chuckled. 'So, what did Umbridge make you do, last night? You must have got back pretty late.'

'Lines, and yeah I did.' Harry said.

'Lines?' Ron repeated. 'That's not so bad.'

Harry shrugged offhandedly and returned to eat her toast. While every now and again, when the twins were least expecting it, vanished several more food items on their plates.

The second detention was just as bad as the previous one. The skin on the back of Harry's hand became irritated more quickly now and was soon red and inflamed. Harry thought it unlikely that it would keep healing as effectively for long. Soon the cut would remain etched into her hand and Umbridge would, perhaps, be satisfied. She let no gasp of pain escape her, however, and from the moment of entering the room to the moment of her dismissal, again past midnight, she said nothing but 'good evening' and 'good night'. Harry even stopped herself from projecting her emotions over, even if she did feel pretty angry.

Her homework situation was well under control, Harry was pretty pleased with the plan she'd formulated. By Thursday, Harry had found out what Ron had been trying to keep quiet. He thought she'd laugh at him for trying out for the Quidditch team It was a shame that Harry wasn't going to be there herself. Ange had happily said she'd cover.

Friday dawned and sodden as the rest of the week. Two things sustained Harry that day. One was the thought that it was almost the weekend; the other was that dreadful though his final detention with Umbridge would be, she had a distant view of the Quidditch pitch from her window and might with luck, be able to see Ron's try-out. At five o'clock that evening she knocked on Professor Umbridge's office door, waiting to be told to enter. The blank parchment lay ready for her on the table, the pointed black quill beside it. Harry picked up the quill after taking the seat. Which she had shifted an inch or so to the right, she had a decent view of the Gryffindor Quidditch team soaring up and down the pitch.

 _I must not tell lies._ The cut dug deeper, stinging and smarting. _I must not tell lies._ Blood trickled down her wrist. Harry chanced another glance out the window, whoever was defending the goalposts now was doing a very poor job indeed. Katie Bell scored twice in the few seconds Harry dared to watch. Harry dropped her eyes back to the parchment shining with blood and continued to write I must not tell lies.

Every now and then, when Harry heard Umbridge's quill or her desk drawer opening, Harry glanced towards the pitch. But as the sky was darkening, Harry doubted she'd be able to tell what was going on. The parchment in front of her was now dotted with drops of blood from the back of her hand, which was searing with pain. When she next looked up, night had fallen and the Quidditch pitch was no longer visible.

'Let's see if you've got the message yet, shall we?' said Umbridge's soft voice an hour later. She moved towards her, stretching out her fingers for her arm. And then she took hold of her to examine the words now cut into her skin, pain seared, not across the back of her hand, but across the scar on her forehead. She wrenched her arm out of her grip and leapt to her feet, staring at her. She looked at her, a smile stretching her wide, slack mouth. 'Yes, hurts, doesn't it?'

Harry did not answer. Her heart was thumping very hard and fast. She did not know if Umbridge was talking about her hand or if she knew about the pain Harry just felt on her forehead.

'Well, I think I've made my point, Miss Potter. You may go.'

Harry picked up school bag and left the room as quickly as possible. She was forcing herself to remain calm, as she sprinted up the stairs. Just because her scar hurt, it didn't necessarily mean what she thought it meant. As the portrait, swung open, a roar of sound greeted her. And George swooped her up into a hug.

'You, OK?' she asked.

'Try-outs was awful,' he replied. 'Only Ron showed up.'

'Oh god,' Harry said. 'I caught a glimpse in Umbridge's office - just how bad was it.'

'He's not so bad,' George said. 'He can save when he thinks no one is looking.'

Harry shook her head, 'Well see how training goes tomorrow. I'll think of something.'

'And if that fails?' George said. 'What's the strategy then?'

'How does, catch the Snitch as quickly as possible, sound to you.'


	91. Chapter 91

Quidditch practice turned out, no better. Ron kept missing to cover a goal. Harry was sure it was just nerves. Parkinson, turned up though the session Harry was quick to send her on her way again. Even if it had required the help of Draco to do so. When Ron caused Katie's nose to bleed. Harry thought they needed a change their practice plan. Fred and George converged on Katie.

'Here, take this,' Fred told her, handing her something small and purple from out of his pocket, 'it'll clear it up in no time.'

'Don't you dare, give Katie anything,' Harry told him. 'I can fix it, without losing a member of the team.'

'It wouldn't have hurt her,' Fred said.

'Looks like one of your Blood Blisterpods' to me,' Harry replied.

Fred horror struck looked at the sweet in his hand. 'Oh, yeah, er- sorry Captain - sorry Katie.'

Harry rolled her eyes and fixed Katie's nose. 'I think I'm going to have to implement rule number two again. You OK, Katie?'

'Better, thanks, Harry.'

'Right, everyone on the ground - we're going to be doing something a little bit different.' Harry said. 'We're only going to need the Quaffle for this - we're going to play a little Muggle game - known as catch.'

Though she received odd looks, the team complied. But while they were on the ground and Ron was catching and passing the Quaffle every time - it became obvious what Harry intended to do and the rest of the team couldn't help but grin at her. By the time the practice session was over, they were back in the air, still playing catch. But so far it appeared to be working out well - now if she could only do something about Ron's nerves.

'How was practice?' asked Hermione rather coolly when Harry and Ron returned to the common room.

'Completely lousy,' said Ron in a hollow voice. 'I kept messing up, Harry made us play a Muggle game in the end - catch.'

'It worked out well in the end,' Harry said smirking. 'At least you weren't messing up then. You were playing Quidditch without even knowing it.'

Ron blinked, turned his head and gaped at her. Harry grinned back. 'I have this thing called a brain, and I know how to use it.'

Ron shook his head. 'I'm going to get my homework - and Harry - thanks.'

'Sometimes,' Hermione said as Ron wondered up the stairs. 'I wonder if you realise, what your doing.'

Harry not sure what to say to that, frowned and went to collect her own things. Ron and Harry worked on their homework until half past eleven. When a handsome screech owl was standing on the windowsill, gazing into the room at Ron.

'Isn't that Hermes?' said Harry, slightly amazed.

'Blimey, it is!' Ron said getting to his feet. 'What's Percy writing to me for?' He crossed to the window and opened it; Hermes flew inside, landed on Ron's essay and held out a leg to which a letter was attached. Ron took the letter and the owl departed at once. Ron unrolled the scroll and began to read. The further down the parchment his eyes travelled, the more pronounced became his scowl. When he finished reading, he looked disgusted. He trusted the letter at Harry and she began to read words jumped out at her: _Dumbledore may not be in charge at Hogwarts much longer._

'That's it,' Harry said handing back the letter. 'If the Ministry actually over powers Dumbledore - I'm going to make Umbridge's life hell.'

Ron looked up, a worried expression on his face. 'You - you don't think- that I'd-'

'Sever ties with me,' Harry said. 'Heavens no.'

...

The next morning both Harry and Hermione were frowning at the _Daily Prophet's_ headline. A large photograph of Dolores Umbridge, smiling widely and blinking slowly at them from underneath the headline.

 _MINISTRY SEEKS EDUCATIONAL REFORM_

 _DOLORES UMBRIDGE APPOINTED_

 _FIRST EVER HIGH INQUISITOR._

'So, what's that all about,' Ron said nodding his head to the paper. 'And in English please.'

'Fudge has given Umbridge the power to inspect the other teachers!' Harry said.

'It's outrageous!' Hermione said.

A grin was unfurling on Ron's face.

'What?' said Harry and Hermione together, staring at him.

'Oh, I can't wait to see McGonagall inspected,' said Ron happily. 'Umbridge won't know what's hit her.'

Harry laughed. Professor Umbridge was not inspecting their History of Magic lesson, nor was she in Snape's dungeon when they arrived for double Potions, where Harry hide her moonstone essay away quickly, where she gained an "E". Snape had graded to OWL standards. At the end of the lesson, she happily walked out. Having successfully brewed her Strengthening Solution.

'Well, that wasn't as bad as last week, was it?' said Hermione as they made their way across the Entrance Hall towards lunch. 'And the homework didn't go too badly either, did it?'

When neither Ron or Harry answered, she pressed on, 'I mean, all right, I didn't expect the top grade, not if he's marking to OWL standard, but a pass is quite encouraging at this stage, wouldn't you say? Of course, a lot can happen between now and the exam, we've got plenty of time to improve ...'

'Hermione,' Ron said as they sat down at the Gryffindor table. 'If you want to know what grades we got, ask.'

'I don't - I didn't mean - well, if you want to tell me-'

'I got a "P",' said Ron. 'Happy?'

'Well, that's nothing to be ashamed of,' said Fred, who had just arrived at the table with George and Lee Jordan. 'Nothing wrong with a good healthy "P".'

'But,' said Hermione, 'doesn't "P" stand for ..'

'"Poor", yeah' said Lee. 'Still better than "D", isn't it? "Dreadful".'

'So top grades are "O" for "Outstanding",' Hermione said, 'then there's "A" -'

''No, "E",' George corrected her, 'for "Exceeds Expectations".' Hermione went slightly pink as George continued. 'And I've always thought Fred and I should've got "E" in everything because we exceeded exceptions just by turning up for the exams.'

They all laughed except Hermione, who ploughed on, 'So, after "E" it's "A" for Acceptable", and that's the last pass grade, isn't it?'

'Yep,' said Fred

'Then you get "P" and then "D".' said Ron.

'And then "T",' George added.

'"T"?' asked Hermione looking appalled. 'Even lower than a "D"? What on earth does "T" stand for?'

'"Troll",' George said promptly.

Harry laughed. 'I wouldn't worry Hermione, we already know how to deal with one of those,' she said. 'you just knock it out with its own club.'

'I thought you would be at least taking this seriously, Harry,' Hermione said in a slightly amused voice.

'Oh I am,' Harry said. 'I'm taking it very _seriously.'_

'You lot had an inspected lesson yet?' Fred asked changing the subject.

'No, have you?' Hermione said.

'Just now, before lunch,' said George. 'Charms.'

'What was it like?' Harry asked.

Fred shrugged. 'Not that bad. Umbridge just lurked in the corner making notes on a clipboard. You know what Flitwick's like, he treated her like a guest, didn't seem to bother him at all. She didn't say much. Asked Alicia a couple of questions about what the classes are normally like, Alicia told her they were really good, that was it.'

'I can't see old Flitwick getting marked down,' said George, 'he usually gets everyone through their exams all right.'

'Who have you lot got this afternoon?' Fred asked.

'We've got Arithmancy,' Harry said gesturing towards Hermione.

'I've got to put up with Trewlawney -'

'A "T" if ever I saw one.'

'-and then we've got Umbridge herself.'

'Well do be a good girl, Anna and keep your temper with Umbridge today,' George said.

Umbridge was not in Arithmancy either. But Ron filled Harry and Hermione in on what happened in Divination while they were taking out their copies of _Defensive Magical Theory_ but before they could ask any questions Professor Umbridge had called them all to order and silence fell.

'Wands away,' she instructed them all with a smile. 'As we finished Chapter One last lesson I would like you all to turn to page nineteen today and commence "Chapter Two, Common Defensive Theories and their Derivation" There will be no need to talk.'

Hermione thrust her hand into the air, whilst it had been Harry this time who had not bothered opening her book.

'What is it this time, Miss Granger?'

'I've already read Chapter Two,' said Hermione.

'Well then, read Chapter Three.'

'I've read that too. I've read the whole book.'

'Well then, you should be able to tell me what Slinkhard says about counter-jinxes in Chapter Fifteen.'

'He says that counter-jinxes are improperly named,' said Hermione. 'He says "counter-jinx" is just a name people give their jinxes when they want to make them sound more acceptable. But I disagree.'

'You disagree?' Umbridge repeated.

'Yes I do,' said Hermione. 'Mr Slinkhard doesn't like jinxes, does he? But I think they can be very useful when they're used defensively.'

'Oh, you do, do you?' said Professor Umbridge. 'Well, I'm afraid it is Mr Slinkhard's opinion, and not yours, that matters within this classroom, Miss Granger.'

'But-' Hermione began.

'That is enough,' said Professor Umbridge. 'Miss Granger, I am going to take five points from Gryffindor house.'

'What for?' Harry said angrily.

'Harry!' Hermione whispered.

'For disrupting my class with pointless interruptions,' said Professor Umbridge. 'I am here to teach you using a Ministry-approved method that does not include students giving their opinion on matters about which they understand very little. Your previous teachers in this subject may have allowed you more licence, but as none of them - with the possible exception of Professor Quirrell, who did at least appear to have restricted himself to age-appropriate subjects - would have passed a Ministry inspection -'

'Yeah, Quirrell was a great teacher,' Harry said loudly, 'there was just that minor drawback of him having Lord Voldemort sticking out the back of his head.'

This pronouncement was followed by one of the loudest silences Harry had ever heard. And then -

'I think another week's detention would do you some good, Miss Potter,' said Umbridge sleekly. And that was what Harry had just been hoping for.

...

Even though the cut on her hand had barely healed, by the following morning it was bleeding again. Harry had once more put Angelina in charge for Quidditch practices, for that week. And even though had plotted her revenge, she had also got to see Professor McGonagall putting Umbridge in her place. Harry's hand was bleeding so severely by her second night's detention that she had to clean it and wrap a bandage around it. Though the bandage still stained. She had expected the common room to be empty when she returned, but Ron, Hermione and George had sat up waiting for her. Hermione pushed a small bowl towards her, as Harry sank down into an empty seat.

'Here,' she said anxiously, 'soak your hand in that, it's a solution of strained and pickled Murtlap tentacles, it should help.'

Harry placed her bleeding hand into the bowl and experienced a wonderful feeling of relief.

'Thanks,' she said gratefully.

'You should have told me sooner,' George said. 'I would have done something to help you.'

'I know, but you would have landed yourself into trouble,' Harry said, then she smirked. 'Besides Charming, I'm already working on it.'

'I still reckon you should complain about this,' said Ron.

'No,' Harry said flatly.

'McGonagall would go nuts if she knew -'

'Yeah, she probably would,' said Harry dully. 'And how long do you reckon it takes Umbridge to pass another decree saying anyone who complains about the High Inquisitor gets sacked immediately?'

Ron opened his mouth to retort but nothing came out and, after a moment he closed it again, defeated.

'She's an awful woman,' Hermione said.

'Bloody dreadful teacher - we definitely are not going to learn any defence from her, at all,' George added.

'Sometimes,' Harry said. 'I wish we could just do it ourselves.'

'Do what ourselves?' said Ron.

'Learn Defence Against the Dark Arts ourselves,' Harry said. 'But - we've gone past the stage where we can just learn things out of books - we would need a teacher, a proper one, who could show us how to use the spells and correct us if we're going wrong. And Remus came to my mind too -' Harry added as Ron opened his mouth to speak. 'But he's too busy with the Order and we would only be able to see him Hogsmeade weekends and that's not often enough.'

...

Harry had been looking forward to the weekend trip into Hogsmeade, ever since it had been posted. The only thing that had got her through Professor Umbridge and her boring lessons had been thinking of this trip. And the fact that Professor Umbridge had come over rather odd several times. First, she had an itching problem, which had caused her to come over in boils - she had also turned into a bright yellow canary for an entire lesson, much to Harry's amusement. And Umbridge had no clue what had caused it or who had caused it. George couldn't stop talking about the pranks on Umbridge as they wandered the village of Hogsmeade, by themselves. Harry had a funny feeling he was rather impressed.

'George why are we heading towards the Hog's Head?' Harry asked much later, as they walked hand in hand as they turned into a side-street.

'I said I'd meet a few people,' George answered. 'Hope you don't mind.'

Harry didn't mind, she just wished he had said something to her. But a few people turned out to be a lot of people. Ron and Hermione were waiting for them. As was Fred, Angelina, Katie and Alicia from the Quidditch team. Lee, the twins' friend as well as, Neville, Dean, Lavender, Parvati and her sister Padma were there. Then there was Luna, Ginny, Colin and Denis Creevey, Ernie Macmillian, Justin Finch-Fletchley, Hannah Abbott, a Hufflepuff girl she didn't know. Three Ravenclaw boys she was pretty sure were called Anthony Goldstein, Michael Corner and Terry Boot. There was another Hufflepuff boy she recognised vaguely from the Hufflepuff Quidditch team. Cho had turned up with another Ravenclaw girl Harry didn't know. And members of Harry's old tutoring group Lisa Turpin, Cedric Diggory, Draco, Daphne were there. Along with Daphne's younger sister Astoria and their friend Blaise.

'A few people,' Harry muttered. 'This is not a few people.' Then she turned to the people in question. Just what the bloody hell was going on? George paid for two Butterbeers and led her to a chair, in front of everybody.

'So,' Hermione said nervously. 'I got to thinking - we'll not just myself - but the point is we were thinking about what you said the other night - about us learning defence ourselves.'

'As you can see,' George gestured around to the room. 'The idea seemed pretty popular.'

'And just who exactly is going -' Harry began but then she looked at the expectant faces and caught on. 'No.'

'Come on Harry,' Fred said. 'Your the best at Defence in the whole school.'

'Yeah, everyone knows that -'

'Look-' Harry said, being cut off by another voice.

'Potter, they have a point.' Draco said. 'That cow is not going to teach us and as much as it pains me to admit it, you are the best at Defence in the school.'

'You're not helping Malfoy,' Harry snapped. 'You're meant to back me up, not aid and bet against me.'

'Harry, we need to learn the spells properly, you said so yourself,' Hermione said.

'You also want to pass your Defence Against the Dark Arts OWL too, I bet?' said Micheal Corner watching, Hermione closely.

'Of course, I do,' said Hermione. 'But more than that, I want to be properly trained in defence because ... because ... because Lord Voldemort is back.'

Harry blinked, impressed.

'Where's the proof You Know Who's back?' said the blonde Hufflepuff player in a rather aggressive voice.

'How about where I saw Harry being transported via a Portkey, Smith,' Cedric said. 'That good enough for you - or you going to call me a liar, too Zacharias?'

'No,' he said. 'But I think we've got the right to know exactly what makes her say You Know Who is back - all Dumbledore told us was that Karkaroff got killed by You Know Who and that she brought his body back.'

'She has a name, you know,' George snapped angrily. 'Damn well bloody use it.'

'It's OK, George,' said Harry. She figured out why there were so many people there. Some of these people had turned up in the hopes of hearing Harry's story firsthand.

'If you want to know what it looks like when Voldemort murders someone I can't help you,' Harry said. 'I'm not talking about the night Karkaroff died. So if that's what you here for - clear off.'

'So,' Hermione said breaking the silence. 'would you teach us?'

'I already said-'

'Is it true,' interrupted the Hufflepuff girl, Harry didn't know, 'that you can produce a Patronus?'

'Yes,' Harry said slightly defensively.

'A corporeal Patronus?'

The phrase stirred something in Harry's memory. 'You don't know Madam Bones, do you?'

'She's my auntie,' she said. 'I'm Susan Bones - so is it true you can produce a stag Patronus?'

'Yeah,' Harry nodded. 'it's true.'

'Blimey, Harry!' said Lee, looking deeply impressed. 'I never knew that!'

'Mum told us not to spread it around,' Fred said, grinning at Harry. 'She said you got enough attention as it was.'

'She's not wrong,' Harry mumbled.

'And did you kill a Basilisk with that sword in Dumbledore's office?' demanded Terry Boot. 'That's what one of the portraits on the wall told me when I was in there last year ...'

'Er - yeah,' Harry said running a hand through her hair, feeling slightly embarrassed. Justin Finch-Fletchley whistled; the Creevey brothers exchanged awestruck looks and Lavender Brown said 'Wow!'

'And in our first year,' Neville said to the large group. 'Harry saved that Philological Stone -'

'Philosopher's,' hissed Hermione.

'Yes, that - from You Know Who,' finished Neville.

'And that's not to mention,' said Cho, 'all those tasks she had to get through in the Triwizard Tournament last year - getting past dragons and merepeople and Acromantula and things ...'

'Look,' Harry said interrupting the murmur of impressed agreement, and every fell silent at once. 'I ... I don't want to sound like I'm trying to be modest or anything, but ... I had a lot of help with all that stuff ...'

'Not with that dragon you didn't,' said Michael Corner. 'That was some seriously cool bit of spell work ...'

'OK,' Harry said. 'I know I did bits of it without help, but the point I'm trying to make is-'

'Are you trying to weasel out of showing any of this stuff?' said Zacharias Smith.

'Here's an idea,' Ron said loudly. 'Why, don't you shut your mouth?'

'Well, we've all turned up to learn from _Harianna_ and now she's telling us she can't really do any of it,' Zacharias said.

'That's not what Harry said,' snarled Fred.

'Would you like us to clean out your ears for you?' enquired George, pulling out a long and lethal-looking metal instrument from inside one of his Zonko's bags.

'Or any part of your body, really, we're not fussy where we stick this,' said Fred.

'Besides, Harianna hasn't even agreed to teach us yet,' Draco said firmly. 'That's why she was brought here in the first place. And you are doing us no favours into trying to convince her.'

'And we need to agree is how often we meet. I don't see any point in meeting less than once a week-' Hermione said.

'Hey, it can't clash with our Quidditch practices,' Angelina said.

'Considering I organise our Quidditch practice I highly doubt it would,' Harry said.

'I'm sure,' Hermione said before Cho and Zacharias Smith were able to say anything. 'we can find a night that suits everyone. But you know this is rather important, we're talking about learning to defend ourselves against V-Voldemort's Death Eaters -'

'Well said!' barked Ernie Macmillan. 'Personally, am I at a loss to see why the Ministry has foisted such a useless teacher on us at this critical period. Obviously, they are in denial about the return of You Know You, but to give us a teacher who is trying to actively prevent us from using defensive spells -'

Harry said nothing, and turned her head away from the group, out of the corner of her eye, several heads had turned in her direction. She sighed. 'I believe the reason Umbridge doesn't want us trained in Defence Against the Dark Arts, is because she believes Dumbledore could use the students in the school as a kind of private army. She thinks he'd mobilise us against the Ministry.'

'Well mate if that's what you believe,' Ron said. 'it's most likely true since when have your theories been wrong.'

'So, will you teach us?' George said. 'If that's what you believe, it would be another way to upset Umbridge.'

'You do realise if we go ahead with this,' Harry said. 'She'll just pass another educational decree, to head us off - if she gets wind of this.'

'And you're going to let that stop you?' Hermione said.

'We would have a slight problem with where we're going to meet,' Ginny said. 'especially without being seen.'

Harry and George grinned at each other. 'We just might know a place.' George said.

'So, what do you say Harry?' Hermione asked.

'I'm in.'

Hermione rummaged in her bag and produced parchment and a quill. 'We'll we sort out a time and get the message around to everybody. And I think everybody should write their name down, just so we know who was here. But I also think we all ought to agree not to shout about what we're doing. So, if you sign, you're agreeing not to tell Umbridge or anybody else what we're up to.'

Fred reached out for the parchment and cheerfully wrote his signature, but Harry noticed at once that several people looked less than happy at the prospect of putting their names on the list.

'Er ...' said Zarcharias slowly, not taking the parchment that George was trying to pass to him, 'well ... I'm sure Ernie will tell me when the meeting is.'

'Let me make this very clear,' Harry said. 'anyone who doesn't sign doesn't get to join us.'

'Fair enough,' Draco said, happily taking the parchment and signing it.

...

As Harry thought a new education decree had been put in place by Monday morning. Disbanding all student organisations, societies, teams, groups and clubs. Permission to re-form any clubs had to be sought from Professor Umbridge. Which meant Harry had to talk to her about the Gryffindor Quidditch team. And Harry was still, of course, going to hold their secret Defence Club. So they spread the word as discreetly as possible.

'So, what did she say about the Quidditch team?' Ron asked.

'She said, she'd "think about it".' Harry muttered.

'So, a no, then?' Ron said.

'Pretty much,' Harry said.

'I bet Umbridge is in History of Magic,' Ron said grimly. 'She hasn't inspected Binns yet ... bet you anything she's there ... just to annoy us...'

But he was wrong; the only teacher present when they entered was Professor Binns. Harry who had long given up attempting to follow what he was saying, sat there reading her history book. This lesson had been a godsend during the times she had her late detentions with Umbridge. Harry had happily completed her homework during it. But then she was nudged so hard by Hermione, Harry looked up from her book angrily.

'What?'

Hermione pointed at the window. Harry looked around. Hedwig was perched on the narrow window ledge, gazing through the thick glass at her, a letter tied to her leg. Harry could not understand why her owl hadn't delivered the letter during breakfast. Many of her classmates were pointing out Hedwig to each other too.

'Oh, I've always loved that owl, she's so beautiful,' Lavender sighed.

Harry slipped off her chair and hurried along to the window. She had expected Hedwig to hold out her leg so that she could remove the letter, but the moment the window was wide enough Hedwig hopped inside, hooting dolefully. Harry closed the window with an anxious glance at Professor Binns and sped back to her seat with Hedwig on her shoulder. She regained her seat and transferred Hedwig to her lap, and made to remove the letter tied to her leg. Hedwig's feathers though were oddly ruffled; some bent the wrong way, and she was holding one of her wings at an odd angle.

Harry excused herself, went to the staff room to find Professor Grubbly-Plank, handed Hedwig over. And Professor McGonagall gave her a warning that wizarding channels of communication were being watched.

'Where did you take her?' asked Ron when Harry re-joined them

'Grubby-Plank,' said Harry. 'Listen McGonagall thinks communication is being watched.'

'She thinks Hedwig was intercepted,' Hermione clarified.

'Yeah,' Harry said.

'So, what did the letter say?' Ron said.

'A, need to talk, see you tonight, S.' Harry said.

'So, he's going to call you via the mirror?'

...

Harry had the mirror in her bag, ready for when the last person disappeared up the stairs, as soon as they had Harry took the mirror out, whilst Hermione cast a silencing spell towards the staircase.

'Sirius Black,' Harry muttered out to it.

'Hi, kiddo,' Sirius said grinning. 'Been trying to get hold of you for ages.'

'Sorry, the common room just emptied out,' Harry said.

'So, how're things?' he asked.

'Not that good, Ministry's forced through another degree, which means we're not allowed Quidditch teams -' Harry said.

'Or secret Defence Against the Dark Arts groups?' said Sirius.

'We realised, Umbridge had overheard somehow,' Harry said. 'But you too?'

'Mundungus actually,' said Sirius. 'He was the witch under the veil.'

'That was Mundungus?' Ron said stunned.

'I take it Potterwatch is still going on then.' Harry said.

'Well yeah,' said Sirius, 'and just as well, isn't it, if the first thing you're going to do on your weekend off is organising an illegal defence group.'

'I'll have you know,' Harry said. 'It wasn't my idea. I gave the suggestion only, it's not my fault people tend to listen to me.'

Ron rolled his eyes. 'So why was Mundungus hiding from us?'

'He was banned from the Hog's Head twenty years ago,' said Sirius, 'and that barman has got a long memory. We lost Moody's spare Invisibility Cloak when Sturgis was arrested, so Dung's been dressing as a witch a lot lately ... anyway ... firstly, Ron - I've sworn to pass on a message from your mother.'

'Oh yeah?' said Ron, sounding apprehensive.

'She says on no account whatsoever are you to take part in an illegal secret Defence Against the Dark Arts group. She says you'll be expelled for sure and your future will be ruined. She says there will be plenty of time to learn how to defend yourself later and that you are too young to be worrying about that right now. She also advises Anna and Hermione not to proceed with the group, though she accepts that she has no authority over either of them and simply begs them to remember that she has their best interests at heart. She would have written all this to you, but if the owl been intercepted you'd all have been in real trouble, and she says she can't say it for herself because she's on duty tonight.'

'On duty doing what?' Ron said quickly.

'Never you mind, just stuff for the Order,' said Sirius. 'So, it's fallen to me to be the messenger and make sure you tell her I passed it all on because I don't think she trusts me too.'

'So, you want me to say that I'm going to be a good little girl, and not take part in the Defence group?' Harry said.

'Me? Certainly not!' Sirius said. 'I think it's an excellent idea!'

'You do?' Harry said.

'Of course, I do!' said Sirius. 'D'you think your father and I would've lain down and taken orders from an old hag like Umbridge?'

'But - last term all you did was tell me to be careful and not take risks -'

'Last year, all the evidence was that someone inside Hogwarts was trying to kill you, Anna!' Sirius said. 'This year, we know there's someone outside Hogwarts who'd like to kill us all, so I think learning to defend yourselves properly is a very good idea!'

Harry looked up to the common room door. 'Sirius go, someone's coming.'

'Anna?'

'Go, now.'

The mirror went blank as Umbridge walked into the common room.

 ** _A.N. I had to change the speaking with Sirius scene a little so the rest of the story would make sense._**


	92. Chapter 92

'I can't believe that cow,' Ron uttered. 'Confiscating your mirror.'

'There's no other explanation for it. Umbridge's been reading your mail.' Hermione said.

' _Accio_!' Harry said summoning her bullfrog that was making an escape for it. Charms was always one of the best lessons in which to enjoy a private chat; there generally so much movement and activity that the danger of being overheard was very slight.

'Do you think she'll figure out how it works, she can't know what's it for,' Ron said.

'I'd love to see her try, 'cause only I can use it,' Harry said, an evil grin spread across her face. 'I booby trapped it. So even if she does figure it out, the moment she tries to use it - she'll get a nasty surprise.'

'Any more about Quidditch team?'

'Yeah, we got permission, to reform. I went to McGonagall,' Harry said. 'I think that's why Umbridge confiscated my mirror more than anything.'

'I didn't know other teachers could enter the tower,' said Ron thoughtfully. 'I thought only Professor McGonagall could do that.'

'Protocol, in case of an emergency,' Harry said. 'it's in _Hogwarts A History_ somewhere.'

'I swear only, you and Hermione have read that book.'

Harry chuckled and continued practising the Silencing Charm on her frog.

...

The Room of Requirement was much bigger than when she had last used it. But then it had only been her who needed to learn spells for the Triwizard. And this time it filled with all kinds of books on Defence. Then came a gentle knock on the door and everyone filed in.

'Whoa,' Dean said staring around, impressed. 'What is this place?'

'It's known as the Room of Requirement,' Harry said. 'Turns up when someone needs it.'

'It's fantastic!' said Cho.

'It's like Hogwarts wants us to fight back,' Cedric said.

'Hey, Harry, what this stuff?' asked Dean from the rear of the room, indicating the Sneakscopes and the Foe-Glass.

'Dark detectors,' Harry said. 'Basically, they show you when Dark wizards or enemies are around, but you don't want to rely on them too much, they can be fooled ... so I've been thinking about what stuff we ought to do first - er -,' she noticed a raised hand. 'Yes, Hermione?'

'I think we ought to elect a leader,' said Hermione.

'Harry's leader,' said Cedric.

'Yes, but I think we ought to vote on it properly,' said Hermione. 'It makes it formal and gives her authority. So, everyone who thinks Harry ought to be our leader?'

Everyone put up their hand, even Zacharias Smith, though he did it very half-heartedly.

'Er - right, thanks,' Harry said. 'And yes, Hermione?'

'I also think we ought to have a name,' she said brightly. 'It would promote a feeling a team spirit and unity, don't you think?'

'Can we have the Anti-Umbridge League?' said Angelina hopefully.

'Or the Ministry of Magic are Morons Group?' suggested Fred.

'How about something that, doesn't give us away,' Harry suggested. 'Any ideas?'

'The Defence Association?' said Cho. 'The DA for short, so nobody knows what we are talking about?'

'Yeah, the DA's good,' said Ginny. 'Only let's make it stand for Dumbledore's Army, because that's the Ministry's worst fear, isn't it?'

'I'm in favour,' Harry said putting up her hand. 'Anyone else?'

'OK,' Hermione said looking around. 'that's a majority - motion passed!' Hermione pinned the piece of parchment with all their signatures on it to the wall and wrote across the top in large letters: DUMBLEDORE'S ARMY

'Right,' Harry said, when Hermione turned back around, 'shall we get started then? I was thinking, the first thing we should do is the Disarming Charm, I know it's pretty basic but I've found it really useful-'

'Oh, please,' said Zacharias Smith, rolling his eyes and folding his arms. 'How is a stupid spell like that, supposed to help us against You Know Who?'

'That stupid spell as you so called it saved my life last June,' Harry said her attention completely on Zacharias Smith. 'Sometimes it's not just about the spells you know. It's about how you use them.'

Harry turned to face the others in the room, 'Does anybody else think that the Disarming Charm is beneath them?'

There came no reply.

'No? Good! Pair up.'

Harry had only ever seen students move as quickly as just now when Professor Snape was addressing them. She sent a questioning look towards Zacharias watching as he just paired up with Anthony Goldstein. Once everyone had partnered up, Harry walked to the very middle of them all.

'Right - on the count of three, then one, two, three -'

The room was suddenly full of shouts of ' _Expelliarmus.'_ Wands flew in all directions, missed spells hit books and sent them flying into the air. Harry was very glad she chose this spell to start with. Neville was having trouble even disarming his opponent, that happened to be Luna. Something very odd was happening to Zacharias Smith. Every time he opened his mouth to disarm Anthony Goldstein, his own wand would fly out of his hand, yet Anthony did not seem to be making a sound. Harry did not have to look far to solve the mystery: Fred and George were several feet away from Smith and taking it in turns to point their wands at his back.

'Sorry, Princess,' George said hastily when Harry caught his eye. 'Couldn't resist.'

Harry walked around the other pairs, trying to correct those who were doing the spell wrong. Neville's problem had always been his confidence, so after Harry showed him the correct way, he improved greatly so, even managing to disarm Luna once. _Justin_ Finch-Fletchy was slightly patchy, occasionally sending his partners wand spinning out of his hand, the Creevey brothers were enthusiastic but erratic and mainly responsible for all the books leaping off the shelves. It had taken Harry a good five minutes to calm them down. Ginny was teamed up with Michael Corner, and she was doing very well, whereas Michael was either very bad or unwilling to jinx her.

...

Harry was standing with her arms folded the next DA session, as everyone filed into the room. The silence was almost instant. The group looked around at each other, then towards her, then towards the covered cage next to her, then back towards each other, unsure and very hesitant as in what they were doing to do.

'Last time, I told you that simple spells could be quite useful,' Harry said. 'I, Harianna Potter am going to prove that point once again. This time we're going to be using the Immobilisation Charm. My reasons are very simple, it's not only Death Eaters that you may come up against. The Immobilisation Charm can come in quite handy when - there is an object you don't want to hit you - or a creature you don't want to attack you. The Charm, of course, freezes the object temporarily. The larger the object, the less time it stays frozen. So, we'll begin with something small.'

'Now if you could all repeat after me - _Immobilious!'_

There was a chorus of _I_ _mmobilious._

'Good,' Harry said. 'Now be warned - you have made it my job to arm you, and you may find yourselves facing your fears in this very room. Know, only no harm can befall you whilst I'm here. All I ask, is you remain calm. I must ask you not to scream, it may provoke them.' she said whipping off the cover over the cage. 'Yes,' Harry said dramatically, 'freshly caught Cornish pixies.'

There was a slight laughter in the room, those who had been taught by Lockhart were grinning at each other.

'Right then,' Harry said pointing her wand at the cage door. 'Let's see what you make of them.'

The pixies flew out of the open cage door, but unlike Lockhart's lesson where there was instant pandemonium, the ringing of the immobilisation charm could be heard, freezing the pixies in the air.

...

It took Hermione, two weeks to devise a very clever method of communicating the time and date of the next meeting to all the members in case they needed to change it at short notice, as it would look suspicious if people from different Houses were seen together. (She used a Protean Charm on gold coins that looked like Galleons). And the fact that Harry was finding it almost impossible to fix a regular night of the week for DA meetings, as they had to accommodate four separate teams' Quidditch practices, but Harry was not sorry about this; if anyone was watching them, it would be hard to make out a pattern of their meeting times. But with the upcoming Gryffindor, Slytherin match the DA meetings got very interesting.

'I'm telling you, Potter,' Draco said, 'the Snitch is as good as mine.'

'And as I keep reminding you, Malfoy,' Harry retorted, 'that's very unlikely.'

'But not impossible.'

'Ah, but you'll find,' Harry said. 'that only I truly understand the odds of defying impossibilities.'

Draco opened his mouth, then closed it again, thoughtful for just a moment. 'Sometimes, Harry, I'm sure you were sorted into the wrong House.'

'Well,' Harry said. 'I'll think you'll find that's between myself and the Sorting Hat.'

'What's that meant to mean?'

'You'll never know, you'll never know.' Harry laughed. 'And Draco, your aim is a little off.'

Draco, who had been trying to use the Impediment jinx, turned full attention to that of his practising partner Blaise, just in time to be hit with a Stunning spell.

'You might want to work on that.' Harry said, walking off around the other pairs.

...

The morning of the Quidditch game, Harry wasn't sure who was more nervous. Ron or herself. The Slytherin team captain had changed too. Montague was the same build as Dudley. His two new Beaters were Crabbe and Goyle. Harry smirked back at Draco.

'Captains, shake hands,' ordered the referee Madam Hooch, as Harry and Montague reached each other. Montague was trying to crush her hand, and Harry blinked right back at him, smirk still intact as she dug her nails into his. 'Mount your brooms ...' Madam Hooch placed her whistle in her mouth and blew. The balls were released and fourteen players shot upwards. Out of the corner of her eye, Harry saw Ron streak off towards the goal-hoops. Harry zoomed higher, dodging a Bludger, and set off on a wide lap of the pitch, gazing around for a glint of gold; on the other side of the stadium, Draco Malfoy was doing exactly the same.

'And it's Bell - Bell with the Quaffle, what a player that girl is, I've said it for years but she still won't go out with me -'

'JORDAN!' yelled McGonagall.

'- just a fun fact, Professor, adds a bit of interest - and she's ducked Warrington, she's passed Montague, she's - ouch - been hit behind by a Bludger from Crabbe ... Montague catches the Quaffle, Montague heading back up the pitch and - nice Bludger work from George Weasley, that's a Bludger to the head for Montague, he drops the Quaffle, caught by Angelina Johnson, Angelina Johnson of Gryffindor reverse-passes to Alicia Spinnet and Spinnet's away -'

Lee Jordan's commentary rang through the stadium and Harry listened hard as she could, and the crowd below were yelling and booing and singing.

'-dodges Warrington, avoids a Bludger - close call, Alicia - and the crowd are loving this, just listen to them, what's they're singing?' And as Lee paused to listen, the song rose loud and clear from the sea of green and silver in the Slytherin section of the stands:

 _'Weasley cannot save a thing,_

 _He cannot block a single ring,_

 _That's why Slytherins all sing_

 _Weasley is our King._

 _Weasley was born in a bin,_

 _He always lets the Quaffle in,_

 _Weasley will make sure we win,_

 _Weasley is our King.'_

'- Alicia passes back to Angelina!' Lee shouted, she knew Lee was trying to drown out the words of the song. 'Come on now, Angelina - looks like she's got just the Keeper to beat! - SHE SHOOT - SHE - ahhh ...'

Bletchley, the Slytherin Keeper, had saved the goal; he threw the Quaffle to Warrington who sped off with it, zig-zagging in between Alicia and Katie, the signing below grew louder and louder as he drew nearer and nearer Ron.

 _'Weasley is our King,_

 _Weasley is our King,_

 _He always lets the Quaffle in,_

 _Weasley is our King.'_

Harry could not help herself: abandoning her search for the Snitch, she wheeled around to watch Ron. Draco was nearby, he was shaking his head at her. It seemed he had no idea about the song either. Ron was hovering before the three goal-hoops at the far end of the pitch, while the massive Warrington pelted towards him.

' - and its Warrington with the Quaffle, Warrington heading for goal, he's out of Bludger range with just the Keeper ahead -'

A great swell of song rose from the Slytherin stand below:

 _'Weasley cannot save a thing,_

 _He cannot block a single ring ...'_

'-so, it's the first test for new Gryffindor Keeper Weasley, brother of Beaters Fred and George, and a promising new talent on the team - come on, Ron!'

But the scream of delight came from the Slytherins' end: Ron had dived wildly, his arms wide, and the Quaffle had soared between them straight through Ron's central hoop.

'Slytherin score!' came Lee's voice amid the cheering and booing from the crowds below, 'so that's ten-nil to Slytherin - bad luck Ron.'

When it got to forty nil, Harry called a time out. Fed up of hearing the Slytherins song, she knew it was time to change tactic. She landed in the middle of the huddle.

'Sorry, Harry,' Ron muttered.

'Forget, it, shake it off,' Harry said. 'So, we're forty down at the moment - we've got time to recover - we can do this.'

'How?'

'First, Fred and George are going to provide us with a little cover and second,' Harry turned her attention to Ron. 'We're going to play a little bit of catch. Everyone got that. It's just a game of catch. Ready? Let's do this -'

On Hooch's whistle, the flew back into the air. The Slytherins still signing widely.

'And Potter's brought a new spirit to the team as Katie Bell of Gryffindor throws the Quaffle to Alicia Spinnet, Spinnet dodges Pucey, ducks Montague, and throws to Johnson - Johnson to Bell - NO make that Spinnet - I can't keep up the Quaffle is being passed around so much, - Gryffindor is definitely in possession as the Slytherin team looks utterly confused by Potter's tactics - and Angelina, scores - nicely done -'

'Pucey throws to Warrington, Warrington to Montague, back to Pucey - then to Montague heading back up the pitch - he swerved that nasty Bludger Fred Weasley aimed - just the Keeper now, and YES! YES! WEASLEY saves it! Nice work Ron! - Forty: ten to Slytherin.

Harry, at last, had seen the Snitch, hovering feet from the ground at the Slytherin end of the pitch. She dived. In matters of seconds, Draco was streaking out the sky on Harry's left ... the Snitch skirted the foot of one of the goal-hoops and scooted off towards the other side of the stands; its change of direction suited Draco, who was nearer; but Harry had the faster broom on the pitch, she pulled her broom around, she and Draco were neck and neck ... Feet from the ground Harry reached out, Draco's arm was extended too, but Harry's fingers closed around the tiny, struggling ball - Harry pulled the broom upwards, holding the struggling ball in her hand - WHAM.

A Bludger hit Harry squarely in the small of the back and she fell forwards off her broom. Luckily, she was only five or six feet above the ground, having dived so low to catch the Snitch, but she winced all the same as she landed on her back on the frozen pitch

...

'Banned!' Angelina said in a hollow voice. 'Banned. No Seeker and no Beaters ... what on earth are we going to do?'

'Well, Fred, George and I are going to make sure Umbridge regrets ever placing educational decree number twenty-five into effect,' Harry said. 'You're going to replace us - keep the team spirit up - keep Ron's nerves in check.'

'How am I meant to do that,' Angelina said. 'I'm not you Harry, you got us to change out there - the whole catch thing was your idea.'

'You'll think of something Ange,' Harry said. 'You've got my other ideas, use them.'

'Umbridge is a nightmare,' Katie said. 'Just what do you three plan on doing?'

'Now if we told you that,' Fred said.

'It would spoil all the fun,' George said.

'And just how are you going to pull all of it off?' Alicia said.

Harry laughed. 'As I keep telling you, it's not about the spells you know, it's how you use the spells you know.'

'Should we be warning anyone?' Angelina said. 'Because the day you three join forces, means big trouble for everyone.'

'Four,' Harry said. 'You forgot Draco's been banned too - just for sticking up for me - he'll want in - I get the funny feeling Umbridge doesn't like me much - the feeling is pretty mutual, right now.'

'I'm going to bed,' Angelina said, 'maybe I'll wake up tomorrow and this will all have been a dream ...'

She was soon followed by Alicia and Katie. Fred and George sloped off to bed sometime later. Only Harry and Hermione were left beside the fire.

'Have you seen Ron?' Hermione asked.

Harry shook her head.

'I think he's avoiding us,' said Hermione. 'Where do you think he -?'

But at that precise moment, there was a creaking sound behind them as the Fat Lady swung forwards Ron came through. He was very pale indeed and there was snow in his hair. When he saw Harry and Hermione he stopped dead in his tracks.

'I'm sorry,' Ron mumbled looking at his feet.

'What for?' said Harry.

'For thinking, I can play Quidditch,' said Ron. 'I resign.'

'One I can't accept that,' Harry said, 'and two if you resign there'll be only three players left on the team.' And when Ron looked puzzled, she said, 'Fred, George and I have been given a lifetime ban.'

'What?' Ron yelled.

Hermione told him the full story.

'This is all my fault -'

'You didn't make me punch Montague,' Harry said angrily.

'But if I wasn't so terrible -'

'Which you're not, it's just nerves.'

'That song wound me up -'

'It would have wound anyone up.'

Hermione got up and walked to the window, watching the snow fall.

'Just drop it, will you,' Harry said. 'It's bad enough, without you blaming yourself for everything!'

'This is the worst I've ever felt in my life.'

'Join the club,' Harry said bitterly.

'Well,' Hermione said. 'I can think of one thing that might cheer you both up.'

'Oh yeah?' said Harry sceptically.

'Yeah,' said Hermione, turning away from the pitch-black, snow-flecked window, a broad smile spreading across her face. 'Hagrid's back.'

...

Twenty minutes later, hidden under Harry's Invisibility Cloak and with help from the Marauder's Map, they made it across the grounds in the snow, to Hagrid's hut without being caught. Harry raised her fist and knocked on his door, a dog started barking frantically inside.

'Hagrid, it's us!' Harry called through the keyhole.

'Should've known!' said a gruff voice.

They beamed at each other under the Cloak; they could tell by Hagrid's voice that he was pleased. 'Been home three seconds ... out the way, Fang ... out the way, you, dozy dog ...'

The bolt was drawn back, the door creaked open and Hagrid's head appeared in the gap. Hermione screamed.

'Merlin's beard, keep it down!' said Hagrid hastily. 'Under that Cloak, are you? Well, get in!'

'I'm sorry!' Hermione gasped, as the three of them squeezed past Hagrid into the house and pulled the Cloak off themselves so he could see them. 'I just - oh, Hagrid!'

'It's nothing, it's nothing!' said Hagrid hastily shutting the door.

Harry couldn't help but think it was more than nothing. Hagrid's hair was matted with congealed blood and his left eye had been reduced to a puffy slit amid a mass of purple and black bruising. There were many cuts on his face and hands, some of the still bleeding, and he was moving gingerly, which made Harry suspect broken ribs.

'So, what happened to you?' Harry asked.

'Told you, nothing,' Hagrid said firmly. 'Want a cuppa?'

'Come off it,' said Ron, 'you're in a right state!'

'I'm telling you, I'm fine,' Hagrid said, straightening up and turning to them all, but wincing. 'Blimey, it's good to see you three again - had good summers, did you?'

'Sit down!' Harry said forcefully. 'Before you hurt yourself. We can help ourselves to some tea.'

'I'm dealing with it, all right,' Hagrid

Harry crossed her arms and snorted, 'Fine job you're doing, now sit down and let me have a look, I'm sure I can heal up some of the mess you've got yourself in.'

Hagrid stared at her for a few moments, then sunk into a chair. 'You're - you're -' he said, looking as though he was struggling to find the words.

'An Empath, well yeah,' Harry said, crossing to the window so she could open it. 'You tell us what happened and I'll tell you about my summer,' she opened the window, ' _Accio Healant Salve.'_ Catching the salve in her hands she closed the window again, and crossed the room, sitting in a chair next to Hagrid's. 'Close your eye for me.' she said, opening the salve and putting a finger into the paste.

'Never seen that stuff before,' Hagrid said, 'What's in it?'

'It's an Ancient Magic healing salve, so you wouldn't have,' Harry said applying it to his face. 'It's a mixture of plants that have healing properties. Should fix you up good as new, I'll fix those cuts in a minute. So are you going to tell us about the giants.'

'Giants?' Hagrid said, 'who said anything about giants? Who you been talking to? Who told you I've - who's said I've been - eh?'

'Hagrid,' Hermione said. 'You just pretty much gave it away, besides we guessed.'

'It was kind of ... obvious,' said Ron.

'Yeah,' Hagrid mumbled, 'all right, I have.'

'And you found them?' Hermione said.

'Well, they're not that difficult to find, to be honest,' said Hagrid. 'Pretty big, see.'

'Where are they?'

'Mountains,' Hagrid said unhelpfully.

'So why don't Muggles -?'

'They do,' Hagrid said darkly. 'Only their deaths are always put down to mountaineering accidents, aren't they!'

'Come Hagrid, tell us what you've been up to!' said Ron. 'Tell us about being attacked by giants and Harry can tell you all about nearly being kicked out.'

'You were nearly kicked out?' he growled.

'No one's told you about that, huh. Best leave the paste on overnight,' Harry told him, as she finished up covering his eye and then began to heal the cuts she could.

'No one told me anything that's been happening since I left. I was on a secret mission, wasn't I, didn't want owls following me all over the place - you're not serious - Muggles almost kicked you out.'

'Tell us what you've been up to and I'll tell you all about it.'

'Oh, all right,' Hagrid said in a resigned voice. 'Well, we set off right after term ended -'

'Madame Maxine went with you then?' Hermione interjected.

'Yeah that's right,' Hagrid said.

'You knew where you were going then?' Harry said. 'You knew where the Giants were?'

'Dumbledore knew and he told us,' Hagrid said.

'Are they hidden?' asked Ron. 'Is it a secret where they are?'

'Nor really,' Hagrid said. 'It took us about a month to get there - we were being watched.'

'The Ministry,' Harry said.

'Yeah, how did you know?' Hagrid said.

'We know all about the Ministry watching Dumbledore and anyone they reckon in league with him,' Hermione said.

'We managed to give the berk tailing us the slip though. We made out we were heading for where Olympe's school is.' Hagrid said. 'We changed a bit of magic after that and it wasn't a bad journey - when we reached the place, we had to start trekking up through the mountains - giants don't like wizards all that much and partly because Dumbledore warned us You Know Who was bound to be after the giants and all. Said it was odds on he'd sent as a messenger off to them already. Told us to be very careful about drawing attention to ourselves as we got nearer in case there was Death Eaters around.'

'And we found them - about eighty left - we waited until morning, didn't want to sneak up on them in the dark, for our own safety,' Hagrid said. 'Anyway, once it was light we went down to see them.'

'Just like that?' said Ron, looking awestruck. 'You just walked right into a giant camp?'

'Well, Dumbledore'd told us how to do it,' said Hagrid. 'Give the Gurg gifts, show some respect, you know.'

'Give the what gifts?' asked Harry.

'Oh - Gurg - means chief.'

'How could you tell which one was the Gurg?' asked Ron.

'No problem, he was the biggest, the ugliest and the laziest. Sitting there waiting to be brought food by the others. Name was Karkus - well we walked down to him, where he was lying in the valley -' Hagrid said.

'Didn't they try and kill you when they saw you?' asked Ron.

'It was definitely on some of their minds,' said Hagrid shrugging, causing Harry to tut at him, 'but we did what Dumbledore told us to do, which was to hold our gift up high and keep our eyes on the Gurg and ignore the others. So, that's what we did. And the rest of them went quiet and watched us pass we got right up to Karkus's feet and we bowed and put our present in front of him.'

'What do you give a giant?' asked Ron.

'Magic,' Hagrid said. 'Giants like magic, they just don't like us using it against them. Anyway, that first day we gave him a branch of Gubraithian fire.'

'Wow!' Hermione said softly, but at Ron's puzzlement, Harry explained.

'Everlasting fire. Professor Flitwick's mentioned it twice in class.'

'Well, anyway,' Hagrid said, 'Dumbledore bewitched this branch to burn for evermore, which isn't something any wizard could do, and so I lie it down in the snow by Karkus's feet and says, "A gift to the Gurg of the giants from Albus Dumbledore, who sends his respectful greetings." But he didn't speak English - didn't matter, Dumbledore had warned us that might happen. Karkus knew enough to yell for a couple of giants who knew our lingo and they translated for us.'

'And did he like the present?' said Ron.

'Oh yeah, it went down a storm once they understood what it was. Very pleased.' Hagrid said. 'So then I said, "Albus Dumbledore asks the Gurg to speak with his messenger when he returns tomorrow with another gift."'

'Why couldn't you speak to them that day?' asked Hermione.

'Dumbledore wanted us to take it very slowly,' said Hagrid. 'Let them see we kept our promises. _We'll come back tomorrow with another present_ , and then we do come back with another present - gives a good impression, see? And gives them time to test out the first present and find out it's a good one, and get them eager for more. In any case, giants like Karkus - overload them with information and they'll kill you just to simplify things. So we bowed outta the way and went off, the following morning we went back and this time we found Karkus sitting up waiting for us looking all eager.'

'So, you spoke with him?'

'Oh yeah. First, we presented him with a nice helmet - goblin made and indestructible, - and then we sat down and we talked.'

'What did he say?'

'Not much,' said Hagrid. 'Listened mostly. But there were good signs. He heard of Dumbledore, heard he argued against the killing of the last giants in Britain. Karkus seemed to be quite interested in what Dumbledore had to say. And a few others, especially the ones who had some English, they gathered around and listened too. We were hopeful when we left that day. Promised to come back next morning with another present. But that night it all went wrong.'

'What do you mean?' Ron said quickly.

'Well, giants are not meant to live together,' Hagrid said sadly. 'Not in big groups like that. They can't help themselves, they have to kill each other every few weeks.' he sighed deeply. 'That night a fight broke out, we saw it from the mouth of our cave, looking down on the valley. Went on for hours and when the sun came up the snow was scarlet and his head was lying at the bottom of the lake.'

'Whose head?' gasped Hermione.

'Karkus's,' said Hagrid. 'There was a new Gurg Golgomath. Well we hadn't bargained for a new Gurg two days after we'd made friendly contact with the first one, and we had a funny feeling Golgomath wouldn't be so keen to listen to us, but we had to try. I knew it was no go before I'd opened my mouth. He was sitting there wearing Karkus's helmet, leering at us as we got nearer. Well, I gave it a go - held out a great roll of dragon skin - and said, "A gift for the Gurg of the giants-" Next thing I knew I was hanging upside down in the air by me feet, two of his mates had grabbed me.'

'How did you get out of that?' Harry said.

'Wouldn't have done if Olympe hadn't been there, she pulled her wand and did some of the fastest spell work I've ever seen. Ruddy marvellous. Hit the two holding me right in the eyes with Conjunctivitus Curse and they dropped me straight away - but we were in trouble then, 'cause we used magic against them, and that's what they hate about wizards. We had to leg it and we knew there was no way we were going to be able to march into the camp again.'

'Blimey Hagrid,' Ron said quietly.

'So how come it's taken you so long to get home if you were only there for three days?' asked Hermione.

'We didn't leave after three days!' said Hagrid looking outraged, 'Dumbledore was relying on us!'

'But you've just said there was no way you could go back!'

'Not by daylight. We just had to rethink a bit. Spent a couple of days lying low up in the cave and watching. And what we saw wasn't good.'

'What do you mean?'

'I mean we soon found out he didn't object to all wizards - just us.'

'Death Eaters,' Harry said quickly, finishing up healing the last cut, 'there, good as new.'

'Thanks, Harry - anyway, yeah we saw a couple of them visiting them every day, bringing gifts for the Gurg, and he wasn't dangling them upside down.'

'How d'you know they were Death Eaters?' said Ron.

'Because I recognised one of them,' Hagrid growled. 'Macnair, remember him? Bloke they sent to kill Buckbeak? Manic, he is. Likes killing as much as Golomath; no wonder they were getting on so well.'

'So Macnair's persuaded the giants to join You Know Who?' said Hermione.

'Hold your Hippogriffs, I haven't finished me story yet!' said Hagrid. 'Me and Olympe talked it over and we agreed, just 'cause the Gurg looked like favouring You Know Who didn't mean all of them would. We had to try and persuade some of the others, the ones who hadn't wanted Golomath as Gurg.'

'How could you tell which one they were?' asked Ron.

'Well, they were the ones being beaten to a pulp, weren't they?' said Hagrid. 'The ones with any sense were keeping outta Golomath's way, hiding out in caves around the gully just like we were. So we decided we'd go poking around the caves by night and see if we could persuade a few of them. On the third night after Karkus was killed we crept out of the cave we'd been hiding in and headed back down into the gully. Got inside a few of the caves, no go - then about the sixth one, we found three giants hiding. Anyway, one of them had a bit of English and translated for the others, and what we had to say didn't seem to go down too badly. So we kept going back, visiting the wounded ... I reckon we had six or seven of them convinced at one pointed.'

'Six or seven?' said Ron eagerly. 'Well that's not bad - are they going to come over here and start fighting You Know Who with us?'

'But Hermione said, 'What do you mean "at one point", Hagrid?'

'Golgomath's lot raided the caves. The ones that survived didn't want no more to do with us after that.'

'So ... so there ain't any giants coming?' said Ron looking disappointed.

'Nope,' said Hagrid, 'but we did what we meant to do, we gave them Dumbledore's message and some of them heard it and I 'spect some of them'll remember him. Just maybe, them that don't want to stay around Golomath'll move outta the mountains, and there's gotta be a chance they'll remember Dumbledore's friendly to them ... could be they'll come.'

Harry looked up towards the door. 'Someone is coming, quick hide our cups.'

Ron rushed to the window peering out through the curtain. ' _It's her!'_

Hagrid looked thoroughly confused. Just as Harry, Ron and Hermione pulled the Cloak over them and together they backed away into a corner. There came knocking at the door and Fang started to bark madly. Hagrid pushed him out of the way and pulled the door open. Professor Umbridge was standing in the doorway.

'So,' she said slowly and loudly. 'You're Hagrid, are you?'

Without waiting for an answer, she strolled into the room, her eyes bulging and rolling in every direction.

'Er- I don't want to be rude,' said Hagrid staring at her, 'but who the ruddy hell are you?'

'My name is Dolores Umbridge.' Her eyes were sweeping the cabin. Twice they stared directly into the corner where Harry stood.

'Dolores Umbridge?' said Hagrid sounding thoroughly confused. 'I thought you were one of them Ministry - don't you work with Fudge?'

'I was Senior Undersecretary to the Minister, yes,' said Umbridge, 'I am now the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher-'

'That's brave of you,' said Hagrid, 'there's not many'd take that job anymore.'

'-and Hogwarts High Inquisitor,' said Umbridge, giving no sign that she heard him.

'What's that?' Hagrid said, frowning.

Umbridge ignored him once again. 'There are three sets of footprints in the snow leading from the castle doors to your cabin,' Umbridge said.

'Well I only just got back,' Hagrid said. 'Maybe someone came to call earlier and I missed them.'

Umbridge strode the length of the cabin, looking around carefully. 'There are no footsteps leading away from your cabin door.'

'Well, I ... I don't know why that'd be ...' Hagrid said nervously.

Umbridge wheeled around, taking in Hagrid's appearance, his eye was covered in the healing salve Harry had applied and a few of the shallower cuts Harry had not had a chance to attend to.

'What happened to you?'

'Oh, I had a bit of an accident,' he said lamely.

'What sort of accident?'

'I - I tripped.'

'You tripped,' she repeated coolly.

'Yeah, that's right. Over ... over a friend's broomstick, I don't fly, meself. Well look at the size of me, I don't reckon there's a broomstick that holds me. Friend of mine breeds Abraxan horses, I dunno if you've ever seen them, big beast, winged, you know. I've had a bit of a ride on one of them and it was -

'Where have you been?' asked Umbridge.

'Where've I -?'

'Been, yes,' she said. 'Term started two months ago, another teacher has had to cover your classes. None of your colleagues has been able me any information as to your whereabouts. You left no address. Where have you been?'

'I - I've been away for me health,' he said.

'For your health,' repeated Professor Umbridge. 'I see.'

'Yeah,' said Hagrid, 'bit of fresh air, you know -'

'Yes, as gamekeeper fresh air must be so difficult to come by,' Umbridge said sweetly.

'Well - change of scene, you know -'

'Mountain scenery?' said Umbridge swiftly.

'Mountains?' Hagrid repeated. 'Nope, South of France for me. Bit of sun and ... and sea.'

'Really?' said Umbridge. 'You don't have much of a tan.'

'Yeah .. well ... sensitive skin,' said Hagrid.

'I shall, of course, be informing the Minister of your late return,' Umbridge said looking at Hagrid coldly.

'Right.'

'You ought to know too, that as High Inquisitor it is my unfortunate but necessary duty to inspect my fellow teachers. So, I daresay we shall meet again soon enough.'

'You're inspecting us?' Hagrid repeated blankly.

'Oh yes,' said Umbridge softly, crossing the cabin to the door. 'The Ministry is determined to weed out unsatisfactory teachers, Hagrid. Goodnight.'

She left closing the door behind her with a snap. When Harry sensed the coast was clear she pulled off the Cloak.

'Mate I have never been so grateful that you're an Empath, that could have been much worse,' Ron said.

'At least I kept my emotions in check, still haven't got the hang of the whole projection thing,' Harry said.

Hagrid was looking out the window. 'So - inspecting people, is she?'

'Yeah,' said Ron, 'Trelawney's on probation already ...'

'Umm ... what sort of thing are you planning to do with us in class, Hagrid?' asked Hermione.

'Oh, don't you worry about that, I've got a load of lessons planned,' said Hagrid enthusiastically. 'I've been keeping a couple of creatures saved for your OWL year; you wait, they're something really special.'

'Erm special in what way?' asked Hermione tentatively.

'I'm not saying,' said Hagrid happily. 'I don't want to spoil the surprise.'

'Look Hagrid,' Hermione said urgently, dropping all pretence, 'Professor Umbridge won't be at all happy if you bring anything to class that's too dangerous.'

'Dangerous?' Hagrid said loudly. 'Don't be silly, I wouldn't give you anything dangerous! I mean, all right, they can look after themselves -'

'Hagrid, you've got to pass Umbridge's inspection, and to do that it would really be better if she saw you teaching us how to look after Porlocks, how to tell the difference between Knarls and hedgehogs, stuff like that!' said Hermione earnestly.

'But that's not very interesting, Hermione,' said Hagrid. 'The stuff I've got is much more impressive I've got the only domestic herd in Britain.'

'Hagrid ... please ...' said Hermione, a note of real desperation in her voice. 'Umbridge is looking for any excuse to get rid of teachers she thinks are too close to Dumbledore. Please, Hagrid, teach us something dulls that's bound to come up in our OWL.'

But Hagrid merely yawned widely and cast a one-eyed look of longing towards the vast bed in the corner.

'Listen, it's been a long day and it's late,' he said, patting Hermione gently on the shoulder so that her knees gave way and hit the floor with a thud. 'Oh - sorry -' He pulled her back up by the neck of her robes. 'Look, don't you go worrying about me, I promise you I've got really good stuff planned for your lessons now I'm back ... now you lot had better get back up to the castle, and could you wipe your footprints out behind you!'

'I dunno if you got through to him,' said Ron a short while later when, having checked that the coast was clear, they walked back up to the castle through the thickening snow, leaving no trace behind them due to the Obliteration Charm Hermione and Harry were performing as they went.

'Then I'll go back tomorrow,' said Hermione determinedly. 'I'll plan his lessons for him if I have to. I don't care if she throws out Trelawney but she's not getting rid of Hagrid.'


	93. Chapter 93

**_A.N. for lumusmaxima because you requested this ages ago! Enjoy!_**

...

Hermione ploughed her way back to Hagrid's cabin through two feet of snow on Sunday morning. Ron and Harry wanted to go with her, but Harry had other things that needed attending to and Ron's homework had reached an alarming rate. Harry, Fred and George were in the corner of the common room, working on pranks they could pull on Umbridge. Hermione returned from Hagrid's just before lunch, shivering slightly.

'So?' said Ron looking up when she entered. 'Got all his lessons planned for him?'

'Well, I tried,' she said dully, sinking into a chair beside Ron. 'He wasn't even there when I arrived, I was knocking for at least half an hour. And then he came stumping out the Forest -'

Harry made her way over to join them, groaning slightly at what she heard. The Forbidden Forest was teeming with the kind of creatures most likely to get Hagrid the sack. 'What's he keeping in there? Did he say?' she asked.

'No,' Hermione said miserably. 'He says he wants them to be a surprise. I tried to explain about Umbridge, but he just doesn't get it.'

It was with a certain amount of apprehension that Harry, Ron and Hermione headed down to Hagrid's on Tuesday. Umbridge was nowhere to be seen as they struggled through the snow towards Hagrid, who stood waiting for them on the edge of the Forest. He did not present a reassuring sight, he was covered in new bruises. Harry could not understand this, unless Hagrid had been attacked by some creature whilst in the Forest, but never had she seen him covered in bruises from just being in the Forest. Hagrid was carrying what looked like a half dead cow over his shoulder.

'We're working in here today!' Hagrid called happily to the approaching students, jerking his head back at the dark trees behind him. 'Bit more sheltered! Anyway, they prefer the dark.'

'What prefers the dark?' Harry heard Parkinson say. 'What did he say prefers the dark - did you hear?'

'Ready?' said Hagrid cheerfully, looking around at the class. 'Right, well, I've been saving a trip into the Forest for your fifth year. Thought we'd go and see these creatures in their natural habitat. Now, what we're studying today is pretty rare, I reckon I'm probable the only person in Britain who's managed to train them.'

'And you're sure they're trained, are you?' said Parkinson. 'Only it wouldn't be the first time you brought wild stuff to class, would it?'

The Slytherins murmured agreement and a few Gryffindors looked as though Parkinson had a fair point, too.

'Course they're trained,' said Hagrid.

'So, what happened to your face then?' demanded Parkinson.

'Mind your own business!' said Hagrid angrily. 'Now, if you've finished asking stupid questions, follow me!'

He turned and strode straight into the Forest. Nobody seemed much disposed to follow. Harry glanced at Ron and Hermione, who sighed and nodded, and the three of them set off after Hagrid. Draco hurried to walk the other side of Harry mouthing "What!" at her. Harry merely rolled her eyes. They walked for about ten minutes until they reached a place where the trees stood so closely together that it was dark as twilight and there was no snow at all on the ground. With a grunt, Hagrid deposited his half cow on the ground, stepped back and turned to face his class.

'Gather round, gather round,' Hagrid encouraged. 'Now, they'll be attracted by the smell of meat but I'm going to give them a call anyway, 'cause they'll like to know it's me.'

He turned and gave an odd, shrieking cry that echoed through the dark trees like the call of some monstrous bird. Nobody laughed: most of them looked too scared to make a sound. Hagrid gave the shrieking cry again. A minute passed in which the class continued to peer nervously over their shoulders and around trees for a first glimpse of whatever it was that was coming, Harry nudged Ron and pointed into the blank space between two gnarled yew trees. A pair of blank, white, shining eyes were growing larger through the gloom and a moment later the dragonish face, neck and then skeletal body of a great, black, winged horse emerged. It surveyed the class for a few seconds, swishing its long black tail, then bowed its head and began to tear flesh from the cow.

Harry looked eagerly at Ron, but Ron was still staring around the trees and after a few seconds he whispered, 'Why doesn't Hagrid call again?'

Most of the rest of the class were wearing expressions as confused and nervously expectant as Ron's and were still gazing everywhere but at the creature standing in front of them. There were only two other people who seemed to be able to see them: Blaise, and Neville.

'Oh, and here comes another one!' said Hagrid proudly, as a second creature appeared out of the dark trees. 'Now ... put your hands up, who can see them?'

Harry raised her hand. Hagrid nodded at her. 'Yeah ... yeah, I knew you'd be able to, Harry,' he said seriously. 'And you, too, Neville, eh?'

'What exactly are we supposed to be seeing?' Draco said.

For an answer, Hagrid pointed at the cow carcass on the ground. The whole class stared at it for a few seconds, then several people gasped. Harry understood why: bits of flesh stripping themselves from the bones and vanishing into thin air had to look very odd indeed.

'What's doing it?' Parvati demanded in a terrified voice. 'What's eating it?'

'Thestrals,' said Hagrid proudly and Hermione gave a soft 'Oh!' of comprehension. 'Hogwarts has got a whole herd of them in here. Now, who knows -?'

'But they're really, really unlucky!' interrupted Parvati, looking alarmed. 'They're supposed to bring all sorts of horrible misfortune on people who see them.'

'That's rubbish,' Hermione said. 'the only people who can see Thestrals, are people who've seen death.'

'That's exactly right,' said Hagrid solemnly, 'ten points to Gryffindor. Now Thestrals -'

Harry turned, Professor Umbridge had arrived. She stopped to stand near by Harry, her clipboard at the ready.

'Oh, hello!' Hagrid said, to Umbridge after following Harry's eye-line.

'You received the note I sent to your cabin this morning?' said Umbridge. 'Telling you that I would be inspecting your lesson?'

'Oh, yeah,' Hagrid said brightly. 'Glad you found the place all right! Well as you can see - or I dunno - can you? We're doing Thestrals today -'

'I'm sorry?' said Umbridge said loudly, cupping her hand around her ear and frowning. 'What did you say?'

'Er - Thestrals!' Hagrid said loudly looking a little confused. 'Big - er - winged horses, you know!'

He flapped his gigantic arms hopefully. Professor Umbridge raised her eyebrows at him and muttered as she made a note on her clipboard: ' _Has ... to ... resort ... to ... crude ... sign ... language.'_

'Well ... anyway ...' said Hagrid, turning back to the class, 'erm ... what was I saying?'

' _Appears ... to ... have ... poor ... short ... term ... memory,'_ muttered Umbridge loudly enough for everyone to hear her.

'Oh, yeah,' said Hagrid, throwing an uneasy glance at Umbridge's clipboard. 'Yeah, I was going to tell you how come we've got a herd. Yeah, so, we started off with a male and five females. This one,' he patted the first horse to have appeared, 'name of Tenebrus, he's my special favourite, first one born here in the Forest -'

'Are you aware,' Umbridge said loudly, interrupting him, 'that the Ministry of Magic has classified Thestrals as "dangerous"?'

'Thestrals aren't dangerous! All right, they might take a bite outta you if you really annoy them -'

' _Shows ... signs ... of ... pleasure ... at ... the ... idea ... of ... violence,'_ muttered Umbridge, scribbling on her clipboard again.

'No - come on!' said Hagrid, looking a little anxious now. 'I mean, a dog'll bite if you bait it, won't it - but Thestrals have just got a bad reputation because of the death thing - people used to think they were a bad omen, didn't they? Just didn't understand, did they?'

Umbridge did not answer she finished writing her last note, then looked up at Hagrid, and said, again very loudly, 'Please continue teaching as usual. I am going to walk,' she mimed walking, 'among the students,' she pointed at individual members of the class, 'and ask them questions.' she pointed at her mouth to indicate talking.

Hagrid stared at her, clearly at a complete loss to understand why she was acting as though he did not understand normal English. Hermione had tears of fury in her eyes. 'You evil hag!' she whispered, as Umbridge walked towards Pansy Parkinson. 'I know what you're doing, you awful, twisted, vicious -'

'This isn't going to be good,' Draco whispered into Harry's ear.

'Erm ... anyway,' said Hagrid, clearly struggling to regain the flow of his lesson, 'so Thestrals. Yeah, well, there's loads of good stuff about them ...'

'Do you find,' said Umbridge in a ringing voice to Pansy Parkinson, 'that you are able to understand Professor Hagrid when he talks?'

Just like Hermione, Pansy had tears in her eyes, but these were tears of laughter, her answer was almost incoherent because she was trying to suppress her giggles.

'No ... because ... well ... it sounds ... like grunting a lot of the time ...'

Umbridge scribbled on her clipboard. The few unbruised bits of Hagrid's face flushed, but he tried to act as though he had not heard Pansy answer.

'Er ... yeah ... good stuff about Thestrals. Well, once they're tamed, like this lot, you'll never be lost again. Amazing sense of direction just tell them where you want to go -'

Professor Umbridge then turned to Neville. 'You can see the Thestrals, Longbottom can you?'

Neville nodded.

'Who did you see die?' she asked, her tone indifferent.

'My ... my grandad,' said Neville.

'And what do you think of them?' she said, waving her stubby hand at the horses, who by now had stripped a great deal of the carcass down t the bone.

'Erm,' said Neville nervously, with a glance at Hagrid. 'well, they're ... er ... OK...'

' _Students ... are ... too ... intimidated ... to ... admit ... they ... are ... frightened,'_ muttered Umbridge, making another note on her clipboard.

'No!' said Neville, looking upset. 'No, I'm not scared of them!'

''It's quite all right,' said Umbridge, patting Neville on the shoulder with what she evidently intended to be an understanding smile. 'Well, Hagrid,' she turned to look up at him again, speaking once more in that loud, slow voice, 'I think I've got enough to be getting along with. You will receive,' she mimed taking something from the air in front of her, 'the results of your inspection,' she pointed at the clipboard, 'in ten days time.' She held up ten stubby fingers, then her smile wider and more toadlike than ever before, she bustled from their midst, leaving Pansy Parkinson in fits of laughter, Hermione actually shaking with fury and Neville looking confused and upset.

'That foul, lying, twisting old gargoyle!' stormed Hermione half an hour later, as they made their way back up the castle. 'You see what she's up to, don't you Harry?'

'Yeah, it was pretty obvious - trying to make out Hagrid's some kind of dimwitted troll, just because he's half giant.' Harry said.

'It's not fair,' Hermione said, 'that really wasn't a bad lesson at all - I mean, all right, if it had been Blast-Ended Skrewts again, but Thestrals are fine - in fact for Hagrid, they're really good!'

'Umbridge said they're dangerous,' Ron said.

'Well, it's like Hagrid said, they can look after themselves,' said Hermione, 'and I suppose a teacher like Grubby-Plank wouldn't usually show them to us before NEWT level, but, well, they are very interesting, aren't they? The way some people can see them and some can't! I wish I could.'

'You do?' Harry asked her.

She looked suddenly horror-struck. 'Oh, Harry - I'm sorry - no, of course I don't - that was a really stupid thing to say.'

'It's fine,' Harry said quickly, 'don't worry.'

...

December arrived, bringing with it more snow and a positive avalanche of homework for the fifth-years. Ron and Hermione's prefect duties also became more and more onerous as Christmas approached. They were called upon to supervise the decoration of the castle, to watch over the first- and second-years spending their break-times inside because of the cold and to patrol the corridors in shifts with Argus Filch, who suspected that the holiday spirit might show itself in an outbreak of wizard duels.

For the first time, Harry was glad she was spending Christmas away from Hogwarts. Between her Quidditch ban and worry about whether or not Hagrid was going to be put on probation, she felt highly resentful towards the place at the moment. The only thing she really looked forward to were the DA meetings, and they would have to stop over the holidays, as nearly everyone was going home. The Weasleys were heading home to the Burrow and Hermione was going skiing with her parents, something that greatly amused Ron, who had never heard of Muggles strapping narrow strips of wood on to their feet to slide down mountains.

Harry arrived early in the Room of Requirement for the last DA meeting before the holidays to set up. She had just finished when the door opened. Angelina, Katie and Alicia had arrived and all of them were looking very cold.

'Well,' Ange said dully, 'we've finally replaced you.'

'Did you?' Harry said, 'I was beginning to wonder, Fred and George, too?'

'Yeah, Ginny's Seeker, she's pretty good actually - nothing on you, of course. And Andrew Kirke and Jack Sloper for Beaters. Neither of them are brilliant, but compared to the rest of the idiots who turned up ...'

The arrival of Ron, Hermione and Neville brought this depressing discussion to an end, and within five minutes the room was full.

'OK,' she said, calling them to order. 'I thought as it was the last meeting before the holidays, there was no point starting anything new before a three-week break-'

'We're not doing anything new?' said Zacharias Smith, in a disgruntled whisper loud enough to carry through the room. 'If I'd known that, I wouldn't have come.'

'We're really sorry Harry didn't tell you then,' said Fred loudly. Several people sniggered.

'As I was saying,' Harry said, 'there is not point in you learning anything new. However I am going to give you all a bit of homework for over the holidays-'

'WHAT!'

'Relax, it's not going to be too hard,' Harry said waving it off. 'It's just we've covered a lot of hexes and jinxes and the Shield Charm so I thought next term I'd teach you all how to cast a Patronus -' There was a murmur of excitement. 'But if you rather not, that's fine.'

'How much homework?' Ron said.

'Well to produce a Patronus it requires two things - the incantation,' Harry said raising her wand and closing her eyes, ' _Expecto patronum!'_ she opened them and a silver stag cantered around the room, 'and a happy memory, a shield will work just a well on Dementors but you want to aim for a corporal Patronus. So your homework for the holidays,' Harry said as the stag cantered back to her and vanished, 'is to think of a happy memory, powerful enough to produce a Patronus.'

Several of them were looking at her awestruck.

'Was I projecting again?' Harry said. Hermione giggled and nodded. 'I _so_ need to work on that, anyway, I thought we could do something a little fun today to see how much you've all taken in.'

Everyone looked at each other and then a stage appeared behind Harry. There was a board to the side of the room, with a chart on it. 'I thought we could do a little bit of duelling.'

'WICKED!'

'Chart is over there, five minutes each session unless the opponent is knocked out before then,' Harry explained. 'And no harmful curses, I can only heal so much people.'

Harry was sure her voice was lost to them as the members of the DA went to check over the board, she chuckled. Then she started to call them up for there duels. It had been going so well until it had come to the last one. George was facing off against Cedric. Harry had never seen George take anything this seriously before - not even Quidditch. Both of them were out of breath when the five minutes was up, Harry tried to stop them from continuing at least three times.

 _'Flipendo!'_

 _'Locomotor Mortis!'_

 _'Protego!'_ Harry said, finally giving up she rushed out as they cast another spell at each other. The spell protected her, George jaw was set, face hunched up in anger and Cedric had a spilt lip. 'ENOUGH!' Harry told them. 'This was meant to be fun! We are not meant to be fighting each other - what's gotten into you two?'

There was no reply from either of them.

'I'll think we'll call it a night,' Harry said to the room. Cedric wiped his mouth with his sleeve, murmured a Merry Christmas to Harry and left the room. The others looked at each other and the room began to clear in the usual twos and threes.

'So,' Harry said when the room emptied out, leaving her with just George, 'care to tell me what that was about?'

'Nothing,' George said, shrugging.

Harry moved closer, raising her eyebrows at him. George's eyes spoke volumes, they were full of fury.

'For nothing,' Harry said calmly, 'that was sure something, George.'

George scrunched up his face. 'I'm just so fed up of it, OK! Every DA meeting he eyes you up - flirts like crazy,' he ruffled his hair. 'I - just - we're meant - oh - never mind.' he rambled.

Harry, sighed shaking her head, so that had been his problem. 'I'm sorry,' she said closing the gap.

'Look, I know he's smarter than me and everything, so - if you - want him, I'll back off,' George said in a defeated voice.

Harry bit her lip.

'I know you think he's honourable -'

'Yes,' Harry said. 'he is.'

George's speckled eyes caught hers for a moment, then he turned his head away quickly again. Stepping away from her and turned towards the door, he just reached out to touch the door handle.

'But he's not you,' Harry said and George froze. 'Cedric is an honourable git, and if he fancies me, well he's going to have to get over it. He may be honourable but he's not stupid enough, to fly a bloody car to come and rescue me from the Dursleys - he's not stupid enough to hand me a Map when a raving mad lunatic was on the loose - he's not you, George. He's not my Prince Charming!'

George turned his head, he looked slightly sheepish and slightly stunned.

'He's not you,' Harry repeated softly and began to bite her lip again. She had never been nervous around George before. But when he was just standing there, staring at her with a soft and gentle look in his eyes, she couldn't help herself. George strode across the room much faster then he had when he had been about to leave it. He was close enough for her to see every freckle on his face, close enough to smell that musky scent, close enough to see his eyelashes and those speckled eyes glinting at her. A hand was cupping the side of her face, a thumb brushing her cheek. Harry didn't know who moved first, their lips locked, tentatively at first but the kiss grew, passion flowing, tongues meeting furiously. Harry's eyes opened slowly, when they pulled away from each other, her hands had reached up and were around George's neck. George had a hand around her waist, the other, by her ear, buried in her hair. George sighed deeply, as Harry let her head drop to his shoulder. What this was, she didn't know but the content feeling of being held and the affection she had been given, meant everything to Harry more than words could say.

'So,' Harry said, without moving her head, 'still up for helping me prank Umbridge.'

'Oh, yeah,' George chuckled. 'I'm not backing out now, though I have one question - how do we get into Umbridge's office?'

Harry giggled. 'The same way I did.'

George pulled away slightly, Harry looked up at him, a questioning look plagued his face. 'I might have sneaked in through an open window.' When George frowned at her, Harry backed away, a few steps, biting her lip and transformed into her Animagus form. George let out a low whistle and Harry transformed back.

'It comes in very handy,' Harry said.

'Princess,' George said clearly in an impressed voice, pulling her back towards him. 'You are just, _mischievous_ ,' he said kissing her quickly, 'and I've gotta say - I kinda like it.'

...

Harry was back in the in the DA room. George was standing there, in the middle of the room, accusing her of flirting with Cedric Diggory. It was ridiculous really, she had only come to give him his Christmas present, why would she have been flirting with Cedric? No, she would never ... The scene changed ... Her body felt smooth, powerful and flexible. She was gliding between shining metal bars, across dark, cold stone ... she was flat against the floor, sliding along on her belly ... it was dark, yet she could see objects around her shimmering in strange, vibrant colours ... she was turning her head ... at first glance the corridor was empty ... but no ... a man was sitting on the floor ahead, his chin drooping on to his chest, his outline gleaming in the dark ...

Harry put out her tongue ... he tasted the man's scent on the air ... he was alive but drowsy ... sitting in front of a door at the end of the corridor ... Harry, longed to bite the man ... but she must master the impulse ... she had more important work to do ... But the man was stirring ... a silver Cloak fell from his legs as he jumped to his feet; and Harry saw his vibrant, blurred outline towering above her, saw a wand withdrawn from a belt ... she had no choice ... she reared high from the floor and struck once, twice, three times, plunging her fangs deeply into the man's flash, feeling his ribs splinter beneath her jaws, feeling the warm gush of blood ... The man was yelling in pain ... then he fell silent ... he slumped backwards against the wall ... blood was splattering on to the floor ... Her forehead hurt terribly ... it was aching fit to burst ...

'Harry! HARRY!'

Her eyes opened. Every inch of her body was covered in icy sweat; her bed covers were twisted all around her; she felt as though a white-hot poker were being applied to his forehead. Ginny was standing over her looking extremely frightened. Harry had forgotten that Hermione, Ginny and her and stayed up most of the night talking, that Ginny had fallen asleep and Harry had not had the heart to move her. Hermione, Lavender were standing over her bed. The door opened and Ange rushed in the room with Parvati who must have gone to get her. Harry clutched her head in her hands; the pain was horrible ... she rolled right over and vomited over the edge of the mattress.

'She's really ill,' Parvati said in a scared voice. 'Should we call someone?'

Harry had to tell Ginny, it was very important that she tell her ... taking great gulps of air, Harry pushed herself up in the bed, willing herself not to throw up again. 'Your dad,' she panted, her chest heaving. 'Your dad's ... been attacked ...'

'What?' said Ginny uncomprehendingly.

'Your dad! He's been bitten, it's serious, there was blood everywhere ...'

'I'm going for help,' Hermione said.

'I'll wake up the boys,' Ange said.

Ginny sat at the end of the bed, her arms stretched out holding Harry upright. 'Harry, you ... were just dreaming ...'

'No!' Harry said furiously; it was crucial that Ginny understand. 'It wasn't a dream ... not an ordinary dream ... I was there, I saw it ... I did it ...'

The pain in her forehead was subsiding slightly, though she was still sweating and shivering feverishly. She retched again and Ginny leapt backwards out of the way.

'Harry, you're not well,' she said.

'I'm fine!' Harry said. 'There's nothing wrong with me, it's your dad you've got to worry about - we need to find out where he is - he's bleeding like mad - I saw - it was a huge snake.'

She tried to get out of bed but Ginny pushed her back into it. Whether a minute or ten had passed, until she heard Hermione's voice again, Harry did not know; she simply sat there shaking, feeling the pain recede very slowly from her scar.

'Over here, Professor.'

Professor McGonagall came hurrying into the dormitory in her tartan dressing gown, her glasses perched lopsidedly on the bridge of her bony nose.

'What is it, Potter? Where does it hurt?'

Harry had never been so pleased to see her; she was a member of the Order, Harry had seen her enter Headquarters during the summer.

'Ginny's dad,' she said, sitting up again. 'He's been attacked by a snake and it's serious, I saw it happen.'

'What do you mean, you saw it happen?' said Professor McGonagall.

'I don't know ... I was asleep and then I was there ...'

'You mean you dreamed this?'

'No!' said Harry angrily; would none of them understand? 'I was having a dream at first about something different, something stupid ... and then this interrupted it. It was real, I didn't imagine it. Mr Weasley was asleep on the floor and he was attacked by a gigantic snake, there was a load of blood, he collapsed, someone's got to find out where he is ...'

Professor McGonagall was gazing at her through her lopsided spectacles as though horrified at what she saw seeing.

'I'm not lying and I'm not mad!' Harry told her. 'I tell you, I saw it happen!'

'I believe you, Potter,' said Professor McGonagall curtly. 'Put on your dressing gown - we're going to see the Headmaster.'

...

Harry was irritated Dumbledore was not looking at her as she tried to explain about her non-dream, he seemed to be looking any where but at her. Ginny looked from Harry to Dumbledore, white-faced and shocked.

'How did you see this?' Dumbledore asked quietly, still not looking at Harry.

'I just told you, Professor -' Harry said, rather angrily.

'You miss understand me,' said Dumbledore in a calm tone. 'I mean ... can you remember - ere - where you were positioned as you watched this attack happen? Were you perhaps standing besides the victim, or looking down the scene from above?'

'No,' Harry said gaping at Dumbledore; it was almost as though he knew. 'I was the snake. I saw it from the snake's point of view.'

Nobody else spoke for a moment, the Dumbledore, now looking at Ginny who was still whey-faced, asked in a new and sharper voice, 'Is Arthur seriously injured?'

'Yes,' Harry said - why were they all slow on the uptake, did they not realise how much a person bled when fangs that long pierced their side? And why could Dumbledore not do her the courtesy of looking at her? But Dumbledore stood up, so quickly it made Harry jump, and addressed one of the old portraits hanging very near the ceiling.

'Everard?' he said sharply. 'And you too, Dilys!'

A sallow-faced wizard with short black fringe and an elderly witch with long silver ringlets in the frame beside him, both of whom seemed to have been in the deepest of sleeps, opened their eyes immediately.

'You were listening?' said Dumbledore.

The wizard nodded; the witch said, 'Naturally.'

'The man has red hair and glasses,' said Dumbledore. 'Everard, you will need to raise the alarm, make sure he is found by the right people -'

Both nodded and moved out of their frames, but instead of emerging in neighbouring pictures neither reappeared.

'Everard and Dilys were two of Hogwarts's most celebrated Heads,' Dumbledore said, now sweeping around Harry, Ginny and Professor McGonagall to approach the magnificent sleeping bird on his perch beside the door. 'Their renown is such that both have portraits hanging in other important wizarding institutions. As they are free to move between their own portraits, they can tell us what may be happening elsewhere ...'

Dumbledore was now stroking Fawkes's plumed golden head with one finger. The phoenix awoke immediately. He stretched his beautiful head high and observed Dumbledore through, bright, dark eyes.

'We will need,' Dumbledore said very quietly to the bird, 'a warning.' There was a flash of fire and the phoenix had gone.

Several moments passed and the wizard called Everard had reappeared in his portrait, panting slightly. 'Dumbledore!'

'What news?' said Dumbledore at once.

'I yelled until someone came running,' said the wizard, 'said I'd heard something move downstairs - they weren't sure whether to believe me but went down to check - you know there no portraits down there to watch from. Anyway, they carried him up a few minutes later. He doesn't look good, he's covered in blood, I ran along to Elfrida Cragg's portrait to get a good view as they left -'

'Good,' said Dumbledore. 'I take it Dilys will have seen him arrive, then -'

And moments later, the silver-ringleted witch had appeared in her picture, 'Yes they've taken him to St Mungo's, Dumbledore ... they carried him past my portrait ... he looks bad ...'

'Thank you,' said Dumbledore. He looked around at Professor McGonagall. 'Minerva I need you to go and wake the other Weasley children.'

'Of course...'

Ginny looked up and said in a small voice, 'They may already be up, Ange went in to wake them.'

Professor McGonagall nodded and moved swiftly to the door.

'And Dumbledore - what about Molly?' said Professor McGonagall, pausing at the door.

'That will be a job for Fawkes when he has finished keeping a lookout for anybody approaching,' said Dumbledore. 'But she may already know ... that excellent clock of hers ...'

Harry knew Dumbledore was referring to the clock that told, not the time, but the whereabouts and conditions of the various Weasley family members, and with a pang she though that Mr Weasley's hand must, even now be pointing at _mortal peril._ But it was very late. Mrs Weasley was probable asleep, not watching the cloak. Harry felt cold as she remembered Mrs Weasley's Boggart turning into Mr Weasley's lifeless body, his faces askew, blood running down his face ... but Mr Weasley wasn't going to die ... he couldn't ...

Dumbledore was rummaging in a cupboard behind Harry and Ginny. He emerged from it carrying a blackened old kettle, placed it onto his desk, then he raised his wand and murmured, ' _Portus!'_ For a moment the kettle trembled, glowing with an odd blue light; then it quivered to rest, as solidly black as ever. Dumbledore marched over to another portrait, this time of a clever-looking wizard with a pointed beard, who had been painted wearing Slytherin colours.

'Phineas! Phineas!'

He gave a theatrical jerk and opened his eyes.

'I need you to visit your other portrait again, Phineas,' said Dumbledore. 'I've got another message.'

'Visit my other portrait?' said Phineas in a reedy voice.

'Yes,' said Dumbledore. 'You are to tell Sirius, plans have changed, that Arthur Weasley has been gravely injured and that his wife, children and Harianna Potter will be arriving at his house shortly. Do you understand?'

'Arthur Weasley injured, wife, children and Harianna Potter coming to stay,' repeated Phineas in a bored voice. 'Yes, yes ... very well ...'

He sloped away into the frame of the portrait and disappeared from view at the very moment the study door opened again. Fred, George and Ron were ushered inside by Professor McGonagall, all three of them looking dishevelled and shocked, still in their night things.

'Harry - what's going on?' asked Ron. 'Professor McGonagall says you saw dad get hurt -'

'Your father has been injured in the course of his work for the Order,' Dumbledore said before Harry could speak. 'He has been taken to St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries. I am sending you back to Sirius's house, which is more convenient for the hospital than the Burrow. You will meet your mother there.'

'How're we going?' asked Fred, looking shaken. 'Floo powder?'

'No,' said Dumbledore, 'Floo powder is not safe at the moment, the Network is being watched. You will be taking a Portkey.' He indicated to the old kettle on his desk. 'We are just waiting for Phineas Nigellus to report back ... I want to be sure that the cost is clear before sending you -'

There was a flash of flame in the very middle of the office, leaving behind a single golden feather that floated gently to the floor.

'It is Fawkes's warning,' said Dumbledore. 'Professor Umbridge must know you're out of your beds ... Minerva, go head her off - tell her any story -'

Professor McGonagall was gone in a swish of tartan.

'He says he'll be delighted,' said a bored voice behind Dumbledore; Phineas had reappeared in front of his Slytherin banner. 'My great-great-grandson has always had an odd taste in house-guests.'

'Come here, then,' Dumbledore said to Harry and the Weasleys. 'And quickly, before anyone else joins us.'

Harry and the others gathered around Dumbledore's desk...

'You have all used a Portkey before?' asked Dumbledore, and they nodded, each reaching out to touch some part of the blackened kettle. 'Good. On three, then ... one ... two ...'

It happened in a fraction of a second: in the infinitesimal pause before Dumbledore said 'three', Harry looked up at him - they were very close together - and Dumbledore's clear blue gaze moved from the Portkey to Harry's face. At once, Harry's scar burned white-hot - and unbidden, unwanted, but terrifyingly strong, there rose with Harry a hatred so powerful she felt, for that instant, she would like nothing better than to strike - to bite - to sink her fangs into the man before her -

' .. three.'

Harry felt a powerful jerk behind her navel, the ground vanished from beneath her feet, her hand was glued to the kettle; they all sped forwards in swirl of colours and a rush of wind, the kettle pulling them onwards ... until her feet hit the ground so hard her knees buckled, the kettle clattered to the ground, and somewhere close at hand a voice said: 'Back again, the blood-traitor brats. Is it true their father's dying?'

'OUT!' roared a second voice

Harry scrambled to her feet and looked around, they had arrived in the gloomy basement kitchen of number twelve, Grimmauld place.


	94. Chapter 94

How long they had been sitting there in the kitchen waiting to hear word from Mrs Weasley, Harry did not know. Harry still didn't know how Sirius had managed to stop the other Weasleys from going to the hospital themselves. Fred and fallen into a doze, his head lolling sideways on to his shoulder. Ginny was curled like a cat on her chair. Ron had been sitting with his head in his hands. George was staring at the fire. Harry and Sirius looked at each other every so often intruders upon the family grief, waiting ... waiting ... At ten past five in the morning, the kitchen door swung open and Mrs Weasley entered the kitchen. She was extremely pale, but when they all turned to look at her, she gave a wan smile.

'He's going to be all right,' she said, her voice weak with tiredness. 'He's sleeping. We can all go see him later. Bill's sitting with him now.'

Harry gave a sigh of relief, Ginny had got up to hug her mother.

'Breakfast!' said Sirius loudly and joyfully, jumping to his feet. 'Where's that accursed house-elf? Kreacher! KREACHER!' But Kreacher did not answer the summons. 'Oh, forget it, then,' muttered Sirius, counting the people in front of him. 'So, it's breakfast for - let's see - seven ... bacon and eggs, I think, and some tea, and toast -'

Harry hurried over to the stove to help. She did not want to intrude on the Weasleys' happiness and dreaded the moment when Mrs Weasley would ask her to recount her vision. However, she had barely taken plates from the dresser when Mrs Weasley lifted them out of her hands and pulled her into a hug.

'I don't know what would have happened if it hadn't been for you, Harry,' she said in a muffled voice. 'They might not have found Arthur for hours, and then it would have been too late, but thanks to you he's alive and Dumbledore's been able to think up a good cover story for Arthur being where he was, you've no idea what trouble he would have been in otherwise, look at poor Sturgis ...'

Harry could hardly bear her gratitude, but fortunately, she soon released her to turn to Sirius and thank him for looking after her children through the night. Sirius said he was very pleased to have been able to help, and hoped they would all stay with him as long as Mr Weasley was in the hospital.

'Oh, Sirius, I'm so grateful ... they think he'll be in there a little while and it would wonderful to be nearer ... of course, that might mean we're here for Christmas.'

'The more the merrier!' said Sirius with such obvious sincerity that Mrs Weasley beamed at him, threw on an apron and began to help with breakfast.

'Sirius,' Harry muttered, unable to stand it a moment, longer. 'Can I have a quick word? Er - now?'

She walked into the dark pantry and Sirius followed. Without preamble, Harry told her godfather every detail of the vision she had had, including the fact she herself had been the snake who had attacked Mr Weasley. When she paused for breath, Sirius said, 'Did you tell Dumbledore this?'

'Yes,' Harry said impatiently, 'but he didn't tell me what it meant. Well, he doesn't tell me anything any more - and for a good reason I think too.'

'Anna, I'm sure he would have told you if it was anything to worry about,' said Sirius steadily.

'Sirius, please -' Harry said in a voice only a little above a whisper, 'listen to me - I think - I worried I'm going dark - like him - Back in Dumbledore's office, just before we took the Portkey ... for a couple of seconds there I thought I was a snake, I _felt_ like one - my scar really hurt when I was looking at Dumbledore - Sirius, I wanted to attack him!'

'It must have been the aftermath of the vision, that's all,' Sirius muttered. 'You were still thinking of the dream or whatever it was and -'

'It wasn't that,' Harry said shaking her head, 'it was like something rose up inside me, like there's a snake inside me.'

'You need sleep,' Sirius said firmly. 'You're going to have breakfast, then go upstairs to bed, and after lunch, you can go and see Arthur with the others. You're in shock, Anna; you're blaming yourself for something you only witnessed, and it's lucky you did witness it or Arthur might have died. Just stop worrying.'

He clapped Harry on the shoulder and left the pantry, leaving Harry standing there alone.

...

St Mungo's was hidden from Muggles by a large, old fashioned, red-brick department store called Purge Dowse Ltd. When Harry stepped through the sheet of glass with Moody and Sirius, it felt like walking through a sheet of cool water, and they emerged quite warm and dry on the other side. They were in what seemed to be a crowded reception area where rows of witches and wizards sat upon rickety wooden chairs. Witches and wizards in lime-green robes were walking up and down the rows of chairs, asking questions and making notes on clipboards. Harry noticed the emblem embroidered on their chests: a wand and bone, crossed.

'Healers,' George whispered into her ear. And Harry gave him a quick nod of acknowledgement, she was too tired to tell him she had worked that out. Unlike by the looks of the Weasleys, Harry had not slept a wink, she had been terrified that something might happen again. After Mrs Weasley found out what floor Mr Weasley was on, they followed her through the double doors and along the narrow corridor. They climbed a flight of stairs and entered the Creature- Induced Injuries corridor, where the second door on the right bore the words: _'Dangerous' Dai Llywellyn Ward: Serious Bites._ Underneath this was a card in a brass holder on which appeared the Healer in charge name and the trainee Healer name.

'We'll wait outside, Molly,' Tonks said. 'Arthur won't want too many visitors at once ... it ought to be family first.'

Moody growled his approval of this idea and set himself with his back against the corridor wall, his magical eye spinning in all directions. Sirius too had stopped, reaching out to Harry gesturing towards the wall. Harry moved towards him, but Mrs Weasley reached out a hand and pushed her through the door, saying, 'Don't be silly, Arthur wants to thank you.'

The ward was small and rather dingy, as the only window was narrow and set high in the wall facing the door. Most of the light came from shining crystal bubbles clustered in the middle of the ceiling. There were only three patients. Mr Weasley was occupying the bed at the far end of the ward. Harry was pleased and relieved to see that he was propped up on several pillows and reading the _Daily Prophet._ He looked up as they walked towards him and, seeing who it was, beamed.

'Hello!' he called throwing the paper aside. 'Bill just left, Molly, had to get to work, but says he'll drop in on you later.'

'How are you, Arthur?' asked Mrs Weasley, bending down to kiss his cheek and looking anxiously into his face. 'You're still looking a bit peaky.'

'I feel absolutely fine,' Mr Weasley said brightly. 'If they could only take the bandages off, I'd be fit to go home.'

'Why can't they take them, off, Dad?' asked Fred.

'Well, I start bleeding like mad every time they try,' Mr Weasley said cheerfully, reaching for his wand, and waving it so six extra chairs appeared at his bedside. 'It seems there was some rather unusual kind of poison in that snake's fangs that keeps wounds open. They'll find an antidote, though, they say they've had worse cases than mine, and in the meantime I just have to keep taking a Blood-Replenishing Potion every hour. But that fellow over there,' he said dropping his voice and nodding towards the bed opposite in which a man lay looking green and sickly. 'Bitten by a werewolf, poor chap. No cure at all.'

'A werewolf?' whispered Mrs Weasley, looking alarmed. 'Is he safe in a public ward? Shouldn't he be in a private room?'

'The full moon is in two weeks,' Mr Weasley reminded her, 'the Healers have been talking to him this morning, trying to persuade him he'll be able to lead a normal life. I said to him - didn't mention names, of course - but I said I knew a werewolf personally, very nice man, who finds the condition quite easy to manage.'

'What did he say?' asked George.

'Said he'd give me another bite if I didn't shut up,' said Mr Weasley sadly.

'So, you going to tell us what happened, Dad?' asked Fred.

'Well, you already know, don't you?' Mr Weasley said. 'It's very simple - I'd had a very long day, dozed off, got sneaked up on and bitten.'

'Where were you when it happened, dad?' asked George.

'That's my business,' said Mr Weasley.

'Dumbledore said you were "on duty",' Ginny said. 'What exactly were you doing?'

'You heard your father,' whispered Mrs Weasley, 'we are not discussing this here!'

'You were guarding it, weren't you?' said George quietly. 'The weapon? The thing You Know Who's after?'

'George be quiet!' snapped Mrs Weasley.

'Didn't you say You Know Who's got a snake, Harry?' asked Fred. 'A massive one? You saw it the night he returned, didn't you?'

'That's enough,' Mrs Weasley said crossly. 'Mad-eye, Tonks and Sirius are outside,' she added to her children and Harry. 'You can come and say goodbye afterwards. Go on.'

They trooped back into the corridor. Mad-Eye, Tonks and Sirius went in and closed the ward of the door behind them. Fred raised his eyebrows. 'Fine,' he said coolly, rummaging his pockets, 'be like that. Don't tell us anything.'

'Looking for these?' said George, holding out what looked like a tangle of flesh-coloured string.

'You read my mind,' Fred said grinning. 'Let's see if St Mungo's puts Imperturbable Charms on its ward doors, shall we?'

He and George disentangled the string and separated five Extendable Ears from each other. Fred and George handed them around. Harry hesitated to take one.

'Go on, Princess, take it! You saved dad's life. If anyone's got the right to eavesdrop on him, it's you.'

Harry took the end of the string and inserted it into her ear as the twins had done.

'OK, go!' Fred whispered.

The flesh-coloured strings wriggled like long skinny worms and sneaked under the door. At first, Harry could hear nothing, then she heard Tonks whispering as clearly as though she were standing right beside her.

'... they searched the whole area but couldn't find the snake anywhere. It seems to have vanished after it attacked you, Arthur ... You Know Who can't have expected a snake to get in, can he?'

'I reckon he sent it as a look out,' growled Moody, 'because he's not had any luck so far, has he? No, I reckon he's trying to get a clearer picture of what he's facing and if Arthur hadn't been there the beast would've had a lot more time to look around. So Potter says she saw it all happen?'

'Anna!' Sirius snarled, correcting him.

'Yes,' Mrs Weasley said sounding rather uneasy. 'You know, Dumbledore seemed almost to have been waiting for Harry to see something like this.'

'Yeah, well,' said Moody, 'there's something funny about the Potter kid, we all know that.'

'OI! There is nothing wrong with Anna,' Sirius said sounding offended.

'Dumbledore did seem worried about Harry when I spoke to him this morning,' whispered Mrs Weasley.

'Course he's worried,' growled Moody. 'The girl's seeing things from inside You Know Who's snake. Obviously, Potter doesn't realise what it means, but if You Know Who possessing her -'

Harry pulled the Extendable Ear out of her own ear. She looked around at the others. They were all staring at her, the strings still trailing from their ears, looking suddenly fearful.

...

Harry had hidden herself in her room, grateful that only the house-elves and Sirius could only get in. And Harry wasn't going to call on Dobby and Winky for any reason. She made excuses not to go down for meals or to return to the hospital. A few days ago she had contemplated cutting herself off from the wizarding world completely and going back to the Dursleys until Phineas Nigellus had appeared in one of the portraits giving her a message from Dumbledore saying to "stay where you are". Harry was fed up and had no clue as into how Voldemort was controlling her, it wasn't impossible to leave Hogwarts, there were ways but the wards and enchantments stopped people from entering and leaving by stealth - was she being possessed - or could it be another possibility. She refused to let herself sleep - but Dumbledore told her to stay ... that must mean she was allowed to sleep ... but she was scared ...

Around six o'clock in the evening, the doorbell rang and Mrs Black started screaming again. Assuming it was some Order member had come to call, Harry remained hidden in her room. Until sensed somebody approaching and then they hammered hard on the door a few minutes later.

'Harry! Open up! I know you're in there,' said Hermione's voice. 'Will you please let me in, I want to talk to you.'

Harry pulled her bedroom door open, Hermione came bustling through and she wasn't alone. Harry was wrapped up rather quickly in a hug, so fast that she had just been aware of red hair and muscular arms.

'You, all right, Princess?' George whispered into her ear.

'Blimey, Harry,' she heard Ron's voice say in astonishment. Harry peered over George's shoulder, Ron was looking at her walls, which Harry had plastered her theories over. Fred was looking in awe at a few of her invention ideas.

'I get bored easily,' Harry said defensively.

'Is this a way of tracking wizards?' Fred asked pointing at a small chip design Harry had drawn out on the wall.

'It's actually a Muggle method of tracking people it's called GPS - Global Positioning System - I was trying to figure out a way to bring it into the wizarding world. I think I've almost got it.' Harry explained.

'Brilliant! Can we have it once you're done with it?' Fred said.

Harry shrugged. 'Sure, I don't see why not.'

'So,' Hermione said sitting down at the edge of Harry's bed. 'How are you feeling?'

'Fine,' Harry replied stiffly, pulling herself from George's embrace and crossing the room to join Hermione.

'Oh, don't lie, Harry,' she said impatiently.

Harry glanced at her. 'Why are you here anyway? I thought you were skiing with your parents?'

'Well, skiing is not my thing,' Hermione. 'Fun, but not my thing - don't avoid the question - Ginny has told me all about you hiding out in your bedroom since you got back from St Mungo's.'

'She did, did she?' Harry said glaring at Ginny.

'Well you have!' she said. 'And you knew damn well that we couldn't get in here without you letting us.'

'Believe me,' George said sitting down beside her. 'We tried.'

'So, you've all been talking about me, have you? Well, I'm getting used to it.' Harry said.

'Stop feeling all misunderstood,' Hermione said sharply.

'And we wanted to talk to you Harry,' Ginny said, 'but as you've been hiding ever since we got back-'

'I didn't want to talk to anyone,' Harry said.

'Well that was stupid of you,' Ginny said angrily, 'seeing as you don't know anyone but me who's been possessed by You Know Who, and I can tell you how it feels.'

'I'm sorry, I've just been so worried,' Harry said, 'I've been trying figure out how I did it.'

'Harry, you've had these dreams before. You had flashes of what Voldemort was up to last year,' Hermione said, 'and you know as well as I do, you can't leave or enter Hogwarts by stealth.'

'But Voldemort could control me another way,' Harry pointed out.

'Well unless you can't remember what you were doing for hours on end, then no,' Ginny said, 'besides I fell asleep on your bed that night, remember? You were thrashing around in your sleep for at least a minute before I could wake you up.'

...

How could she have dreamed of returning to Privet Drive? Sirius's delight at having the house full again, and especially a having Harry back, was infectious. And after getting some sleep with dreams of only a long corridor and a door, Harry was in a very good mood. While they had been decorating the house, Harry noticed something she had never noticed before. Even though her godfather had quite a few tattoos there was one on his right arm under his wrist. A symbol she had seen before. Sirius caught her looking at it and explained, 'Black, family crest - shows that I'm "Head of the House" - appeared whilst I was in Azkaban.' Harry didn't ask him for any more information, she continued to decorate the Christmas tree with him. By Christmas Eve the house was barely recognisable.

After waking up and opening up her presents, Harry made her way into the kitchen as she walked through the door she fell onto her back due to a great shabby dog.

'Padfoot,' Harry shouted, pushing dog off her, 'get off me.'

Sirius transformed back, laughing at her. 'It just had to be done, Starry.'

'You're an overgrown puppy, you know that.' Harry scolded. The use of her Marauder nickname didn't go missed by her either. It had taken them some time to figure out one as Sirius had come up with really awful names. In the end, they shortened the type of bird she was down and got Starry. 'I'm going to have to wash now, I smell like a dog.'

'There's nothing wrong with smelling like a dog,' Sirius said.

'Not for you, maybe,' Harry retorted turning in the door way. 'you lost the ability to smell the difference years ago - the rest of us are just too nice to say anything.'

Sirius looked at her in shock, Harry winked and hurried out and up the stairs hearing Sirius shouting at her in her wake.

'ANNA! You better take that back.'

Once Christmas lunch had been eaten, they made their way to visit Mr Weasley. They found Mr Weasley propped up in his bed with the remains of his turkey dinner on a tray and a rather sheepish expression on his face.

'Everything all right, Arthur?' asked Mrs Weasley, after they had all greeted him and handed over their presents.

'Fine, fine,' said Mr Weasley. 'You - er - haven't seen Healer Smethwyck, have you?'

'No,' Mrs Weasley said suspiciously, 'why?'

'Nothing, nothing,' Mr Weasley said airily, starting to unwrap his pile of gifts. 'Well, everyone had a good day? What did you all get for Christmas? -'

Getting the feeling Mr Weasley was hiding something, she made a very quick get away. Hearing the words 'stitches' on her way out of the ward. Harry moved along the corridor, through a set of double doors and found a rickety staircase, she climbed it remembering that the tea room was on the fifth floor. But as she reached the fourth-floor landing she came to abrupt halt, staring at the small window set into the double doors that marked the start of a corridor signposted SPELL DAMAGE. A man was peering out at her with his nose pressed against the glass, He had wavy blonde hair, bright blue eyes and a broad vacant smile that revealed dazzlingly white teeth. Her ex-Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher pushed open the doors and moved towards her, wearing a long lilac dressing gown.

'Well hello there!' Lockhart said. 'I expect you'd like my autograph, would you?'

'No, thank you,' Harry said.

'I can do joined-up writing now, you know!'

'Shouldn't you be on a ward?' Harry said.

The smile faded slowly from Lockhart's face. For a few moments, he gazed intently at Harry, then he said, 'Haven't we met?'

'Yes, we have,' Harry said. And then a head poked out of a door at the far end of the corridor and a voice called, 'Gilderoy, you naughty boy, where have you wandered off to?'

A motherly-looking Healer came bustling up the corridor, smiling warmly at Harry. 'Oh, you have a visitor. How lovely.'

Harry didn't have the heart to correct her and followed them to a closed off ward. The Healer had just explained so.

'This is our long-term residents' ward. For permanent spell damage,' she said. 'Of course, with intensive remedial potion and charms and a bit of luck, we can produce some improvement. Gilderoy does seem to be getting back some sense of himself; and we've seen a real improvement in Mr Bode, he seems to be regaining the power of speech very well, though he isn't speaking any language we recognise yet. Well, I must finish giving out the Christmas presents, I'll leave you to chat.'

Harry looked around. The ward bore unmistakable signs of being a permanent home to its residents. They had many more personal effects around their beds than Mr Wealsey's ward; the walls around Lockhart's headboard, was papered with pictures of himself, all beaming toothily and waving at her. He had autographed many of them to himself in disjointed, childish writing. The moment he had been deposited in his chair by the Healer, Lockhart pulled a fresh stack of photographs towards him, seized a quill and started signing them all feverishly.

A sallow-skinned, mournful-looking wizard lay in the bed opposite staring at the ceiling; he was mumbling to himself and seemed quite unaware of anything around him. Harry had a feeling she had met him before somewhere but couldn't recall where it had been. A women two beds along head was covered entirely with fur. At the end of the ward flowery curtains had been drawn around two beds to give the occupants and their visitors some privacy.

'Here you are, Agnes,' said the Healer brightly to the furry-faced woman, handing her a small pile of Christmas presents. 'See, not forgotten, are you? And your son's sent an owl to say he's visiting tonight, so that's nice, isn't it?' Agnes gave several loud barks.

'And look Broderick, you've been sent a pot plant and a lovely calendar with a different fancy Hippogriff for each month; they'll brighten things up, won't they?' said the Healer, bustling along to the mumbling man, setting a rather ugly plant with long, swaying tentacles on the bedside cabinet. 'And - oh, Mrs Longbottom, are you leaving already?'

Harry had just been about to make a break for it, out of the ward, instead, her head turned around. The curtains had been drawn back from the two beds at the end of the ward and two visitors were walking back down the aisle between the beds: a formidable-looking old witch wearing a long green dress, a moth-eaten fox fur and a pointed hat decorated with a stuffed vulture and, trailing behind her looking thoroughly depressed - Neville.

With a sudden rush of understanding, Harry realised who the people in the end beds must be. She cast around wildly for some means of distraction as she did not want to intrude but she heard the unmistakable call of her name.

'Harry?'

Harry turned around and gave Neville a sheepish look. 'Hi,' she said and explained herself. 'Somehow I was visiting Ron's dad with the other Weasleys - then I landed up being confused for a visitor of Lockharts.'

'So, this is the famous Harry, I hear you talk about so much,' Neville's grandmother said graciously, bearing down upon her.

'Hello Mrs Longbottom,' Harry greeted, 'it's lovely to meet you.'

'Yes, likewise,' Mrs Longbottom said shaking Harry's hand. 'Neville's told me all about you. Helped him out of a few sticky spots, haven't you? He's a good boy,' she said, casting a sternly appraising look down her nose at Neville, 'but he hasn't got his father's talent, I'm afraid to say.' And she jerked her head in the direction of the two beds at the end of the ward.

'I dunno about his father mam,' Harry said, 'but Neville's got talent of his own rights - he just lacks self-confidence,' Harry said smiling at him thinking of the DA meetings. 'It's something we've been working really hard on - building it up.'

Neville shrugged, 'You're a good tutor, never been able to do half the stuff you taught me to do before, Harry.'

Harry laughed awkwardly, 'Stop it, you'll make me blush. So, you were visiting your parents?'

Neville nodded, as Neville's mother had come edging down the ward in her nightdress. She no longer had the plump, happy-looking face Harry had seen in Moody's old photograph. Her face was thin and worn now, her eyes seemed over large and her hair, which had turned white, was wispy and dead-looking. She made timid motions towards Neville, holding something in her outstretched hand. Neville stretched out his hand into which his mother dropped an empty wrapper, then she tottered away humming to herself.

'So how is Mr Weasley? You said he was in here - what for?' Neville asked quietly.

'Oh,' Harry said. 'He was bitten by a snake - he's ok now though,' Harry added hastily at Neville's look of horror.

'Well, we'd better get back,' sighed Mrs Longbottom, drawing on long green gloves.

'Oh, I'll exit with you,' Harry said. 'I need to make my way back to the Weasleys and my godfather before they all think I've vanished.'

Neville opened the door, letting his grandmother and Harry out before him.

'Godfather?' Mrs Longbottom said, looking slightly stunned. Neville had not told her everything about herself then.

'Yeah,' Harry said. 'Sirius Black, we're staying with him for the holidays as it's nearer.'

'Sirius Black?' Mrs Longbottom repeated.

Harry nodded, 'Well I best be off see you later, Neville, don't forget to do Snape's essay or to work on that happy memory.' she said stepping towards the double doors. 'It was lovely meeting you, Mrs Longbottom.'

'See, you next term Harry,' Neville waved.

Harry nodded and walked towards the doors, as she stepped through them she heard Neville's grandmother say, 'Why did you not tell me that your friend Harry was actually Harianna Potter?'

...

Kreacher finally made an appearance, it turned out he had been lurking in the attic. Sirius had found him up there, covered in dust, no doubt looking for Black family relics. Though Sirius seemed satisfied with this story, it made Harry uneasy. Kreacher seemed to be in a better mood on his reappearance, his bitter muttering had subsided somewhat and he submitted to orders more docilely than usual, though once or twice Harry caught the elf staring at her, but he always looked away quickly whenever he saw that Harry had noticed. Harry did not mention her vague suspicious to Sirius, whose cheerfulness was evaporating fast now Christmas was over. Snape had given her a surprise visit explaining that she would be learning Occlumency.

'Occlumency?' Harry repeated to him.

'Yes. The magical defence of the mind against external penetration. An obscure branch, but highly useful one.'

'So, this will help me not have any more dreams about Volde-'

'Do not speak the name.' Snape snarled.

' -You Know Who,' Harry finished.

'Why can't Dumbledore teach Anna?' Sirius asked. 'Why you?'

Snape ignored him. 'I will expect you at six o'clock on Monday evening, Potter. My office. If anybody asks, you are taking advanced potions. You will receive private lessons at least once a week, but you will not tell anybody what you are doing, least of all Dolores Umbridge.'

'I have no intentions of telling Umbridge anything,' Harry replied.

'It will not be easy the lessons,' Snape warned, 'but the Headmaster thinks it is necessary.'

Harry nodded. 'Monday at six then.'

Snape swept from the room, Sirius was looking furious as Mr Weasley entered it. 'Completely cured.' He announced.

...

'So,' George said to Harry as she sat down for some lunch. Term had just started up at Hogwarts and she had been dreading learning Occlumency from Snape. She had done a little bit of research up on the subject and found that she did not for one minute like the idea of someone entering her mind. 'there's another Hogsmeade trip next month, did you see the notice?'

'What? Oh, no, I haven't had checked the notice board since I got back. I've been too busy telling everyone that I can't do a DA meeting tonight.'

'Oh, well, it's on Valentine's Day.'

Harry looked up at him. 'George Weasley are you asking me out on a date?'

'Only,' George said cheekily. 'if I get the correct answer.'

'I'd love to go with you,' Harry smiled at him.

'Knew I'd win you over, one day Princess.'

At six o'clock though, the glow of being asked to go on another date with George had lost its effect. She reached Snape's office, knocked and entered. The shadowy room was lined with shelves bearing hundreds of glass jars in which slimy bits of animals and plants were suspended in variously coloured potions. Harry attention was drawn towards the desk, however, where shallow stone basin engraved with runes and symbols lay in a pool of candlelight. Harry recognised it at once - it was Dumbledore's Pensieve. Harry shut the door behind her.

'Well,' Snape said pointing at the chair opposite his desk. 'You know why you are here. The Headmaster has asked me to teach you Occlumency. Now as I told you back in your godfather's kitchen, this branch of magic seals the mind against magical intrusion and influence.'

'Because, Vol- You Know Who is skilled at Legilimency,' Harry said and Snape raised a brow, he looked impressed. 'But I thought the skill to extract feelings and memories from another person's mind required eye contact, Professor, and well we,' Harry said, implying to herself and Voldemort. 'haven't exactly had that.'

'Indeed, eye contact is often essential to Legilmency,' Snape said. 'The usual rules do not seem to apply to you, Potter. The curse that failed to kill you seems to have forced some kind of connection between you and the Dark Lord. The evidence suggests that at times when your mind is most relaxed and vulnerable - when you are asleep, for instance - you are sharing the Dark Lord's thoughts and emotions.'

'So, the idea is to close my mind against You Know Who,' Harry reasoned. 'But why now?'

'It appears that the Dark Lord has been unaware of the connection between you and himself until very recently. Up until now it seems that you have been experiencing his emotions, and sharing his thoughts, without his being any the wiser. However, the vision you had shortly before Christmas represented such a powerful incursion upon the Dark Lord's thoughts.'

'So how did I happen to see inside the snakes' head, Professor - oh he had possessed the snake,' Harry said. 'And he realised I was there.'

'It seems so,' Snape said coolly. 'He has deduced that the process is likely to work in reverse; that is to say, he has realised that he might be able to access your thoughts and feelings in return.'

'And he might try to make me do things,' Harry said.

'He might,' said Snape. 'Which brings us back to Occlumency.' Snape pulled out his wand from inside his robes, merely raising it to his temple and placed the tip into the greasy roots of his hair. When he withdrew it, some silvery substance came away, which broke as he pulled the wand away from it and fell gracefully into the Pensieve. Twice more Snape raised his wand to his temple and deposited the silvery substance into the stone basin, without offering any explanation for his behaviour., he picked up the Pensieve carefully, removed it to a shelf out of the way and return to face Harry.

'You will need to shut off all emotions, Potter,' Snape said causing Harry to gape at him open mouthed. 'Which for a new Empath like yourself is highly impossible - as during the summer I told you Empath's ability to feel others emotions and sense their magic comes from being sensitive to ones surrounding - you need to think of everything and you need to think of nothing.'

'Meditation technique?' Harry said, getting to her feet.

'You may,' Snape said, 'use your wand to attempt to disarm me, or defend yourself in any other way you can think of. I am going to attempt to break your mind,' he said, 'Now I have been told that you have already shown aptitude at resisting the Imperius Curse. You will find that similar powers are needed for this ... brace yourself, now. _Legilimens!'_

Harry hurried to the library, she couldn't believe what she had just seen, what she had just realised, the door she had been dreaming about for months, she knew where it was now. And she found who she expected to see, Ron and Hermione scribbling away at their homework. She felt shivery; her scar was still aching, she felt almost feverish, she sat down opposite them and told them everything she had deduced.

'So ...so you're saying,' Ron whispered, 'that the weapon - the thing You Know Who's after - is in the Ministry of Magic?'

'In the Department of Mysteries, it's got to be,' Harry whispered. 'I saw that door when Sirius took me down for the guardianship appeal, and it's definitely the same one your dad was guarding when the snake bit him.'

Hermione let out a long sigh. 'Oh course,' she breathed.

'Of course, what?' Ron said impatiently.

'Sturgis Podmore was trying to get through a door at the Ministry of Magic ... it must have been that one, it's too much of a coincidence!'

'But Sturgis is on our side, why try to break in?' said Ron.

'Maybe,' Harry said, 'maybe he didn't know what he was doing, someone could have used the Imperius Curse on him,' Harry concluded. 'He was a known member of the old Order - do you have any idea what's in the Department of Mysteries?'

'No, I know they call the people who work there "Unspeakables",' Ron said frowning. 'Because no one really seems to know what they do - weird place to have a weapon.'

'It's not weird, it makes perfect sense,' said Hermione. 'It will be something top secret that the Ministry has been developing, I expect ... Harry are you all right?'

Harry had just run both her hands over her forehead. 'Yeah ... fine ...' she said, lowering her hands. 'I just feel a bit ... I don't like Occlumency much.'

'I expect anyone would feel shaky if they had their mind attacked over and over again,' Hermione said sympathetically. 'Look, let's get back to the common room, we'll be more comfortable there.'

But the common room was packed full of shrieks of laughter and excitement; Fred and George were demonstrating their latest bit of joke merchandise.

'Headless Hats!' shouted George, as Fred waved a pointed hat decorated with a fluffy pink feather at the watching students. 'Two Galleons each, watch Fred, now!' Fred swept the hat on to his head, beaming. For a second he looked rather stupid; then both hat and head vanished. Several girls screamed, but everyone else was roaring with laughter.

'And off again!' shouted George, and Fred's hand groped for a moment, then his head reappeared as he swept the pink-feathered hat from it.

'How do those hats work then?' Hermione said watching Fred and George closely. 'I mean, obviously, it's some kind of Invisibility Spell, but it's rather clever to have extended the field of invisibility beyond the boundaries of the charmed object ... I'd imagine the charm wouldn't have a very long life though.'

Harry didn't answer; she was feeling rather ill. 'I'm going to do my homework tomorrow,' she muttered and headed for the girls' dormitories. She was feeling sick again, just as she had the night she had the vision of the snake. She opened the door of her dormitory and reached her bed when she experienced pain so severe she thought that someone must have sliced into her head.

Maniacal laughter was ringing in her ears ... she felt happier than she had done in in a very long time ... jubilant, ecstatic, triumphant ... a wonderful, wonderful thing had happened ...

'Harry?'

Harry opened her eyes, she was lying on her bed, panting, clutching at her scar.

'Are you OK?' Hermione said looking rather worried.

'He's happy 'Mione, really happy,' Harry said. 'Something good has happened, something he's been hoping for.'

She could not help feeling that this foray into Occlumency had weakened her mind's resistance rather than strengthening it, and she wondered, with a feeling of great trepidation, what had happened to make Lord Voldemort the happiest he had been in fourteen years.


	95. Chapter 95

Harry's question was answered the very next morning. When the _Daily Prophet_ arrived on whole of the front page, nine wizards' faces and the tenth, a witch's face filled it. Their names under their respective photos. Harry's eyes were drawn to the picture of the witch. She had long, dark hair that looked unkempt and straggly. She glared up at her through heavily lidded eyes, an arrogant, disdainful smile playing around her mouth. And they were blaming the break out on Pettigrew - fake Pettigrew who had escaped Azkaban two and a half years ago.

'Well, now we know why he was so happy last night,' Hermione said.

'Umm,' Harry agreed, 'Sirius sure did give Pettigrew a reputation to up hold.'

'But Fudge had no other option but to blame fake Pettigrew,' Hermione said bitterly. 'He can hardly say, "Sorry, everyone, Dumbledore warmed me this might happen, the Azkaban guards have joined Lord Voldemort and now Voldemort's worst supporters have broken out, too." I mean, he's spent a good six months telling everyone you and Dumbledore are liars, hasn't he?'

Harry continued reading the paper, stopping at page number ten. A Ministry worker, Broderick Bode had died the night before. Ron peered over her shoulder.

'Bode ...' he said. 'It rings a bell.'

'I saw him,' Harry said. 'He was on Lockhart's ward. I had a feeling I'd met the man before, I saw the Devil's Snare arrive. The Healer said it was a Christmas Present.'

'That was a terribly clever murder,' Hermione said. 'No one who suspect a pot plant to be deadly.'

Harry was not thinking about the Devil's Snare, she was remembering something, the day of the guardianship appeal.

'He -' Harry said in realisation, 'I met him at the Ministry, the day of the guardianship appeal with Sirius.'

Ron's mouth fell open. 'I've heard Dad talk about him at home! He was an Unspeakable - worked in the Department of Mysteries!'

They looked at each other for a moment, the Hermione pulled her own newspaper to close, leaping to her feet.

'Where are you going?' said Ron, startled.

'To send a letter,' said Hermione. 'It ... well, I don't know whether ... but it's worth a trying ... and I'm the only one who can.'

'I hate when she does that,' grumbled Ron. 'Would it kill her to tell us what she's up to for once? It'd take about ten more seconds - hey, Hagrid!'

Hagrid was about to pass where they were sitting. He was still heavily bruised as he had been on the day he had come back from his mission to the giants and there was a new cut right across the bridge of his nose.

'All right, you two?' he said trying to muster a smile.

'Are you OK, Hagrid?' Harry asked.

'Fine, fine,' Hagrid said. 'Just busy, you know, the usual stuff - lessons to prepare - a couple of salamanders got scale rot - and I'm on probation. It's no more then I expected, to tell you the truth. That inspection didn't go too well.'

...

Harry was furious the next DA meeting, arriving later than usual to set up, Fred and George were already in the room waiting for her.

'What happened now?' George said, obviously noting the look of anger on Harry's face. And knowing it was only related to one person, Umbridge.

Harry thought the breakout from Azkaban might have humbled Umbridge a little, it seemed, however, to have only intensified her furious desire to bring every aspect of life at Hogwarts under her personal control. She seemed determined at the very least to achieve a sacking before long, and the only question was whether it would be Professor Trelawney or Hagrid who went first. Every Care of Magical Creature lesson was conducted in the presence of Umbridge and her clipboard. According to Ron, Divination was exactly the same, he often said he thought she might soon crack under the strain. Hagrid was fairing no better. Harry's answer to this, she began teaching the DA how to cast the Patronus, which is how a trunk landed up in this very room.

'Umbridge's passed another decree - students are only to take out and study the books relevant to the subjects they're studying.' Harry muttered.

'So basically, she has stopped you researching,' George said rolling his eyes.

'Right in one,' Harry said noticing the trunk. 'Thanks for that,' she added nodding at it. 'I didn't have time to find one myself.'

'It wasn't too difficult,' Fred said. 'Even with Umbridge making our lives hell.'

They moved the trunk to the far back end of the room, where it rattled, Harry was drawing up a line with her wand as the room filled up. Harry gave no explanation as they spread themselves around. She looked up as she finished.

'So,' Harry said. 'We've been working on the Patronus Charm, and as you all are aware it has more than one use.' Harry smiled as the last lesson they had, Smith annoyed her greatly, so she sent her Patronus at him. Harry laughed with the others as her Patronus chased Smith around the room saying, 'Smith's an idiot'.

'And so far,' Harry said, 'we've had no corporeal Patronuses - so I'd figured it might be best if you learnt the same way I had. To fight off a Dementor, requires focus on your memory, as I told you a shield-'

'What's in the trunk then?' Smith interrupted his eyes on the trembling trunk behind her.

Harry looked him over. 'Oh, don't worry, it's nothing to be frightened of, a Boggart happens to be in there.'

Smith looked up at her. 'A Boggart, you want us to cast a Patronus at a Boggart. But that's stupid everyone's fears are different.'

'Yes, including my own,' Harry said. 'I don't expect you to face your Boggart, I expect you to face mine, hence the line Smith - stay behind it unless you want us to all have another reason to laugh at you.'

'So, as I was saying to fight off a Dementor requires focus,' Harry said. 'But to really feel the effects you need to be facing one, luckily for you all Dumbledore won't let a Dementor onto the school grounds,' she told them all and she heard a few sighs of relief, 'unluckily for you all, my greatest fear, happens to be a Dementor, hence the Boggart - we'll begin with you, Smith.'

...

Improvement in the Patronus Charm was greatly seen, over the coming weeks. Hermione, Ron and Draco had managed to cast a corporeal Patronus by the end of the very first Boggart lesson. Hermione's had been an Otter, Ron's a Jack-Russel Terrier, Draco's had been Arctic Fox.

The news of the outbreak of more Death Eaters had spurred on the room causing great improvement as the weeks passed Harry began to see more and more corporeal Patronuses. Ginny's had taken the form of a Horse, Luna's was a Hare. But nobody improvement more so than Neville he had by the end of the third Patronus lesson cast a corporeal form, which had been a Panther. Harry beamed at him, while he looked utterly shocked he'd been able to do it.

By the time, February approached, Harry was teaching those who could cast a corporeal Patronus how to get them to send messages. Hermione had mastered it very quickly, followed by Draco. The only person they seemed to be struggling with it was George. Fred had managed to cast a Raccoon, which often announced its love for Angelina rather loudly. Harry knew George could cast it, a few times she had caught his corporeal Patronus, she knew it was a bird of some kind but it never lasted long enough for her to work out what type of bird it was.

Hermione gave her an odd request the morning of Valentine's day, she asked Harry to meet her in the Three Broomsticks at lunch. George who had overheard the request had replied for Harry instead. 'I'll think about it, Granger. I had planned on spending the whole day with Anna. But if we must, I suppose I could give up some of our time together.'

George grudgingly led them, ten minutes late, to meet up with Hermione. Hermione was not alone. Harry gave George a questioning look. 'Don't look at me,' he said defensively, 'I had no idea.' Hermione was sitting at a table with the unlikeliest pair of drinking mates she could have ever imagined: Luna Lovegood and Rita Skeeter.

'You're a little late,' Hermione said, 'but I had expected that as it was George you were with, you might not have shown up at all.'

'We are meant to be on a date, Hermione, so yes you are very lucky,' George said sitting down opposite Skeeter, his brow narrowing. 'What is she doing here?'

'A date?' Rita said, twisting around staring at Harry avidly, she snatched up her crocodile-skin handbag and groped within it.

'That,' George said snarled, 'is none of your business. So you can put that away right now.'

Rita had been on the point of withdrawing an acid-green quill. Harry looked from Rita to Luna, then to Hermione shaking her head.

'Does she know,' Harry said indicating to Rita, 'what she's here for?'

'Little Miss Perfect was just about to tell me when you arrived,' said Rita. 'I suppose I'm allowed to talk to her, am I?' she shot at Hermione.

'Yes, I suppose you are, but I wouldn't ask her any questions about her love life,' Hermione said. 'George is rather protective of Harry, and, well he has a reputation for embarrassing people. I wouldn't cross him if I was you.'

'So why is she here?' George asked Hermione, but it was Harry who replied.

'Well, it's obvious isn't it,' Harry said. 'I'm here to tell my side of the story.'

'So, you actually stick to it, that He Who Must Not Be Named is back?' Rita said, subjecting Harry to a piercing stare. 'You stand by all this garbage Dumbledore's been telling everybody about You Know Who returning and you being the sole witness.'

'Sole witness?' Harry repeated, 'heavens no, there were a dozen odd Death Eaters, there as well. Want their names?'

'I'd love them,' breathed Rita, now fumbling in her bag once more and gazing at her as though she most beautiful thing she had ever seen. 'A great bold headline: "Potter Accuses ..." A sub-heading, "Harianna Potter Names Death Eaters Still Among Us". And then, beneath a nice big photograph of you, "Disturbed teenage survivor of Who Know Who's attack, Harianna Potter, fifteen, caused outrage yesterday by accusing respectable and prominent members of the wizarding community of being Death Eaters ..."'

The Quick-Quotes Quill was actually in her hand and halfway to her mouth when the rapturous expression on her face died.

'But of course,' she said lowering the quill, and glaring at Hermione, 'Little Miss Perfect wouldn't want that story out there would she.'

'As a matter of fact,' Hermione said, 'that's exactly what Little Miss Perfect does want. Luna's father has already agreed to print the story in The Quibbler.'

'You think people will take her seriously if she's published in The Quibbler?' Rita said.

'I don't care,' Harry said. 'I've gone past caring what people think about me. Do you want the interview or not?'

Rite looked slightly caught. 'Fine, fine.'

'OK, then,' Harry said, 'this is how it's going to work, I'll tell you all the facts and you'll report it exactly how I say. I'll give you all the details, I'll tell you the names of the undiscovered Death Eaters - hell I'll even tell you what Voldemort looks like.'

Harry had not found it an easy experience to talk about the night Voldemort returned. Rita had pressed her for every detail she could remember. She wondered how people would react to the story.

'It was the right thing to do, Harry,' Neville said much later at dinner, 'it must have been ... tough ... talking about it ...'

'Yeah, but people have got to know what Voldemort's capable of, haven't they?'

'That's right,' Neville said nodding, 'and his Death Eaters, too ... people should know ...'

'I for one,' Dean said sounding awestruck, 'can't wait to see what Umbridge thinks of you going public.'

Harry looked up at the teacher's table, her eyes resting upon Umbridge. 'I don't think she's going to like it somewhat. Or anything else we've got planned.'

Neville chuckled, 'I'd hate to get on the wrong side of you. Umbridge is not going to know what's hit her.'

Harry grinned. 'It's a rather dangerous combination, having brawn, brain, cunning and daring working altogether. It makes rather interesting conversations though.'

...

Harry a few weeks later whilst eating her breakfast looked up at the loud thud. An owl landed right in front of her, she was sure that it had just made a mistake; as she'd only received one note during the entire year. But it was addressed to her. Frowning, she made to take the letter from the owl, but before she could do so, five more owls had fluttered down beside it, each attempting to give her their letter first.

'What's going on?' Ron asked in amazement, as the whole Gryffindor leaned forwards to watch and another seven owls landed amongst the first ones, screeching, hooting and flapping their wings

'Harry!' Hermione said breathlessly, plunging her hands into the feathery mass and pulling out a screech owl bearing a long, cylindrical package. 'This must mean - oh - here open this one first!'

Harry ripped off the brown packaging. Out rolled a tightly furled copy of the March edition of _The Quibbler._ She unrolled it to see her face grinning sheepishly at her from the front cover. In large letters across this picture were the words: HARIANNA POTTER SPEAKS OUT AT LAST: THE TRUTH ABOUT HE WHO MUST NOT BE NAMED AND THE NIGHT I SAW HIM RETURN.

'Well, looky at that,' George said. 'my girlfriend's famous and she didn't even stop to tell me,' he said shaking his head. 'Shame on you Anna.'

'It's good, isn't it?' Luna said, who had drifted over to the Gryffindor table and had squeezed herself on to the bench between Fred and Ron. 'It came out yesterday, I asked dad to send you a free copy. I expect all these,' she waved a hand at the assembled owl still scrabbling, around in front of Harry, 'are letters from readers.'

'That's what I thought,' said Hermione eagerly. 'Harry, d'you mind if we -?'

'Help yourself.'

Ron and Hermione started ripping open envelopes.

'This bloke thinks you're off your rocker,' said Ron, glancing down at the letter.

'This woman recommends you try a good course of Shock Spells at St Mungo's,' Hermione said, looking disappointed as she crumbled up the letter.

'This one looks OK, though,' Harry said slowly, scanning the long letter. 'Hey, she says she believes me!'

'This one's in two minds,' Fred said, who had joined in the letter opening. 'Says you don't come across as a mad person, but he really doesn't want to believe You Know Who's back so he doesn't know what to think now. Blimey, what a waste of parchment.'

'Here's another one you've convinced Princess!' George said. ' _Having read your side of the story, I am forced to the conclusion that the_ Daily Prophet _has treated you very unfairly ... little though I want to think that He Who Must Not Be Named has returned, I am forced to accept that you are telling the truth ...'_

'I've got another one who thinks you're barking,' Ron said, throwing letter over his shoulder.

'Oh - this one says you've got her converted and she thinks you're a real hero,' Hermione said.

'What's going on here?' said a falsely sweet voice.

Harry looked up with her hands full of envelopes. Professor Umbridge was standing behind Fred and Luna, her bulging toad's eyes scanning the mess of owls and letters on the table in front of Harry. Behind her, she saw many of the students watching them avidly.

'Why have you got all these letters, Miss Potter?' she asked slowly.

'Is it a crime now?' George said loudly. 'Getting mail?'

'Be careful, Mr Weasley, or I shall have to put you in detention,' said Umbridge.

'Oh no, a detention, my perfect record will be ruined, whatever will I do?' George mocked looking ashamed. Several of the Gryffindors laughed. Umbridge looked unimpressed her eyes looking over the table and she picked up the copy of The Quibbler with Harry's picture on it. For some reason she glanced up at the staff table, Harry had the strangest feeling that Dumbledore had been watching her a second before, but when she looked the Headmaster seemed to be absorbed in conversation with Professor Flitwick.

'And what is _this?'_ Professor Umbridge said looking at the front cover.

'A magazine, Professor,' Harry said cheekily.

'I'm aware it's a magazine Miss Potter,' Umbridge said.

'Then why ask such a stupid question if you were aware of what it was?'

'Detention Miss Potter, a week's worth,' Umbridge said. 'I was enquiring as into why you happen to be on the front page.'

'That would be due to the interview I gave, about what happened to me last June.'

'How dare you ... how could you ...' she took a deep breath, 'I tried, again and again, to teach you about lies.'

'That seems to be the problem though, Professor,' Harry said. 'The message just hasn't sunk in.'

'Make that two weeks worth of detentions and fifty points from Gryffindor.' Umbridge said and she walked away, clutching The Quibbler to her chest, the eyes of many students following her. By mid-morning enormous signs had been put up all over the school, not just on house notice boards, but in corridors and classrooms too. Educational number twenty-seven had been put into effect saying that any student caught with the magazine would be expelled. And Harry and Hermione couldn't be happier about this, they beamed in pleasure at the signs.

'What exactly are you two so happy about?' Ron asked them.

'Oh, don't you see?' Hermione breathed.

'Umbridge has the one thing to make sure for absolute certain that every single person in this school will read my interview,' Harry explained. 'She should have never banned it.'

...

She was standing in the dark, curtained room lit by a single branch of candles. Her hands were clenched on the back of the chair in front of her. They were long-fingered and white as though they had not seen sunlight for years. Beyond the chair, in a pool of light cast upon the floor by the candles, knelt a man in robes.

'I have been badly advised, it seems,' said Harry, in a high, cold voice that pulsed with anger.

'Master, I crave your pardon,' croaked the man kneeling on the floor.

'I do not blame you, Rookwood,' said Harry, in that cold, cruel voice. She relinquished her grip on the chair and walked around it, closer to the man cowering on the floor.

'You are sure of your facts, Rookwood?' asked Harry.

'Yes, My Lord, yes ... I used to work in the Department after all ...'

'Avery told me Bode would be able to remove it.'

'Bode could never have taken it, Master ... Bode would have known he could not ... undoubtedly, that is why he fought so hard against Avery's Imperius Curse ...'

'Stand up Rookwood,' whispered Harry. The kneeling man almost fell over in his haste to obey. 'You have done well to tell me this. Very well ... I have wasted months on fruitless schemes, it seems ... but no matter ... we begin again, from now. You have Lord Voldemort's gratitude, Rookwood ...'

'My Lord ... yes, My Lord,' gasped Rookwood.

'I shall need your help. I shall need all the information you can give me.'

'Of course, My Lord, of course ... anything ...'

'Very well ... you may go. Send in Avery to me.'

THUD! Harry landed on the floor and woke with a start. She could have sworn she had her shields up. For a while now she had been able to block Snape's attacks into her mind. After all, she wasn't just going to let him see her memories. It was why she was having trouble with sensing people approaching, Harry found that she couldn't master both at the same time. The question was why was she having trouble shutting Voldemort out?

...

Screams were coming from the Entrance Hall the next time she had Occlumency lessons with Snape. She still could not figure out why Snape could not invade her mind and why Voldemort could. Snape had just left the classroom and Harry hesitantly followed. When she reached the top of the steps leading out to the Entrance Hall, she found it packed. Students had come flooding out of the Great Hall, where dinner was still in progress, Harry made her way through the crowd. Professor McGonagall was directly opposite Harry on the other side of the Hall; she looked as though what she was watching made her feel faintly sick.

Professor Trelawney was standing in the middle of the Entrance Hall with her wand in one hand and an empty sherry bottle in the other. Two large trunks lay on the floor beside her, one of them upside-down; it looked very much as though it had been thrown down the stairs after her. Professor Trelawney was staring, terrified at Umbridge.

'No!' she shrieked. 'NO! This cannot be happening ... it cannot ... I refuse to accept it!'

'You didn't realise this was coming?' said Umbridge. 'Incapable though you are of predicting even tomorrow's weather, you must surely have realised that your pitiful performance during my inspections, and lack of any improvement, would make it inevitable that you would be sacked?'

'You can't!' howled Professor Trewlawney, 'you can't sack me! I've been here sixteen years! Hogwarts is my home!'

'It was your home,' Professor Umbridge said clearly enjoying herself, as Professor Trelawney sank, onto one of her trunks, 'until an hour ago, when the Minister for Magic countersigned your Order of Dismissal. Now kindly remove yourself from this Hall. You are embarrassing us.'

But she stood and watched, with a gloating expression, as Professor Trelawney shuddered and moaned, rocking backwards and forwards on her trunk in grief. Professor McGonagall broke away from the students, marching straight up to Professor Trelawney and was patting her firmly on the back while withdrawing a large handkerchief from her robes.

'There, there, Sybil ... calm down ... blow your nose on this ... it's not as bad as you think, now ... you are not going to have to leave Hogwarts ...'

'Oh really, Professor McGonagall?' said Umbridge in a deadly voice, taking a few steps forward. 'And your authority for that statement is ...?'

'That would be mine,' said a deep voice.

The oaken front doors had swung open. Students besides them scuttled out the way as Dumbledore appeared in the entrance. What he had been doing out in the grounds Harry could not imagine. Leaving the doors wide open behind him he strode forwards through the circle of onlookers towards Professors Trelawney and McGonagall.

'Your, Professor Dumbledore?' Umbridge said, with a singularly unpleasant little laugh. 'I'm afraid you do not understand the position I have here -' she pulled a parchment scroll from within her robes '-an Order of Dismissal signed by myself and the Minister for Magic. Under the terms of Educational Decree Number Twenty-three-'

'You will find,' Dumbledore interrupted her, smiling calmly. 'that I have much understood the authority you have to dismiss my teachers. But even as High Inquisitor, you do not have the authority to send them away from the castle. I am afraid,' he went on, with a courteous little bow, 'that power to do so still resides with the Headmaster, and it is my wish that Professor Trelawney continues to live at Hogwarts.'

At this, Professor Trelawney gave a wild little laugh in which a hiccough was barely hidden. 'No -no, I'll go, Dumbledore! I sh-shall - leave Hogwarts and seek my fortune elsewhere-'

'No,' said Dumbledore sharply. 'It is my wish that you remain, Sybill.' He turned to Professor McGonagall. 'Might I ask you to escort Sybil back upstairs, Professor McGonagall?'

'Of course,' said McGonagall. 'Up you get Sybil ...'

Professor Umbridge was staring at Dumbledore, who continued to smile benignly.

'And what,' she said, 'are you going to do with her once I appoint a new Divination teacher who needs her lodgings?'

'Oh, that won't be a problem,' said Dumbledore pleasantly. 'You see, I have already found us a new Divination teacher, and he will prefer lodgings on the ground floor.'

'You found-?' Umbridge said shrilly. ' _You've_ found? Might I remind you, Dumbledore, that under Educational Decree Number Twenty-two-'

'The Ministry has the right to appoint a suitable candidate if- and only if - the Headmaster is unable to find one,' said Dumbledore. 'And I am happy to say on this occasion I have succeeded. May I introduce you?'

Her turned to face the front door, through which Harry heard hooves. He wouldn't? Surely not? There was a shocked murmur around the Hall and those nearest the doors hastily moved even further back. And through the opening the crowd had made, came a face Harry had seen once before on a dark, dangerous: white-blonde hair and astonishingly blue eyes; the head and torso of a man joined to the Palomino body of a horse.

'This is Firenze,' Dumbledore said happily to a thunderstruck Umbridge. 'I think you'll find him suitable.'

...

Harry knew trouble was going to come, it was just a matter of when and how it happened. She knew Umbridge would be out for revenge. The DA meetings were becoming harder to arrange as she had a little league of students following her every move. But luckily for Harry, she knew just how to do a disappearing act. And Umbridge's league of students had no clue that the DA had their own spy, due to the Glamour Charm and Switching Spells Harry had thought their spy to do. Slytherin cunning indeed. And it was lucky she had. Harry had just been about to start teaching the DA members how to make themselves invisible, which had stirred some excitement. When a silver Arctic Fox appeared into the centre of the room, it spoke in Draco's voice.

'They know! She's coming! Run!'

Harry shouted at the room, 'Well what are you lot waiting for, you heard the message go, to the library or bathroom or something, do not get caught.'

Harry pulled out the map, as the members rushed out of the DA room, Umbridge and her little league of students were coming down the seventh-floor corridor. Harry looked up Ron and Hermione were standing in the doorway.

'Go,' Harry told them, 'I'll handle it - go, turn right, then left, go down the stairs towards Charms, then towards the dorm - go - now!'

Ron and Hermione nodded, Harry waited watching as Umbridge drew closer, Harry wiped the map clean, stowing it in her bag, Harry dashed out of the room - someone had to get caught and well Harry wanted to know exactly who had tipped Umbridge off.

Harry found herself facing the stone gargoyle minutes late. She wondered if any of the others had been caught ... 'Fizzing Whizzbee,' sang Umbridge; the stone gargoyle sprang aside, the wall behind split open, and she ascended the moving staircase. They reached the office door, but Umbidge did not bother to knock, she strode straight inside, holding Harry's arm tightly.

The office was full of people. Dumbledore was sitting behind the desk, his expression stern. Professor McGonagall stood rather rigidly beside him looking tense. Cornelius Fudge, Minister for Magic, was standing beside the fire, apparently immensely pleased with the situation; Kingsley Shacklebolt and a tough-looking wizard with very short wiry hair whom Harry did not recognise, were positioned either side of the door like guards, and the freckled, bespectacled form of Percy Weasley hovered excitedly beside the wall, a quill and a heavy scroll of parchment in his hands, poised to take notes. Harry pulled herself free of Umbrige's grasp as the door swung shut behind her. Cornelius Fudge was glaring at her with a kind of vicious satisfaction on his face.

'Well,' he said. 'Well, well, well ...'

Harry looked at him slightly confused. 'I'm sorry Minister but you've caught me slightly off guard, I have no idea as into the reason why I'm even here.'

'She was heading back to Gryffindor Tower,' Umbridge said, 'caught her myself.'

Fudge looked incredulously from Harry to Professor Umbridge. 'So you have no idea,' he said in a voice sagging with sarcasm, 'why Professor Umbridge has brought you to this office? You are not aware that you have broken any school rules?'

'School rules?' Harry said. 'I wasn't aware that making, one's way hastily back to one's dormitory before curfew, was against school rules, Minister - how incredibly foolish of me.'

'Or Ministry Decrees?' Fudge added angrily.

'Not that I'm aware of,' Harry said blandly. It was almost worth telling these lies to watch Fudge's blood pressure rising, Professor McGonagall looked as though she was fighting to keep a straight face. But Harry wondered how she was going to get out of this one, if someone had tipped off Umbridge about DA then she, the leader, might as well be packing her trunk right now.

'So, it is news to you, is it,' said Fudge, his voice thick with anger, 'that an illegal student organisation has been discovered within this school?'

'Yes it is,' Harry said trying to master a look of innocent surprise on to her face.

'I think, Minister,' Umbridge said silkily from beside her, 'we might make better progress if I fetch our informant.'

'Yes, yes, do,' Fudge said nodding.

There was a wait of several minutes, in which nobody spoke and Harry heard the door open behind her. Umbridge moved past her into the room, gripping by the shoulder Cho's friend, Harry only knew by name; Marietta, who was hiding her face in her hands.

'Don't be scared, dear, don't be frightened,' Professor Umbridge said softly, 'it's quite all right, now. You've done the right thing. The Minister is very pleased with you. He'll be telling your mother what a good girl you've been. Marietta's mother, Minister,' she added, looking up at Fudge, 'is Madam Edgecombe from the Department of Magical Transportation, Floo Network office - she's been helping us police the Hogwarts fires, you know.'

'Jolly, good, jolly good!' Fudge said. 'Like mother, like daughter, eh? Well, come on, now, dear, look up, don't be shy, let's hear what you've to- galloping gargoyles!'

Harry felt a surge of pride in Hermione's jinxing ability, as Marietta raised her head, her face was horribly disfigured by a series of close-set purple pustules that had spread across her nose and cheeks to form the word 'SNEAK'.

'Never mind the spots now, dear,' Umbridge said impatiently. But Marietta gave a muffled wail because she had pulled her robes right up to her eyes and shook her head frantically.

'Oh, very well, you silly girl, I'll tell him,' snapped Umbridge, 'Well, Minister, Miss Edgecombe here came to my office shortly after dinner this evening and told me she had something she wanted to tell me. She said that if I proceeded to a secret room on the seventh floor, sometimes known as the Room of Requirement, I would find out something to my advantage. I questioned her a little further and she admitted that there was to be some kind of meeting there. Unfortunately, at this point this hex,' she waved impatiently at Marietta's concealed face, 'came into operation and upon catching sight of her face in my mirror the girl became too distressed to tell me any more.'

'Well, now,' Fudge said, fixing Marietta with what he evidently imagined was a kind of fatherly look, 'it was very brave of you, my dear, coming to tell Professor Umbridge. You did exactly the right thing. Now, will you tell me what happened at this meeting? What was its purpose? Who was there?'

But Marietta would not speak; she merely shook her head again.

'Haven't we got a counter-jinx for this?' Fudge asked Umbridge, gesturing to Marietta's face. 'So she can speak freely?'

'I have yet managed to find one,' Umbridge admitted. 'But it doesn't matter if she won't speak, I can take up the story from here. You will remember, Minister, that I sent you a report back in October that Potter had met a number of fellow students in the Hog's Head in Hogsmeade -'

'And what is your evidence for that?' Professor McGonagall cut in.

'I have testimony from Willy Widdershins, Minerva, who happened to be in the bar at the time. He was heavily bandaged, it is true, but his hearing was quite unimpaired, he heard every word Potter said and hastened straight to the school to report to me. The purpose of Potter's meeting with these students was to persuade them to join an illegal society, whose aim was to learn spells inappropriate for school-age-'

'I think you'll find you're wrong there, Dolores,' said Dumbledore quietly, peering at her over the half-moon spectacles.

'Oho!' Fudge said. 'Was Willy Widdershins lying, Dumbledore? Or was it Potter's identical twin in the Hog's Head that day?'

'Cornelius, I do not deny - and nor, I am sure, does Harianna - that she was in the Hog's Head that day, nor that she was trying to recruit students to a Defence Against the Dark Arts group. I am merely pointing out that Dolores is quite wrong to suggest that such a group was, at the time, illegal. If you remember, the Ministry Decree banning all student societies was not put into effect until two days after Harianna's, Hogsmeade meeting, so she was not breaking any rules at all in the Hog's Head.'

'That's all very fine, Headmaster,' Umbridge said, smiling sweetly, 'but we are now nearly six months on from the introduction of Educational Decree Number Twenty-four. If the first meeting was not illegal, all those that have happened since most certainly are.'

'Well, they certainly would be, if they had continued after the Decree came into effect. Do you have any evidence that any such meetings continued?'

As Dumbledore spoke, Harry was sure she heard a rustle behind her and felt a brush of magic. She could have sworn she heard Kingsley whisper something.

'Evidence?' repeated Umbridge. 'Have you not been listening, Dumbledore? Why do you think Miss Edgecombe is here?'

'Oh, can she tell us about six months' worth of meetings?' said Dumbledore, raising his eyebrows. 'I was under the impression that she merely reporting a meeting tonight.'

'Miss Edgecombe,' Umbridge said, 'tell us how long these meetings have been going on, dear. You can simply nod or shake your head, I'm sure that won't make the spots worse. Have they been happening regularly over the last six months?'

'Just nod or shake your head, dear,' Umbridge said coaxingly to Marietta, 'come on, now, that won't re-activate the jinx.'

Everyone in the room was gazing at the top of Marietta's face. Only her eyes were visible between the pulled-up robes and her curly fringe. Her eyes looked oddly blank to Harry and then she understood, she had felt a brush of magic being cast. Marietta shook her head. Umbridge looked quickly at Fudge, then back at Marietta.

'I don't think you understood the question, did you, dear? I'm asking whether you've been going to these meetings for the past six months? You have, haven't you?' Again, Marietta shook her head.

'What do you mean by shaking your head, dear?' said Umbridge in a test voice.

'I would have thought her meaning was quite clear, usually when a person shakes their head,' said McGonagall coldly, 'they mean "no". So unless Miss Edgecombe is using a form of sign-language as yet unknown to humans.'

'Dolores, what about the meeting tonight,' Fudge said, 'the one we know definitely happened-'

'Yes,' Umbridge said, 'well Miss Edgecombe tipped me off and I proceeded at once to the seventh floor, accompanied by certain _trustworthy -'_ Professor McGonagall's caught Harry rolling her eyes at the word "trustworthy" and looked away quickly again. '-students, so to catch those in the meeting red handed. It appears they were forewarned of my arrival because as we reached the seventh floor only Miss Potter was found, none of the others were in sight. It does not matter, however. I have their names here; Miss Parkinson ran into the Room of Requirement for me to see if they had left anything behind. We needed evidence and the room provided.'

And to Harry's horror, she withdrew the list of names that had been pinned upon the Room of Requirement's wall and handed it to Fudge.

'The moment I saw Potter's name on the list, I knew what we were dealing with,' she said softly.

'Excellent,' said Fudge, a smile spreading across his face, 'excellent, Dolores. And ... by thunder ...' He looked up at Dumbledore. 'See what they've named themselves?' said Fudge quietly. ' _Dumbledore's Army.'_

Dumbledore reached out and took the piece of parchment from Fudge. He gazed at the heading scribbled by Hermione months before and for a moment seemed unable to speak. Then he looked up, smiling.

'Well the game is up,' he said simply. 'Would you like a written confession from me, Cornelius - or will a statement before these witnesses suffice?'

McGonagall and Kingsley were looking at each other. There was fear in both faces. Fudge appeared to not understand what was going on.

'Statement?' he said slowly. 'What - I don't -?'

'Dumbledore's Army, Cornelius,' said Dumbledore, still smiling as he waved the list of names before Fudge's face. 'Not Potter's Army. _Dumbledore's Army._ '

Understanding blazed suddenly in Fudge's face.

'You?' he whispered.

'That's right.'

'You organised this?'

'I did,' Dumbledore said.

'You recruited these students for - for your army?'

'Tonight, was supposed to be the first meeting,' said Dumbledore, nodding. 'Merely to see whether they would be interested in joining me. I see now that it was a to invite Miss Edgecombe, of course.'

Marietta nodded. Fudge looked from her to Dumbledore, his chest swelling. 'Then you _have_ been plotting against me!' he yelled.

'That's right,' Dumbledore said cheerfully.

'NO!' Harry shouted. She was not going to let him to take the wrap for this.

'Do shut up, Potter!' barked Fudge. 'Well, well, well - I came here tonight expecting to expel Potter and instead -'

'Ah, it seems you are under the impression that, I'm going to come quietly.' Dumbledore said. 'And I'm afraid I am not going to come quietly at all, Cornelius.'

A silver light flashed around the room; there was a bang like a gunshot and the floor trembled; a hand grabbed the scruff of Harry's neck and forced her down on the floor as a second silver flash went off; several of the portraits yelled, Fawkes screeched and a cloud of dust filled the air. Coughing in the dust, she heard the sound of glass breaking. Harry saw that it had been Professor McGonagall crouched beside her; she had forced both her and Marietta out of harm's way. Dust was still floating gently down through the air on them. A tall figure was moving towards them.

'Are you all right?' Dumbledore asked.

'Yes,' said McGonagall, getting up and dragging Harry and Marietta with her. The dust was clearing. The wreckage of the office loomed into view: Dumbledore's desk had been overturned. Fudge, Umbridge, Kingsley and the other man lay motionless on the floor.

'Unfortunately, I had to hex Kingsley too, or it would have looked very suspicious,' Dumbledore said. 'He was remarkably quick on the uptake, modifying Miss Edgecombe's memory like that while every was looking the other way - thank him for me. Now they will all awake soon and it would be best if they did not know we had time to communicate - you must act as though no time has passed, as though they were merely knocked to the ground, they will not remember-'

'Where will you go?' McGonagall whispered. 'Grimmauld Place?'

'No, I am not leaving to go into hiding. Fudge will soon wish he never dislodged me from Hogwarts, I promise you.'

'Listen to me Harianna,' he said urgently. 'You must study Occlumency as hard as you can, keep continuing your hard work with Professor Snape. Do everything he tells you and practise it every night before sleeping - you will understand why soon enough, but you must promise me - remember to close your mind -'

Fawkes circled the office and swooped low over Dumbledore, he grasped the Phoenix's long golden tail. There was a flash of fire and the pair of them were gone.


	96. Chapter 96

BY ORDER OF THE MINISTRY OF MAGIC

Dolores Jane Umbridge (High Inquisitor) has replaced

Albus Dumbledore as Head of Hogwarts School of

Witchcraft and Wizardry

The above is in accordance with Educational Decree Number Twenty-eight.

The notices had gone up all around the school overnight, Umbridge's little league of students were given a name; The Inquisitorial Squad, into which Harry still had her spy placed. And Harry being one of the few people to have witnessed Dumbledore's departure from the school found herself besieged with requests to give a first-hand account.

'Dumbledore will be back before long,' Ernie Macmillian said confidently on the way back from Herbology after listen to Harry's story. 'They couldn't keep him away in our second year and they won't be able to this time. The Fat Friar told me that Umbridge tried to get back into his office last night after they searched the castle and grounds for him. Couldn't get past the gargoyle. The Head's office has sealed itself against her. Apparently, she had a right little tantrum.'

With her new league of students, Umbridge was keeping a close eye on Harry and to make things worse her league of students were given powers to deduct points. Harry eyed the giant hourglass set in niches along the wall of the Entrance Hall, which recorded the house-points. Gryffindor and Ravenclaw had been neck and neck in leading that morning. But now the only glass the seemed untouched was the emerald-filled one of Slytherin.

'Noticed have you?' Fred said.

Harry nodded. 'Parkinson just docked fifty points.'

George kissed her on the forehead, 'Yeah, Montague tried to do us earlier.'

'What you mean "tried"?' Ron said quickly.

'He never managed to get all the words out,' said Fred, 'due to the fact that we forced him head-first into that Vanishing Cabinet on the first floor.'

Hermione looked very shocked. 'But you'll get into trouble!'

'Not until Montague reappears, and that could take weeks, I dunno where we sent him,' Fred said. 'Anyway, we've decided we don't care about getting into trouble anymore.'

'Have you ever?' asked Hermione.

'Course we have,' said George. 'Never been expelled, have we?'

'We've always known where to draw the line,' said Fred. 'We crossed it occasionally.'

'But we always stopped short of causing real mayhem,' said George.

'And we reckon with Dumbledore gone,'

'A bit of mayhem is exactly what our dear new Head deserves.'

'You mustn't!' whispered Hermione. 'She'd love a reason to expel you!'

'We don't care about staying anymore. We already told you that. We'd walk out right now if we weren't determined to do our bit for Dumbledore first.'

'And a little bit of payback that is long overdue,' George added. 'So, I'd get in the Great Hall for lunch, if I were you, that way the teachers will see you can't have had anything to do with it.'

Harry, as she was about to head into the Great Hall with the others, was stopped by Filch, however, and taken to Umbridge's office. Her office was all too familiar to Harry, though now a large wooden block lay across her desk on which golden letters spelt the word: HEADMISTRESS. Also, her Firebolt and Fred and George's Cleansweeps were chained and padlocked to a stout iron peg in the wall behind the desk. Umbridge looked up at her entrance.

'Sit,' she said, pointing towards a chair and Harry sat. 'Well now, what would you like to drink?'

'Excuse me?'

'To drink, Miss Potter,' she said smiling widely. 'Tea? Coffee? Pumpkin juice?'

As she named each drink, she gave her wand a wave, a cup or glass of it appeared on her desk.

'Tea, would be fine,' Harry said, not that she intended to drink any of it.

She got up and made quite a performance of adding milk with her back towards her. Harry doubted that it was milk at all. She definitely not going to drink any of it. She then bustled around the desk with it and handed it over, smiling in a sinisterly sweet fashion. 'Well, now Miss Potter I thought we ought to have a little chat, after the distressing events of last night.'

Harry said nothing, she lifted the cup to her lips and pretended to drink from it.

Umbridge's smile widened, 'now then ... _where is Albus Dumbledore?'_

'No idea,' Harry said.

'Drink up, drink up,' she said, still smiling. 'Now, Miss Potter, let us not play childish games. I know that you know where he has gone. You and Dumbledore have been in this together from the very beginning. Consider your position Miss Potter ...'

'I have no clue where he is,' Harry said and she pretended to take another sip.

'Very well,' Umbridge said, 'be warned all channels of communication in and out of this school are being monitored. A Floo Network Regulator is keeping watch over every fire in Hogwarts - except my own, of course. My Inquisitorial Squad is opening and reading all owl post entering and leaving the castle. And Mr Filch is observing all the secret pass in and out of the castle. I shall indeed find out if you try to contact him in anyway ...'

BOOM!

The floor of the office shook. Umbridge slipped sideways, clutching her desk for support, and looking shocked.

'What was-?' She was gazing towards the door. Harry took the opportunity to empty her cup of tea into the nearest vase of flowers. She could hear people running and screaming several floors below.

'Back to lunch you go, Potter!' Umbridge cried, raising her wand and dashing out the office. Harry gave her a few seconds head start then hurried after her. The source of all the uproar was not difficult to find. One floor down, pandemonium reigned. Somebody (Harry had a vague idea who) had set off what seemed to be an enormous crate of enchanted fireworks.

Dragons comprised entirely of green and gold sparks were soaring up and down the corridors, emitting loud fiery blasts and bangs; shocking-pink Catherine wheels five feet in diameter were whizzing lethally through the air like so many flying saucers; rockets with long tails of brilliant silver stars were ricocheting off the walls; sparklers were writing swear words in midair of their own accord; firecrackers were exploding like mines everywhere she looked.

Filch and Umbridge were standing, transfixed in horror, halfway down the stairs. Fireworks took advantage of open doors to escape towards the second floor.

'Hurry, Filch, hurry!' Umbridge shrieked, 'they'll be all over the school unless we do something - _Stupefy!'_

A jet of red light shot out of the end of her wand and hit one of the rockets. Instead of freezing in midair, it exploded with such force it blasted a hole in a painting. Harry had seen enough, she ducked low, ran to a door she knew was concealed behind a tapestry a little way along the corridor to find Fred and George hiding just behind it, listening to Umbridge and Filch's yells.

'Charming,' Harry said grinning, 'your timing is impeccable, as always.'

George beamed at her, kissing her quickly.

'Very impressive ... you'll put Dr Filibuster out of business no problem.'

'Cheers,' George whispered, 'Oh I do hope she tries Vanishing them next ... they multiply by ten every time you try.'

The fireworks continued to burn and spread all over the school that afternoon. They caused plenty of disruption, particularly the firecrackers, the other teachers didn't seem to mind them very much. They just sent for Professor Umbridge. The new Headmistress spent her first afternoon running all over the school answering the summons of the other teachers, none of whom seemed able to rid their rooms of fireworks without her. Fred and George were heroes that night in the Gryffindor common room. Even Hermione fought her way through the excited crowd to congratulate them.

'They were wonderful fireworks,' she said admiringly.

'Thanks,' said George, looking both surprised and pleased. 'Weasleys' Wildfire Whiz-bangs. Only thing is, we used our whole stock; we're going to have to start again from scratch now.'

'It was worth it though,' said Fred, 'and we are just getting started.'

'Just getting started?' Ron repeated.

'Yeah,' Fred said, 'though it's Harry's turn next.'

Ron and Hermione looked at her and Harry smiled sheepishly. 'Trust me, you won't miss it, it will be a big hiss.'

...

Umbridge's luck took a steep downward spiral, she had ordered her Squad to bring order amongst the students. Harry who had been planning on pranking Umbridge herself, changed her mind the moment all the houses, except Slytherin had no points. Whilst in Potions, Harry felt someone kick her stool lightly and she knew exactly who it was - Draco and Blaise sat directly behind her and Neville in Potions. So that night she sneaked out of the Gryffindor Tower down to an unused classroom in the dungeons. Daphne, Blaise and Draco were waiting for her, she could hear the subtle whispering.

'Oh, good, they're hungry,' Harry said gleefully. 'Now remember,' she said handing Draco the bag. In which contained small boxes for the Inquisitorial Squad, 'one box on each bedside - let's see just how dumb her Squad actually is.'

The next morning there was an outbreak of squeaks and squeals of large mice scurrying around on the floor. Every member of Umbridge's Inquisitorial Squad expect one had been dumb enough to eat their gift; it also appeared that Hogwarts had overnight, became the home to many hungry snakes. Which slithered hastily after the scurrying mice. Umbridge was running around casting ' _Finite Incantatem!'_ at the snakes with no such luck of ending the incantation. It only angered the snakes more.

'OK, Harry,' Hermione said in tears of laughter as they entered the common room, much later. 'I give, why can't Umbridge get rid of the snakes?'

'That would be,' Harry said dropping of her things as she was due to have a lesson with Snape. 'because they are real.'

Ron's mouth dropped open, 'Re-real?'

'Yep,' Harry said smugly. 'Don't worry though I told them, to just chase the mice - oh and that they could bite any one who cursed them - so don't curse them.'

'Just how did you manage to hex the Inquisitorial Squad?' Ron asked.

'Oh, I just had some very good help, they happened to be _cunningly_ resourceful.'

With looks of pure astonishment, Harry headed down to Snape's office.

...

Harry don't know what made her look in the Pensieve. But she did not like the memory of Snape's she had seen at all. And now due to her damn curiosity that had often lead her into trouble, Snape was no longer teaching her Occlumency. Even though she had been able to block him, blocking Voldemort had been her real problem. Most nights she landed up dreaming of the corridor in the Department of Mysteries and the door was opening for her now too. What she needed and really wanted to do was talk to Sirius, but with her mirror in Umbridge's possession and every other form of communication, talking with Sirius was not an option.

There OWL examinations were just now six weeks away, which meant a lot of revising was starting to go on and there had been a decline in the mayhem being caused around the castle. And to underline the importance of their upcoming examination, a batch of pamphlets, leaflets and notices concerning various wizarding careers appeared on the tables in Gryffindor Tower shortly before the end of the Easter holiday, along with another notice on the board, which read:

CAREERS ADVICE

 _All fifth-years are required to attend a short meeting with their Head of House during_ _the first week_

 _of the summer term to discuss their future careers. Times of individual appoints are listed below._

Harry found that her meeting was at half two on Monday, which meant missing the most of Arithmancy. She and the other fifth-years spent a considerable part of the final weekend of Easter break reading all the careers information.

'I don't fancy Healing,' Ron said. 'It says here you need at least an "E" at NEWT level in Potions, Herbology, Transfigurations, Charms and Defence Against the Dark Arts. Not asking for much are they?'

'Well, it's a very responsible job, isn't it?' said Hermione. 'So do you have any idea what you want to do?'

Ron shrugged, 'Sort of I guess, I'd like to go into the Sports Department at the Ministry, I mean Bagman was an idiot but his job was kinda cool.'

'Hey,' Fred said sitting down, 'blimey no wonder you lot looked serious,' he nodded towards the leaflets.

'Umm,' Harry said as George sat next to her.

'Worried?' he asked.

'Not about, _this,'_ Harry said. 'I'd already figured out what I wanted to do.'

'Then why do you look troubled?'

'I - want to talk to Sirius.'

'Harry, don't be so ridiculous,' Hermione said. 'How could you possibly manage that, with Umbridge watching the fires and frisking all the owls?'

'Not all the fires, Hermione, the one in her office isn't being watched,' Harry corrected.

'Never fear, fair lady, Fred,' said Fred.

'And George are here to save the day,' George said.

Hermione rolled her eyes. 'I bet she has bewitched her office door so it can't be opened by _Alohomora.'_

'Now that's easy to get around,' Harry said. 'I have just the knife.'

'Knife?' Hermione said.

'Yeah, it will open any lock and untie any knot.' Harry explained.

'OK, we'll cause a diversion-'

'Tomorrow after lessons- it should cause maximum impact if everyone's in the corridors - we'll set it off in the east wing, that should give you, twenty minutes?' Fred said looking at George.

'Easy,'

'What sort of diversion is it?' asked Ron.

'You'll see, little bro,' Fred said gleefully. 'At least, you will if you trot along to Gregory the Smarmy's corridor around five o'clock tomorrow.'

'Thanks for this,' Harry said earnestly.

'Anything for you Princess,' George said, 'though I'm claiming my prize now - sod off you lot.' he said waving at the others and without further warning, George leaned close and kissed Harry, quite thoroughly.

...

Umbridge had annoyed Harry so much in her careers advice meeting with Professor McGonagall, that she didn't really care that she was trespassing in Umbridge's office hours later. At five o'clock as she headed off towards Umbridge's office. In the distance, she could hear the unmistakable sounds of a diversion going off, there were screams and yells - Umbridge came pelting out of her classroom, pulling out her wand, she hurried off in the opposite direction.

Once she was in Umbridge's office, she pulled off her Cloak, striding over to the fireplace, found what she was looking for in seconds: a small box containing Floo powder. She stuck her head into the fireplace, took a pinch of the powder, threw it into the logs and called out, "Grimmauld Place".

It was one of the most curious sensations she had ever experienced, normally her whole body would have spun around and around in the flames of the network of wizarding fireplaces that stretched over the country. When Harry opened her eyes after the spinning had stopped, she found she was looking up out of the kitchen fireplace at the long wooden table, where a man sat with his back to her, poring over a piece of parchment.

'Remus?'

The man jumped and looked around. 'Anna!' he said. 'What are you - what's happened, is everything all right?'

'Yeah, I just - I need to talk with Sirius,' Harry said.

'I'll call him,' Remus said, getting to his feet, looking perplexed, 'he went upstairs to look for Kreacher, he seems to be hiding in the attic again ...'

With nothing but the chair and table legs to look at, Harry was beginning to notice how uncomfortable it was to speak out of the fire. Remus returned with Sirius at his heels moments later.

'What is it?' Sirius said urgently, dropping to the ground in front of the fire, so that he and Harry were on a level. Remus knelt down too, looking very concerned. 'Are you all right? Do you need help?'

'No, it's nothing like that,' Harry said, 'I ... I just want to talk ... about my dad.'

Sirius and Remus exchanged looks.

'What about your dad?' Sirius asked.

Not knowing how much time had actually passed, Harry plunged immediately into the story of what she had seen in the Pensieve.

'I wouldn't like you to judge your father on what you saw there, Anna. He was only fifteen-'

'I'm fifteen!' Harry said heatedly. 'And I don't go around hexing people because my best friend happens to be bored.'

'Anna, I'm not proud of it. But what you've got to understand is that James and Snape hated each other from the moment they set eyes on each other. James was everything Snape wanted to be - he was popular, he was good at Quidditch - good at pretty much everything. And Snape was just this little oddball -'

'I'm an oddball,' Harry pointed out, 'does that mean he would have hex me too?'

'Of course, he wouldn't have,' Remus said.

'We were just idiotic fifteen-year-olds that didn't know any better - well, not Moony so much,' Sirius said.

Remus shook his head. 'I'm just as much to blame, as you and James. I never once told you to lay off Snape.'

'How did mum, land up marrying him? She hated him by the looks of things?' Harry said.

'James always did make a fool of himself whenever Lily was around, but your mum didn't hate him.' Sirius said.

'She started going out with him in seventh year,' Remus said.

'Once James had deflated his head a bit,' said Sirius.

'And stopped hexing people for the fun of it.'

'I just never thought my father would have turned out to have been a bully,' Harry said. 'I disliked Draco for years, but not once did I ever humiliate him like dad did to Snape - I've got to go before I get caught.'

Harry pulled her head backwards, feeling no better than when she had after using it. Placing her Cloak over her, she made her way from the room. One floor down, she pulled the Cloak off again and shoved it into her bag. There was a great deal of shouting and movement coming from the Entrance Hall. She ran down the marble staircase and found what looked like most of the school assembled there. Students were standing all around the walls in a great ring; teachers and ghosts were also in the crowd. Fred and George stood in the middle of the floor.

'So!' said Umbridge triumphantly. Harry realised she was standing just a few stairs in front of her, once more looking down upon her prey. 'So - you think it amusing to turn a school corridor into a swamp, do you?'

'Amusing, nah,' Fred said, looking up at her without the slightest sign of fear.

'It's downright ingenious,' said George.

Filch elbowed his way over the Umbridge. 'I've got the form, Headmistress,' he said hoarsely waving a piece of parchment at her. 'I've got the form and I've got the whips waiting ... oh, let me do it now ...'

'Very good, Argus,' she said. 'You two,' she said gazing upon Fred and George, 'are about to learn what happens to wrong-doers in my school.'

'You know what, I don't think we are,' Fred said and he turned to George. 'George, I think we've outgrown full-time education.'

'Yeah, I've been feeling that way myself,' George said lightly.

'Time to test our talents in the real world, d'you reckon?' asked Fred.

'Definitely,' said George. And before Umbridge could say a word, they raised their wands.

'A little trick we picked up, from a very dear person, close to us, ' Fred said.

'Yeah, Umbridge. It's not just the spells you know, it's how you use the spells you know.' George said. And then together they said. ' _Accio brooms!'_

Harry heard a loud crash somewhere in the distance. Fred and George's broomsticks, were hurtling along the corridor towards their owners, they streaked along the corridor and down the stairs and stopped sharply in front of the twins.

'We won't be seeing you,' Fred told Umbridge, swinging his leg over his broomstick.

'Yeah, don't bother to keep in touch,' said George, mounting his own.

Fred looked around at the assembled students. 'If anyone fancies buying a Portable Swamp, as demonstrated upstairs, come to number ninety-three, Diagon Alley - Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes, our new premises!'

'Special discounts to Hogwarts students who swear they're going to use our products to get rid of this old bat,' added George, pointing at Umbridge.

...

The story of Fred and George's flight to freedom was retold so often over the next few days that Harry was sure it would soon become the stuff of Hogwarts legend. They made sure nobody was likely to forget them too soon. For one thing, they had not left instructions on how to remove the swamp that now filled the corridor on the fifth floor of the east wing. Umbridge and Filch had been observed trying different methods of removing it but without success. Leaving Filch the task of punting students across it to their classroom.

It became clear just how many Skiving Snackboxes Fred and George had managed to sell before leaving Hogwarts. Umbridge only had to enter her classroom for the students assembled there to faint, vomit, develop dangerous fevers or bloody noses. Umbridge shrieked with rage and frustration, she attempted to trace the mysterious symptoms to their source, but the students told her stubbornly they were suffering from "Umbridgeitis".

A great number of students inspired by Fred and George's example were now vying for the newly vacant positions of Troublemakers-in-Chief. Umbridge had to have a new door fitted because Fred and George's brooms had smashed their way through it to re-join their masters. But in spite of the new door, somebody managed to slip a Niffler into Umbridge's office, which tore the place apart in its search for shiny objects.

Dungbombs and Stink Pellets were dropped so frequently in the corridors, students had to perform Bubble-Head Charms on themselves before leaving lessons. Filch prowled the corridors with a horsewhip ready, desperate to catch miscreants, but now there were so many of them he never knew which way to turn. The Inquisitorial Squad, who by now had returned to normal, attempted to help Filch, but if students weren't hissing underneath their breaths at them, causing the members to run off in different directions, even though the snakes had now been rounded up. Other odd things kept happening to its members. Warrington of the Slytherin Quidditch team reported to the hospital wing with horrible skin complaint that made him look as though he had been coated in cornflakes; Pansy Parkinson had missed lessons for a whole day as she had sprouted antlers. And thanks to Harry and Draco, members of the squad, had come over in the worst case of boils.

None of the staff but Filch seemed to be stirring themselves to help Umbridge, they seemed to prefer to watch her struggle. And a week later, thanks to Harry's rather brilliant hex, Umbridge was no longer interrupting the other Professors or students with her stupid cough for attention, because every time she tried, she started to make different animal noises. Care of Magical Creatures had been rather interesting as most of the class had witnessed it first-hand. Umbridge went from baaing like a sheep, to mooing, oinking, barking and Harry's favourite croaking like a toad.

The only odd thing happening on the Gryffindor table was the way Ron looked in fright up every morning at the letters being handed out.

'Ron,' Hermione said, 'just why exactly are you frightened of the mail?'

'I'm waiting for something, you'll see any day now,' Ron said, 'when mum's letter finally gets through Umbridge's screening process. I'm going to be in deep trouble. I wouldn't be surprised if she's sent another Howler.'

'But-'

'It'll be my fault Fred and George left, you wait,' Ron explained. 'She'll say I should have done something to stop them leaving. I should have grabbed the ends of their brooms and hung on or something ... yeah, it'll be my fault.'

'Well if she does say that it'll be very unfair, you couldn't have done anything! But I'm sure she won't, I mean, if it's really true they've got premises in Diagon Alley, they must have been planning this for ages.'

'Yeah, that's another thing, how did they get premises?' Ron said. 'It's a bit dodgy, isn't it? They'll need loads of Galleons to afford the rent on a place in Diagon Alley. She'll want to know what they've been up to, to get their hands on that sort of gold.'

'Well, yes, that occurred to me too,' Hermione said. 'I've been wondering whether Mundungus has persuaded them to sell stolen goods or something awful.'

'Don't be silly, of course, he hasn't,' Harry said. 'Besides neither of the twins are that stupid. If you must know I - I gave them my Triwizard winnings last June.'

'This is excellent,' Ron said, looking thrilled. 'It's all your fault, Harry - mum can't blame me at all! Can I tell her?'

'I suppose you better,' Harry said, 'I hate her to think, that they'd been doing illegal things.'

...

When Hagrid asked Harry and Hermione to go with the final Quidditch match of the season, which happened to be Gryffindor versus Ravenclaw. She had been reluctant to leave the match but Hagrid had shown up with his nose dripping blood, both of his eyes blackened. Harry had expected him to lead them towards his hut, she had not expected to be trekking through the Forbidden Forest. To make matters worse Hagrid had picked up a crossbow, Harry shared a look with Hermione and they both drew out they're wands. How long they walked for Harry was not sure, but as they walked further into the dark heart of the Forest and had yet to meet a creature, seemed rather odd.

'Hagrid, are you going to tell us why you dragged us into the Forest?' Harry said.

'Maybe it is best to fill you in,' Hagrid said, 'before we get there like.'

'Right,' Hagrid said turning into the light of their lit-up wands. He looked nervous and sad. 'Well ... see the ... thing is ...' He took a great breath. 'Well, there's a good chance I'm going to be getting the sack any day now.'

'But you've lasted all this long -' Hermione said. 'What makes you think -'

'Umbridge reckons it was me who put that Niffler in her office.' Hagrid said. 'And it ruddy wasn't! Anything to do with magical creatures and she thinks it's got something to do with me. You know she's been looking for a chance to get rid of me ever since I got back. I don't want to go, of course, but if it wasn't for ... well ... the special circumstances I'm about to explain to you, I'd leave right no before she's got the chance to do it in front of the whole school, like she did with Trelawney.'

Harry and Hermione both made noises of protest, but Hagrid overrode them with a wave of his large hand. 'It's not the end of the world, I'll be able to help Dumbledore once I'm outta here, I can be useful to the Order. And you lot'll have Grubbly-Plank, you'll get through your exams fine ... don't worry about me.' he added hastily, as Hermione made to pat his arm. 'Look, I wouldn't be telling you this at all if I didn't have to. See, if I go ... well, I can't leave without telling someone ... because I'll need you two to help me. And Ron, if he's willing.'

'Of course, we'll help you,' Harry said at once. 'What do you want us to do?'

They travelled a bit further in the Forest and Harry could not believe her eyes. What looked like a small mound of earth nearly as tall as Hagrid - but it wasn't a mound of earth at all. It was the curved back of what was clearly -

'A giant!' Harry said. 'I thought you said none of them wanted to come?'

'Well - no - he didn't want to come,' Hagrid said sounding desperate. 'But I had to bring him, I had to!

'But why?' asked Hermione, 'why - what - oh Hagrid!'

'I knew if I just got him back, and taught him a few manners,' Hagrid said, 'I'd be able to take him outside and show everyone he's harmless!'

'Harmless!' Hermione said shrilly. 'He's been hurting you all this time, hasn't he? That why you've had all these injuries!'

'He doesn't know his own strength!' Hagrid said earnestly. 'And he's getting better, he's not fighting so much anymore -'

'So, this is why it took you so long to get home!' Hermione said. 'Why did you bring him if he didn't want to come?'

'I couldn't leave him, see - he's my brother!'

'When you say "brother",' Harry said.

'Well - half-brother. Turns out me mother took up with another giant when she left me dad, and she went and had Grawp here-'

'And just what exactly do you need us to help you with?' Harry said.

'Well - you see - he doesn't speak a lot of English ... I've been trying to teach him.' Hagrid said

'And you would like us to carry on trying to teach him while your away,' Harry concluded.

...

'I don't believe him -' Hermione raged as they made their way back to the Quidditch pitch. People were already exiting from the stadium.

'Calm down,' Harry said.

'Calm down!' Hermione said feverishly. 'A giant! A giant in the Forest! And we're supposed to give him English lessons! That's assuming it doesn't kill us first,' she raved, then added much more calmly, 'Thank you, for back there, how did you know the Sleeping Powder would work?'

'Honestly, I didn't,' Harry said. 'But I had to try something, it was just a good thing, I had some of the powder left over and that I kept it.'

'I wonder if it would work on the centaurs too, because we are going to have to get passed them somehow,' Hermione added.

'We're not going to have to do anything yet,' Harry said. 'Umbridge hasn't chucked him out yet.'

 _'Weasley is our King,_

 _Weasley is our King_

 _He didn't let the Quaffle in,_

 _Weasley is our King ...'_

'I do wish they'd stop singing that song,' Hermione said, 'haven't they gloated enough?'

A great tide of students was moving up the sloping lawns from the pitch.

'Oh, let's get in before we have to meet the Slytherins,' Hermione said.

But Harry had stopped to listen. 'Hermione, it's not the Slytherins, listen ...'

 _'Weasley can save anything,_

 _He never leaves a single ring,_

 _That's why Gryffindors all sing:_

 _Weasley is our King.'_

The song was growing louder, from the crowd of students wearing red and gold, moving slowly towards the castle, bearing a solitary figure upon its many shoulders.

'Weasley is our King,

Weasley is our King,

He didn't let the Quaffle in,

Weasley is our King ...'

'No?' Hermione said in a hushed voice. And Harry tore after the other students, a grin plastered on her face, the Quidditch team in the very middle of the crowd, she pushed through to them.

'HARRY!' Ron yelled, waving the silver Quidditch cup in the air, looking quite beside himself. 'WE DID IT! WE WON!'


	97. Chapter 97

Ron had not been impressed both Harry and Hermione had missed the Quidditch match, he seemed least impressed of their story as into why they had. And as June arrived, they all hoped that Hagrid would hang on until the end of term. But June had brought something else with it other than the warm weather; exams. Their OWLs were upon them, at last. Teachers were no longer setting them homework; lessons were devoted to revising those topics the teachers thought likely to come up. And though Harry may have been taking one exam less this year, by no means was she any less nervous.

'History, you're going to take History at NEWT level?' Ron repeated as Harry and Hermione quizzed each other.

'Have to,' Harry shrugged in response, 'if I want to go into researching I'll need a background in the subject.'

'OK,' Hermione said, ignoring Ron's outburst. 'I'll give you another question, then you can ask me some.'

'Right,' Hermione said looking down at her sheet. 'Name the first person to be trailed for being a witch?'

Harry ran her hands over her temple, 'Umm - oh - I remember, it was actually a man, he was wrongly accused - his name - that's it - Eugene Averhill.'

'Spot on, Harry - what is it?' Hermione asked, at Harry's thoughtful look.

'I could have sworn I saw the man's name in a magical book,' Harry said. 'I just can't think of where though.'

'You know what I think,' Ron said. 'I think you two have been studying so long, that the information has overloaded your brains.'

But on the morning of their exams arriving, even Ron looked frazzled by the amount of revising they had done. Their first exam was in Charms. None of the fifth-years talked very much at breakfast that morning and once breakfast, the fifth and seventh-years milled around in the Entrance Hal while other students went off to lessons, then at half nine, they were all called forwards class by class to re-enter the Great Hall, which had been rearranged with smaller desks, exactly how Harry had seen it last year.

'Well, it wasn't too bad, was it?' Hermione said in the Entrance Hall two hours later, still clutching the exam paper. 'I'm not sure I did myself justice on Cheering Charms, I just ran out of time. Did you put in the counter-charm for hiccoughs? I wasn't sure whether I ought to, it felt like too much - and on question twenty-three-'

'Hermione,' Ron said sternly, 'please we've been through this before ... we're not going through every exam afterwards, it's bad enough doing them once.'

The fifth-years ate lunch with the rest of the school, the four house tables had reappeared, then they trooped off into the small chamber beside the Great Hall, where they had to wait until called for their practical examination. Professor Tofty was the examiner Harry had been given for her practical in Charms. Which turned out fairly well.

Transfigurations had been the following day, into which Harry felt she had done rather well. Herbology was taken on Wednesday, Harry felt less confident about that one. But on Thursday, when they took Defence Against the Dark Arts, Harry for the first time felt sure she had passed.

'Bravo!' cried Professor Tofty, who was examining Harry again, when demonstrated a perfect Boggart banishing spell. 'Very good indeed! Well, I think that's all, Potter ... unless ...' He leaned forwards a little. 'I heard, that you can produce a Patronus from a dear friend ... For a bonus point ...'

Harry raised her wand, summoned the memory she always used, ' _Expecto Patronum!'_

Her silver stag erupted from the end of her wand and cantered the length of the Hall.

On Friday, Hermione and Harry had taken their Ancient Ruin exam. To find out another Niffler had been put in Umbridge's office. They spent most of the weekend revising for Potions on Monday. And without Snape there in the exam when they took their practical Monday afternoon, Harry felt sure that even Neville would pass with a decent grade.

Their practical for Astronomy had been scheduled for Wednesday night. Hermione thought she had done well in her Arithmancy exam that day, causing both Harry and Ron to sigh in relief. As she had been getting irritated quite quickly. When they reached the top of the Astronomy Tower at eleven o'clock, they found a perfect night for stargazing, cloudless and still.

As Harry completed the constellation Orion on her chart, the front doors of the castle opened directly below the parapet where she was standing, so that light spilled down the stone steps a little way across the lawn. Harry glanced down and saw five or six shadows moving over the brightly lit grass before the doors shut and the lawn became a sea of darkness once more. Umbridge was making her way across the grounds, and all too soon for Harry's liking as she went back to taking her exam, she heard a distant knock which echoed through the deserted grounds, followed immediately by the muffled barking of a large dog. The lights on in Hagrid's and the people were silhouetted against the windows. Then the figures were moving across the cabin windows, blocking the light. Harry knew that this wasn't going to be good, but when Hagrid's door burst open, Harry could make out Hagrid quite clearly, as light flooded out of the cabin. His massive figure was roaring and brandishing his fists, surrounded by six people, all of whom, judging by the tiny threads of red light were casting in his direction, seemed to be attempting to Stun him.

Nobody seemed to be paying the slightest to their star-charts any more. Jets of red light were still flying about besides Hagrid's cabin, yet they seemed to be bouncing off him; he was still upright and still, as far as Harry could see, fighting. A man across the grounds yelled, 'Be reasonable Hagrid!'

Hagrid roared, 'Reasonable be damned, you won't take me like this, Dawlish!'

Harry could see the tiny outline of Fang, attempting to defend Hagrid, leaping repeatedly at the wizards surrounding him until a Stunning Spell caught him and he fell to the ground. Hagrid gave a howl of fury, lifted the culprit from the ground and threw him; the man flew what looked like ten feet and did not get up again.

'Look!' Parvati squealed, who was leaning over the parapet and pointing to the foot of the castle where the front doors had opened again; more light was spilling out on the dark lawn and a single black shadow was now rippling across the lawn. They watched the figure sprint towards the battle besides Hagrid's cabin, as they were reminded they were in the exam.

'How dare you!' the figure shouted as she ran. 'How dare you!'

'It's McGonagall!'

'Leave him alone! Alone I say!' McGonagall's voice rang through the darkness. 'On what grounds are you attacking him? He has done nothing, nothing to warrant such -'

Screaming was heard besides her and Harry's hand came up to cover her mouth. The figures around the cabin shot no fewer than four Stunners at Professor McGonagall.

'COWARDS!' Hagrid bellowed. 'RUDDY COWARDS! HAVE SOME OF THAT - AND THAT -'

Hagrid two massive swipes at his closest attackers; judging by their immediate collapse, they had been knocked out cold. Harry saw Hagrid double over, and pick up a sack - but Harry realised it was Fang's limp body he draped around his shoulders. And Hagrid hastily made his way towards the castle gates. Umbridge sent one last Stunning Spell after him but missed and Hagrid disappeared into the darkness.

They traipsed back to Gryffindor common room to find it full. The commotion out in the grounds had woken several people, who had hastened to rouse their friends. Seamus and Dean, who arrived ahead of Harry, Ron and Hermione, were now filling everyone in on what they had seen and heard.

'But why sack Hagrid now?' Angelina asked, shaking her head. 'It's not like Trelawney, he's been teaching much better than usual this year!'

'Umbridge, from what I've gathered, seems to hate part-humans,' Hermione said bitterly. 'She was always going to try and get Hagrid out.'

'And she thought Hagrid was putting Nifflers in her office,' piped up Katie Bell.

'Oh, blimey,' Lee Jordan said. 'It's me who's been putting Nifflers into her office. Fred and George told me that Umbridge happens to like leaving a window open on the odd occasion, I've been levitating them in.'

'Through her window,' Hermione said, and with a look of understanding, she turned to Harry. 'So that's how you've been spiking Umbridge.'

'What!' Harry said defensively. 'Not my fault the woman can't tell that her biscuits have been switched or her tea tastes different.'

Then Hermione leaned forward and whispered into her ear, 'Yes, but to get them to her desk, you need more than a levitation charm - you've been flying in, in your Animagus form.'

It was nearly four in the morning before the common room cleared. And Harry felt wide awake as she lay down on her bed, she managed to fall asleep contemplating hideous revenge that she could punish Umbridge with and arose from bed three hours later feeling unrested. Their final exam, History of Magic, was not to take place until that afternoon. Harry would have liked to go back to sleep after breakfast, but she had wanted to get a spot of last minute revision in.

The fifth-years entered the Great Hall at two o'clock and took their places in front of their face-down examination papers. Harry felt exhausted, and as she began her exam, it had been very hard to concentrate on the questions. Twice she had to re-read a question already. Rubbing her eyes, and willing to herself to focus, she finished the last question with half an hour to spare. As she checked through her answers, she felt her eyes drop ...

She was walking along the cool, dark corridor to the Department of Mysteries again, the black door swung open for her as usual, and here she was in a circular room with its many doors ... Straight across the stone floor and through the second door ... patches of light on the walls, but she had no time to explore, she must hurry ... She jogged the last few feet to the third door, which swung open just like the others ... She was now in a cathedral-sized room full of shelves and glass spheres ... her heart was beating very fast now ... she was going to get there this time ... when she reached number ninety-seven she turned left and hurried along the aisle between two rows ... But there was a shape on the floor at the very end, a black shape moving on the floor like a wounded animal ... A voice issued from her own mouth, a high, cold voice empty of any kindness ...'

'Take it for me ... lift it down, now ... I cannot touch it ... but you can ...'

The black shape on the floor shifted a little. Harry saw a long fingered white hand clutched a wand rise at the end of her arm ... heard the high, cold voice say ' _Crucio!'_ The man on the floor let out a scream of pain, attempted to stand, but fell back, writhing. Harry was laughing. She raised her wand, the curse lifted and the figure groaned and became motionless.

'Lord Voldemort is waiting ...'

Very slowly, his arms trembling, the man on the ground raised his shoulders a few inches and lifted his head. His face blood-stained and gaunt, twisted in pain yet rigid with defiance ...

'You'll have to kill me,' whispered Sirius.

'Undoubtedly, I shall in the end,' said the cold voice. 'But you will fetch it for me first Black ... you think you have felt pain thus far? Think again ... we have hours ahead of us and nobody to hear you scream ...'

But somebody screamed as Voldemort lowered his wand again; somebody yelled and fell sideways off a desk on to the cold floor; Harry woke as she hit the ground, still yelling, her scar on fire, as the Great Hall erupted all around her.

...

As soon as she was out of the Great Hall, Harry made a break for it towards the hospital wing, she unlike she told Professor Tofty was not going to get herself checked over - she was going to see McGonagall. To find that she had been taken to St Mungo's. She had no one left to tell, Hagrid, Dumbledore and McGonagall were all gone from the grounds. She made her way back to the Great Hall, meeting Hermione and Ron on the way, pulled them into an empty classroom and told them everything.

'Harry, it's five o'clock in the afternoon ... the Ministry of Magic is full of workers ... how could Voldemort have got in without being seen? You think he could get into a building full of Aurors undetected?' Hermione reasoned with her.

'Hermione, Sirius looked pretty hurt - so I'm guessing Voldemort snuck in, in the middle of the night - Sirius could have been on duty last night for the Order - I dunno - but I am going to save my godfather - now how the hell do I get there?' Harry said in a rather frustrated voice.

'Mate, someone would have noticed that Sirius wasn't at his desk today,' Ron said.

'Sirius doesn't always work at his desk, Ron -'

'Harry, listen please - this isn't a criticism, but like I told you before you do have a sort of - _saving people thing -'_ Hermione said.

'So you reckon I want to act the hero again?'

'No! That's not what I mean - Voldemort knows you, Harry! He took Ginny down to the Chamber of Secrets to lure you there, he knows you're the sort of person who'd go to Sirius's aid! He's the one person you'd willingly risk your life for.'

'So what are you saying - I leave Sirius to die?'

'No, send a Patronus to the Order,' Hermione said forcefully.

'We only know a few of the members, what if we put someone at risk - I thought of sending a Patronus to Lucius Malfoy but his position would be compromised - all of their positions could be compromised.'

'Harry has a point, Hermione,' Ron said.

The classroom door opened, Harry, Ron and Hermione whipped around. Ginny walked in looking curious, winding up what looked like a piece of string, Luna followed her closely.

'The answer is simple,' Ginny said, calmly, 'if you really believe Sirius is at risk, then check that he's not actually at Headquarters.'

...

With a new plan in motion, Harry and Hermione snuck into Umbridge office under her Cloak, while Ginny and Luna would play looks out along the corridor telling everyone that somebody let off Garrotting Gas and Ron was going to tell Umbridge Peeves was smashing up the Transfiguration department. Harry used Sirius's Knife to unlock the door, once inside they took off the Cloak, which Harry stowed in her bag.

'Wait, what about your mirror, do you think she'd kept it in here somewhere?' Hermione said.

'One way to find out,' Harry said. ' _Accio mirror!'_ But nothing came. 'She's either moved it or learnt from Fred and George Summoning their brooms and warded it against it. The Floo it is then, we don't have time to search her office.'

Harry dashed over to the fire place, seized the Floo powder, threw a pinch into the grate, kneeling down quickly she stuck her head into the emerald flames calling out her destination. She kept her eyes closed until the spinning stopped when she opened them she found herself looking out at the long, cold kitchen on Grimmauld Place. There was nobody there.

'Sirius?' she shouted. 'Sirius, are you there?'

Her voice echoed around the room, but there was no answer except tiny scuffing sound to the right of the fire. Kreacher the house-elf crept into view. He looked highly delighted about something, though he seemed to have recently sustained a nasty injury to both hands.

'It's the Potter girl's head in the fire,' Kreacher said into the empty kitchen, stealing furtive, oddly triumphant glances at Harry. 'What has she come for, Kreacher wonders?'

'Kreacher, I haven't got time for your games,' Harry said. 'Where is Sirius?'

The house-elf gave a wheezy chuckle, 'Master went out and has not returned.'

'What about Remus? Mad-Eye? Any body, is any one there?'

'Nobody here but Kreacher!' the elf said gleefully.

Before Harry could say anything, she felt herself being pulled backwards through the flames, until with horrible abruptness she was staring up into the wide, pallid face of Professor Umbridge, who had dragged her backwards out of the fire and was now bending her neck back as far as it would go.

'You think,' she whispered, bending Harry's neck back even further, so she was looking at the ceiling, 'that after two Nifflers I was going to let one more foul, scavenging little creature enter my office without my knowledge? I had Stealth Sensoring Spells placed all around my doorway after the last one got in, you foolish girl. Take her wand,' she barked at someone Harry could not see, and Harry felt someone grope inside the chest pocket of her robes and remove the wand. 'Her, too.'

Harry heard a scuffle over by the door and knew that Hermione had just had her wand taken from her too.

'Now I want to know - just whom where have you been communicating?'

'No one -' Harry said.

' _Liar!'_ Umbridge shouted. She threw Harry from her and Harry slammed into the desk. Now she could see Hermione pinioned against the wall by Millicent Bulstrode. Parkinson was leaning on the windowsill, smirking as she twirled Harry's wand in her hand. There was a commotion outside and several large Slytherins entered, each gripping Ron, Ginny, Luna and to Harry's bewilderment Neville. All four of them had been gagged.

'Got 'em all,' said Warrington, shoving Ron roughly forwards. 'That one,' he pointed a finger at Neville, 'tried to stop me taking her,' he pointed at Ginny, 'so I brought him along too.'

'Good, good,' said Umbridge, watching Ginny struggling. 'Well it looks as though Hogwarts will shortly be a Weasley-free zone, doesn't it.'

Parkinson laughed loudly. Umbridge gave her wide, complacent smile and settled herself in the chair behind her desk.

'So Potter. You stationed lookouts around my office and you sent this buffoon,' Umbridge said nodding at Ron, 'to tell me the poltergeist was wreaking havoc in the Transfiguration department when I knew perfectly well that he was busy smearing ink on the eyepieces of all the school telescopes - Mr Filch having just informed me so.'

'Clearly, it was very important for you to talk to somebody. Was it Albus Dumbledore? Or the half-breed, Hagrid? I doubt Minerva McGonagall, I hear she is still too ill to talk to anyone.'

'Screw you.' Harry said.

'Very well,' Umbridge replied in a dangerous voice. 'Very well, Miss Potter ... I offered you the chance to tell me freely. You refused. I have no alternative but to force you. Pansy - fetch Professor Snape.'

Harry's heart elated at hearing that name, she in her haste had forgotten there was still one Order member left within the school - someone that could help her save Sirius - Snape. There was silence in the office expect for fidgetings and scuffling resulting from the Slytherins' efforts to keep Ron and the others under control. Ron's lip was bleeding, Ginny was trying to stamp on the feet of the sixth year girl who had Ginny's arms in a tight grip. Neville was turning a steadily shade of purple while tugging at Crabbe's arms; and Hermione was attempting, in vain, to throw Millicent Bulstrode off her. Luna, however, stood by the side of her captor, gazing vaguely out of the window as though rather bored by the proceedings. Harry looked back at Umbridge, who was watching her closely, and Harry projected over all the feelings of dislike she could master up towards her and then footsteps were heard in the corridor outside, Pansy Parkinson entered the room, closely followed by Snape.

'You wanted to see me, Headmistress?' said Snape, looking around at the struggling students with an expression of complete indifference.

'Ah, Professor Snape,' said Umbridge, smiling widely and standing up again. 'Yes, I would like another bottle of Veritaserum, as quick as you can, please.'

'You took my last bottle to interrogate Potter,' he said, surveying her coolly. 'Surely you did not use it all? I told you three drops would be sufficient.'

Umbridge flushed. 'You can make some more, can't you?'

'Certainly,' said Snape, his lip curling. 'It takes a full moon-cycle to mature, so I should have it ready for you in around a month.'

'A month?' Umbridge repeated. 'But I need it this evening Snape! I have just found Potter using my fire to communicate with a person or persons unknown!'

'Really?' Snape said, showing his first faint sign of interest as he looked around at Harry. 'Well, it doesn't surprise me. Potter has never shown much inclination to follow school rules.' His cold, dark eyes were boring into Harry's, who met his gaze, she concentrated hard on what she had seen in her dream, willing Snape to read it in her mind, to understand ...

'I wish to interrogate her!' Umbridge said angrily. 'I wish you to provide me with a potion that will force her to tell me the truth!'

'I have already told you,' Snape said smoothly, 'that I have no further stocks of Veritaserum. Unless you wish to poison Potter - and I assure you I would have the greatest sympathy with you if you did - I cannot help you. The only trouble is most venoms act too fast to give the victim much time for truth-telling.'

Harry was desperately trying to communicate without words, repeating the same thought over and over again: _Voldemort's got Sirius in the Department of Mysteries._

'You are on probation!' shrieked Umbridge, and Snape looked at her, his eyebrows slightly raised. 'You are being deliberately unhelpful! Now get out of my office!'

Harry's last chance was going to walk out of the door, throwing caution to the wind, she shouted. 'He's got Padfoot! He's got Padfoot at the place where it's hidden!'

Snape had stopped with his hand on Umbridge's door handle.

'Padfoot?' Umbridge cried, looking eagerly from Harry to Snape. 'What is Padfoot? Where what is hidden? What does she mean Snape?'

Snape looked around at Harry. His face was inscrutable. Harry could not tell whether he had understood or not, but she did not dare speak more plainly in front of Umbridge.

'I have no idea,' Snape said coldly. 'Potter, when I want nonsense shouted at me I shall give you a Babbling Beverage. And Crabbe, loosen your hold a little. If Longbottom suffocates it will mean a lot of tedious paperwork and I am afraid I shall have to mention it on your reference if you ever apply for a job.'

Snape closed the door behind him with a snap, Harry looked at Umbridge; her chest was heaving with rage and frustration.

'Very well,' she said, pulling out her wand. 'Very well ... I am left with no alternative ... this is more than a matter of school discipline ... this is an issue of Ministry security ... yes ... yes ...' She seemed to be talking herself into something. She was shifting her weight nervously from foot to foot, staring at Harry, beating her wand against her empty palm and breathing heavily. Whatever Umbridge planned to do, Harry realised it was not going to be good.

'You are forcing me, Potter ... I do not want to, but sometimes circumstances justify the use ... I am sure the Minister will understand that I had no choice ... The Cruciatus Curse ought to loosen your tongue,' Umbridge said.

'No!' Hermione shrieked. 'Harry just tell her - or I will!'

'NO!' Harry yelled towards her.

'We'll have to, Harry, she'll force it out of you anyway, what's the point?' Hermione said and then she began to cry weakly into the back of Millicent Bulstrode's robes. Millicent stopped trying to squash her against the wall immediately and dodged out of her way looking disgusted.

'Well, well, well!' Umbridge said looking triumphant. 'Little Miss Question-all is going to give us some answers! Come on then, girl, come on!'

'Er - my - nee - no!' Ron shouted through his gag.

Ginny was staring at Hermione as though she had never seen her before. Neville, still choking for breath, was gazing at her, too. But Harry noticed, though Hermione was sobbing desperately into her hands, there was no trace of a tear.

'I'm - I'm sorry everyone,' Hermione said. 'But - I can't stand it -'

'That's right, that right, girl!' Umbridge said, seizing Hermione by the shoulders, thrusting her into the abandoned chair. 'Now then ... with whom was Potter communicating just now?'

'Dumbledore!' Hermione gulped. 'We were trying to get hold of Dumbledore - but we had no idea where he was - we tried every where we could think of -'

'And just why, were you trying to get hold of him?' Umbridge said.

'We needed to tell him something important!' Harry said. 'We had to get a message across to him, so he knew it was ready.'

'Ready?' Umbridge repeated whirling around, facing Harry. 'What is ready?'

'The weapon ...'

'Weapon?' Umbridge said, and her eyes seemed to pop with excitement. 'You have been developing some method of resistance? A weapon you could use against the Ministry? One Professor Dumbledore's orders, of course?'

'Yes,' Harry said calmly, 'he had the brightest witch of her age and the Arithmancy genius to complete his unfinished work - simple enough really, completing it was easy - all we had to do was send a message once completed - a message stating; _Mischief managed!'_

'What kind of weapon is it?' Umbridge said harshly.

'It will be much easier if we just show you,' Harry said. 'It's hidden you see.'

'Where, where is it hidden?'

'In the Forest!' Hermione shrieked. 'Deep in the Forest, where no one would be likely to find it.'

'You two,' Umbridge said, pointing at Harry and Hermione. 'Are going to lead me to it.'

'Professor,' Parkinson said eagerly, 'Professor Umbridge, I think some of the Squad should come with you to look after -'

'I am a fully qualified Ministry official, Parkinson, do you really think I cannot manage two wandless teenagers alone?' Umbridge asked sharply. 'You will remain here until I return and make sure none of these -' she gestured around at Ron, Ginny, Neville and Luna, '- escape.'

As Harry and Hermione lead the way out of the office, Harry caught Ron's eye, then glanced into the direction of her bag on the floor by the fire, in which had certain Map, hopefully Ron had got the message of Harry and Hermione leading Umbridge astray, more so than Snape had done at receiving Harry's hint of Voldemort's whereabouts.

...

'Hermione,' Harry gasped. 'Next time we enter the Forest can you not lead us straight into a herd of raging Centaurs?'

'But it was so satisfying to watch her being dragged off,' Hermione said.

'Lucky for us then we had help from Grawp or we'd be goners.' Harry retorted. 'We need to get back to the castle - to get our wands - then I'm going after Sirius.'

'Harry, how exactly were you planning to get all the way to London?'

'Yeah, we were just wondering that,' said a familiar voice from behind her.

Harry and Hermione moved together instinctively and peered through the trees. Ron came into sight, closely followed by Ginny, Neville and Luna. All of them looked a little worse for wear, but all of them were looking rather pleased with themselves.

'So,' said Ron, pushing aside a low hanging branch and holding out Harry's wand, 'had any ideas?'

'You got the message then?' Harry said, taking her wand from Ron.

'That you two were actually up to no good, yeah I got the message loud and clear,' Ron said, handing Hermione her wand back too, 'I Stunned Warrington, Neville brought off a really nice little Impediment jinx, Luna, Disarmed the girl holding her and Ginny - Ginny got Parkinson with the Bat Bogey Hex.'

'Brilliant!' Harry grinned.

'What happened to Umbridge?'

'She got carried away,' Harry said. 'By a herd of centaurs.'

'They left you behind?' Ginny asked, looking astonished.

'They had no choice,' Hermione said. 'They were chased off by Grawp.'

'Who's Grawp?' Luna asked interestingly.

'Hagrid's little brother,' Ron said promptly. 'So, what did you find out in the fire? Has You Know Who got Sirius or -?'

'Yes,' Harry said. 'And now I've wasted so much time, I just hope he's alive.'

'Mate, don't give up, Sirius wouldn't want you to do that,' Ron said, 'So the question now is - how do we rescue him?'

'We fly of course,' said Luna.

'OK, first all there is no we -' Harry said.

'Yes, there is,' Neville said. And for the first-time Harry thought he looked angry. 'We were all in the DA together. It was supposed to be about fighting You Know Who wasn't it? This is the first real chance we've had to do something real - or was that all just some game?'

'No - of course, it wasn't -' Harry said.

'Then I'm coming too, Harry,' Neville said, and added firmly, 'You've always told me that you had my back - well now - now I've got yours. I want to help - I'm going with you.'

'And you can't go without me,' Ginny said, 'I'm your backup.'

Harry ran a hand through her hair. 'This is crazy - completely crazy - no one in the right minds.'

Hermione and Ron stifled a laugh, and Ron said. 'Mate, we followed you into dangerous situations before - it's safe to say, we lost our right frame of minds years ago.'

'We're your friends Harry,' Luna said quite simply. 'Let us help you, the same way you have helped us.'

Harry stared around at them all, defeated. 'On your heads, be it.'

'So,' Hermione said, 'anyone know a way we can get to London?'

'I already told you, we fly,' Luna said.

'We haven't got enough brooms for everyone to fly on,' Ron pointed out.

'We're not going to need brooms,' Harry said, to which everyone glared angrily at her. 'I was merely pointing out, we could use another method of flying.'

'Harry, not all of us can sprout wings whenever-'

'No but,' Harry said pointing a little way off into the distance. 'we could always use those.' Several Thestrals had come into view. 'Hagrid did say that they have a great sense of direction.'

* * *

 ** _A.N. Sorry about this chapter being like the original. I did not want Harry using her mirror because it would be like another fanfic called Looking Beyond and that is not something I want to do. I also did not want Harry casting a Patronus ... my reasons will be revealed ... my twist and turns will be back next chapter_**


	98. Chapter 98

Night fell: the sky was turning a dusky purple littered with tiny silver stars, as they flew towards London. Harry was not sure how much time had passed since she had seen Sirius lying on the Department of Mysteries floor. All Harry was certain of was that Sirius was still alive, for she was convinced that Sirius had done what Voldemort wanted or died, she would feel Voldemort's jubilation or fury course through her body, making her scar sear painfully as it had on the night Mr Weasley was attacked. Finally, the Thestral Harry was on began to hurtle towards the ground.

'Where do we go from here, then?' Luna asked and she landed on the pavement.

'This way,' Harry said, leading the way to the battered telephone box and opened the door. 'In you get.'

Ron and Ginny marched in obediently; Hermione, Neville and Luna squashed themselves in after them, then Harry forced herself into the box.

'Whoever is nearest the receiver, dial six two four four two!' Harry said. It so happened to be Ron who was the nearest and as it whirred back into place the cool female voice sounded inside the box.

'Welcome to the Ministry of Magic. Please state your name and business.'

'Harianna Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Ginny Weasley, Neville Longbottom, Luna Lovegood ...' Harry said very quickly, 'we're here to save someone unless the Ministry can do it first!'

'Thank you,' said the cool female voice. 'Visitors please take the badges and attach them to the front of your robes.'

Half a dozen badges slid out of the metal chute where returned coins normally appeared. Hermione scooped them up and handed them to Harry; she glanced at the badge on top, _Harianna Potter, Rescue Mission._

'Visitors to the Ministry, you are required to submit to a search and present your wands for registration at the security desk, which is located at the far end of the Atrium.'

'Yes, yes.' Harry said loudly, then she muttered under her breath. 'Like hell we are.'

The floor of the telephone box shuddered and the pavement rose up. The Atrium seemed rather empty as Harry fell out of the telephone box. Harry led them all towards the watch-wizard who had weighed her wand, sat, but the desk was now deserted. Surely someone ought to have been there, Harry thought as they rushed through the golden gates to the lifts. And the noise of the lift rattling should have alerted somebody? 'Department of Mysteries,' the cool female voice said, and the grilles slid open. Harry rushed towards the plain black door. After months of dreaming about it, she was here at last, and like in her dream the door opened.

They were standing in a large, circular room. Everything in here was black including the floor and ceiling; identical, unmarked, handle-less black doors were set at intervals all around the black walls. The door shut behind them. In her dream, Harry had always walked across this room to the door immediately opposite the entrance and walked on. But there were around a dozen doors here. Just as she was gazing ahead at the doors opposite her, trying to figure out which was the right one, there was a great rumbling noise, the circular wall was rotating. For a few seconds as the wall sped around; then, quite suddenly as it had started, the rumbling stopped and everything became stationary once again.

'Does anybody else get the feeling that, that was a defence mechanism to stop us knowing which door we came through,' Ginny said in a hushed voice.

'But we don't want to go back,' Neville said. 'We want to move forwards.'

'Which way do we go? Do you know Harry?' Ron asked.

'The doors always seemed to just open, in my dreams - the next room should glitter, I'll know it when I see it, we should try a few doors.'

'Can you sense anything?' Hermione asked.

'Nothing,' Harry said. 'Not even you lot, from the moment we stepped through the door.'

...

Finding the right doors to go through had taken up some more time. Harry really did not want to go back to the other rooms they had been in. The Veil, though in its odd beauty was creepy and she did not want to know what the brains were being used for. Harry felt elated when she finally pushed opened the right door. The room as high as a church, full of nothing but shelves covered in small dusty glass orbs.

'Row ninety-seven,' Hermione confirmed.

'Yeah,' Harry breathed, looking up at the end of the closest row.

'We need to go right I think,' Hermione whispered, her wand light, lighting up the number on the next row. 'that row is fifty-four ...'

'OK, keep your wands ready,' Harry said. 'I still can't sense a thing.'

They crept forwards, glancing behind them as they went on down the long alleys of shelves, the further ends of which were in near total darkness. Tiny, yellow labels had been stuck beneath each glass orb on the shelves. Some of them had a weird, liquid glow; others were dull and dark within as blown light bulbs. They passed row eight-four ... eighty-five ... Harry was listening hard for the slightest sound of movement, but Sirius might be gagged now, or unconscious ...

'Ninety-seven!' whispered Hermione.

They stood grouped around the end of the row, gazing down the alley beside it. There was nobody there.

'He's right down at the end,' Harry said. 'You can't see properly from here.'

They reached the end of the row, still, nobody was there. Everything was just an echoing, dusty silence.

'He might be ...' Harry whispered hoarsely, peering down the next alley. 'Or maybe ...' she hurried to look down the one beyond that.

'Harry, I don't think Sirius is here.' Hermione said softly.

Nobody spoke after that. Harry did not want to look at any of them. She felt sick. She did not understand why Sirius was not there. He had to be here ... Harry had seen him ... She ran up the space at the end of the rows, staring down them. Empty aisle after empty aisle flickered past. She ran the other way, back to her staring companions. There was no sign of Sirius anywhere, nor any hint of a struggle.

'Harry?' Ron called.

'What?'

She did not want to hear what Ron had to say; did not want to hear Ron tell her she had been stupid or suggest they ought to go back to Hogwarts ...

'Have you seen this?'

'What?' Harry said, she strode back to where they were all standing, a little way down row ninety-seven, Ron was staring at one of the dusty glass spheres on the shelf.

'It's got your name on it,' Ron said pointing at one of the small glass spheres that glowed with a dull inner light, though it was very dusty and appeared not to have been touched for many years. She stepped forward. Not as tall as Ron, she had to tiptoe to read the yellowish label affixed to the shelf right beneath the dusty glass ball. In spidery writing was written a date of some sixteen years previously, and below that:

S.P.T to A.P.W.B.D.  
Dark Lord  
and Harianna Potter

Harry stared at it.

'What is it?' Ron asked, sounding unnerved. 'What's your name doing down here?'

Harry stopped tip-toeing, she closed her eyes in understanding, her dreams beginning to make some sense now. 'Mione, I'm so sorry I didn't listen to you.'

'Harry?' Hermione whispered.

'Be ready,' Harry said, 'I have a feeling we are not going to like what's about to happen.'

Harry reached up and lifted the glass ball down from its shelf.

'Very good Potter. Now turn around, nice and slowly, and give that to me,' said a wheezy voice in the shadows.

...

Black shapes were emerging out of thin air all around them, blocking their way left and right; eyes glinted through slits in the hood, a dozen lit wand tips were pointing directly at their hearts.

'To me,' repeated Pettigrew. His hand was held out in front of him, palm up.

'And just let Voldemort have it,' Harry said. 'After going to all this trouble of coming to retrieve it. He'll be most disappointed that you failed again Pettigrew.'

'You dare speak the Dark Lord's name?' raged a female voice, her wand raised and pointed at Harry.

'Yeah, I have no problem with saying Volde-'

'Shut your mouth!' she shrieked. 'You dare speak his name with your unworthy lips, you dare besmirch it with your half-blood tongue, you dare -'

'Didn't you know,' Harry said calmly, 'he's a half-blood too? Voldemort? Yeah, his mother was a witch but his dad was a Muggle - or has he been telling you lot he's pure-blood?'

'Stupef-'

'NO! Our Lord needs that prophecy, Bellatrix,' Pettigrew gasped.

Harry took the time, in which they were both looking at each other, to pass the glass sphere into the nearest hand she could reach behind her back.

'Now hand it over, Harianna,' Pettigrew repeated.

'Hand what over?' Harry asked dumbly, holding up her hands. 'As you can see none of us are holding anything but our wands.'

'Where is it?' Bellatrix demanded. 'Where is it? You had it in your hand just moments ago!'

'Well as much as we'd love to stand and chat to you, there are things we must be doing.' Harry said.

'You are not going anywhere until we get the prophecy,' Bellatrix raged.

'Then Voldemort should have done his own work instead of using other people to get it for him,' Harry said.

'Get it himself?' Bellatrix shrieked, letting out a mad cackle of laughter.

'The prophecy can only be taken by those it was made about. The Dark Lord wondered why you did not come sooner,' Pettigrew said. 'When he showed you the place it was hidden in your dreams.'

Harry moved back until she was brushing arms with the other. 'Smash the shelves,' she whispered. 'When I say now -'

'So, he got me to do his dirty work,' Harry said to Pettigrew. 'Lured me here under false pretence, because he knew the only person I'd willing risk my life for - all because of some stupid prophecy written about us.'

'Not stupid,' Pettigrew wheezed. 'It's the reason he tried to kill you as a baby.'

'Really?' Harry said. 'NOW!'

Five different voices behind her bellowed, 'REDUCTO!' Five curses flew in five different directions and the shelves opposite them exploded as they hit; the towering structure swayed as a hundred glass spheres burst apart -

'RUN!' Harry bellowed, grabbing Hermione and tugging her past the Death Eaters.

They were casting spells as the went, making a break for the door. Hermione sealed it behind them, only then did Harry notice that three of them had made it.

'Neville, where are the others?'

'No idea - I've got the prophecy they want though,' Neville said

'Shh!' Hermione hissed.

'Leave Nott,' Bellatrix shouted, 'leave him - his injuries will be nothing to the Dark Lord compared to losing that prophecy. We should spilt, into pairs - search every door.'

'What do we do?' Hermione said.

Harry smirked, 'You can't fight, what you can't see.'

'Harry! - Oh!' Hermione said.

'Under the desks quickly,' Harry said.

They ducked under the desk in the room. And Harry pointed her wand at each of them, muttering, ' _Effugiat!'_ And the door Hermione sealed swung open...

'Check under the desk,' said a rough voice.

Harry saw the knees of the Death Eaters bend, they looked under the desk.

'Nothing's here,' said the man Harry recognised from being in the _Daily Prophet:_ Antonin Dolohov. Harry crept out from under the desk.

' _Petrificus Totalus!'_ Harry said pointing her wand at the nearest one, the man became as stiff as a board. She turned to cast her next spell but her invisibility spell had faded, giving her position away.

'WE'VE GOT HER!' yelled Dolohov. 'IN AN OFFICE, OFF -'

' _Silencio!_ ' Hermione said jumping to her feet also.

But two more Death Eaters had come running into the office.

' _IMPEDIMENTA!'_

Harry, Hermione and Neville, who had just gotten to his feet were knocked backwards off their feet. Neville was thrown over the desk and disappeared from view; Hermione smashed into a bookcase, while Harry hit the stone wall behind her.

' _Accio prophecy!'_ one said, but nothing happened.

' _STUPEFY_!' Hermione bellowed the next second, and she Stunned the Death Eater who tried to Summon the prophecy. Dolohov made a sudden slashing movement with his wand; a streak of what looked like purple flame passed right through Hermione's chest and she crumbled on to the floor, where she lay motionless.

'HERMIONE!'

Harry fell to her knees beside Hermione as Neville crawled rapidly towards them from under the desk, his wand held up in front of him. Dolohov kicked out hard at Neville's head as he emerged - his foot broke Neville's wand in two and connected with his face. Harry turned herself around.

' _Stupefy!'_

The curse hit Dolohov right in his face and he fell over backwards into his fellow Death Eater. Harry raised her wand to the last Death Eater in the room. ' _EXPELLIARMUS!'_ Harry Summoned the ward towards her then put him into a Full-body bind as well.

'Whaddid he do to her?' Neville said, crawling out from under the desk to kneel at her other side, blood streaming from his swelling nose. He groped for Hermione's wrist. 'Dat's a pulse, Harry, I'd sure id is.'

'I dunno. Here,' Harry said, raising her wand to his nose, so she could heal it, then she passed him the stolen wand. 'And take this, you're going to need it.'

'My gran is going to kill me, that was my dad's old wand,' Neville said taking the wand from her. Harry picked up Hermione's wand.

'We need to find the others,' Harry said.

'I'll carry Hermione,' Neville said.

'Don't be silly,' Harry scowled causing Neville to frown at her a little. 'Use the Locomotion Charm. I'll defend us against any nasty surprises.'

'Oh,' Neville said, 'didn't think of that.' he raised the wand and pointed it at Hermione. ' _Locomotor!'_

Harry rolled her eyes, why did everyone seem to overlook the uses of simple spells?

'Harry?' Neville said nervously.

'Yeah?'

'The prophecy - it smashed as I hit the floor.'

'It doesn't matter -' Harry said understanding why the Summoning Charm failed to work.

'But -'

'Forget it, OK, it no longer matters.'

They crept out of the office and back towards the door into the black hallway, which was completely deserted. They walked a few steps forwards, Neville moving a floating Hermione's body through the air. The door swung shut behind them and the walls began to rotate once more. Before Harry could wonder which way to go a door to their right sprang open and three people fell out of it.

'Harry,' Ron giggled, his face was very white and something dark was trickling from the corner of his mouth, 'there you are ... ha ha ha ... you look funny, Harry ... you're all messed up.'

Harry looked up at the others, Ginny had slid down the wall into a sitting position, panting and holding her ankle.

'What happened?' Harry said running over.

'I think her ankle is broken,' Luna whispered. Harry tapped Ginny's ankle, just like Remus had done to Ron's leg back in the Shrieking Shack and bandages appeared. 'Four of them chased us into a dark room full of planets; it was a very odd place, some of the time we were just floating in the dark.'

'It's not healed, I can't mend broken bones,' Harry said as Ginny got to her feet.

'Thanks, though Harry,' she said.

'What happened to Ron?' Harry said, watching as Ron giggled at the unconscious Hermione. Ginny and Luna shrugged hopelessly.

Harry heaved Ron towards a door, she had one in twelve chance of getting the exit right first time - they were within a few feet of it when another door across the hall burst open and three Death Eaters sped in, led by Bellatrix Lestrange.

Harry yanked the door open, flung Ron into the room, turned to deflect the spells being fired at them, Harry backed into the room, slamming the door in Bellatrix's face. ' _Colloportus!'_

'It doesn't matter!' said a man's voice. 'There are other ways in - WE'VE GOT THEM, THEY'RE HERE!'

Harry spun around; they were back in the Brian Room and sure enough, there were doors all around the walls. She could hear footsteps behind them as Death Eaters came running to join the first. Harry, Neville and Luna began to seal the doors around the room but as Harry reached the very top of the room, she heard Luna cry out. She turned in time to see her flying through the air; five Death Eaters were surging into the room through the door she had not reached in time; Luna hit a desk, slid over its surface and on ti the floor where she lay sprawled, as still as Hermione.

'Get Potter!' shrieked Bellatrix, and she ran at her - Harry dodged sprinting back up the room.

'Hey!' said Ron, who had staggered to his feet and was now tottering towards Harry, giggling. 'Hey, Harry, there are brains in here, ha ha ha, isn't that weird?' Ron said.

'Ron, you utter genius!' Harry exclaimed she pushed him down to the floor. Spinning around she was surrounded once again by Death Eaters.

'You're out numbered Potter,' one of the Death Eaters said, pointing his wand at her chest. 'Give us the prophecy or your next words will be your last!'

'OK then! I solemnly swear I'm up to no good -' Harry raised her hands slowly, her wand pointed away from them. ' _Accio brains!'_

Harry ducked as she heard the tank burst, the brains flew out, the moment they made contact with the Death Eaters, tentacles began wrapping themselves around them.

'Harry, look what's happened - No - no I don't like it, stop - stop -' Ron said.

Harry turned. Ron must have touched one of the brains that had fallen to the floor. Harry tried to free him from its grip, but the tentacles would not break. Ron fell over, still thrashing against his bonds.

'Harry, it'll suffocate him!' Ginny screamed - then a jet of red light flew from a Death Eaters' wand and hit her squarely in the face. She keeled over sideways and lay there unconscious.

Harry and Neville were the only ones left, Harry pelted back up the room as Bellatrix Lestrange raced right at her; all she could think of doing was drawing the Death Eaters away from the others. It seemed to have worked; they streaked after her, not daring to bewitch her. She ran a few feet into a new room and left the floor to vanish - she fell hitting the ground with a thud, she was back in the room where the stone archway stood on its dais. The Death Eaters descended after her, while many more emerged through other doorways and began making their way towards getting to her feet, backing away, looking around, trying to keep all the Death Eaters within her sight. The back of her legs hit something solid: she had reached the dais where the archway stood.

'Now, Harianna,' Pettigrew said, 'hand over the prophecy.'

'Sorry rat,' Harry said. 'but it's gone!'

'Gone!' Bellatrix shrieked.

'That's right, one of you idiots smashed it, when you attacked us.' Harry said.

Pettigrew stepped forward, his silver hand gripped her tightly around her neck.

'You can't kill me,' Harry choked. 'I saved your life remember!'

But as Pettigrew went to release her, something odd and something very fast happened. The silver hand which Voldemort had conjured had fixed around his own throat, and a jet of red light had hit him the side, making him stumble and fall through ragged veil hanging from the arch.

'Now,' said a voice she recognised, 'kindly step away from my goddaughter - or land up like your rat of a friend,' Sirius said, 'the choice is simple really.'

He wasn't alone, Remus, Tonks, Kingsley and Mad-Eye were with him.

...

Spells were being fired in all directions, Harry held her hands above her head, and kept her body ducked as low as possible.

'Where are the others, Anna?' Remus shouted ducking as another spell was fired at him. Tonks made quick work of Stunning the Death Eater in return.

'Back there - brain attacked Ron, Ginny, Luna and Hermione are all unconscious, Neville's OK I think,' Harry said.

'Find them and get out of here,' Remus ordered.

Harry nodded, but no sooner had she moved, she keeled over, her scar searing in pain. She was on her knees clutching at her head. She was in such agony - the pain - she did not know where she was - her scar burst open - she was gone from the room, she locked in the coils of a creature with red eyes, so tightly bound that Harry that Harry did not know where body ended and the creatures began: they were fused together, bound by pain, and there was no escape - And when the creature spoke, it used Harry's mouth to speak, demanding the prophecy.

'This is not you Anna,' a voice spoke to her softly. Harry thought hands were touching her face. 'Listen to my voice, focus only on my voice. That's it - come on now - come back to me - let me see the goddaughter I know and love very much.'

 _Sirius!_ Harry thought. The reason why she had come here. Sirius was talking to her. Nothing was more important. She had to get back to him - had to! She loved him too.

'That's my girl - come on now.'

The voice was closer this time. His girl, he called her his girl, that was right, even if it was just by magical means - she had a family - Blood Magic had sealed it - her only family, the one person who tried everything to get formal custody of her. Harry's heart filled with emotion ... the creature's coils loosened, the pain was gone. She blinked her eyes open, staring into grey ones, Sirius' hands were indeed cupping her face. Sirius had moved her so they were hidden partly behind the stone veil.

'Hi,' Sirius muttered.

'Hey,' Harry said weakly, lifting her head slightly, 'thank you. I love you -'

'SIRIUS LOOK OUT!' Remus shouted.

Harry barely had time to turn her head, Bellatrix had made her way around to them, and a green stream of light had burst from her wand - heading towards Harry. Harry made to push Sirius, but her body didn't seem to want to obey her. Instead of Sirius being pushed away - his body fell on top of her - Harry's head hit hard on the stone floor, as Sirius toppled on top of her and there was a burning sensation on her right wrist. For a moment, she thought the curse had hit her -

'Sirius!' Harry said in a muffled voice, due to Sirius body squashing her. Damn the man he was heavy.

'Sirius, move!' Harry said. But he did not move. Harry managed to push his head a little, his mouth was parted and his eyes open and glazed over. 'SIRIUS!' she called desperately, shaking what she could of his form. 'SIRIUS!' His body was limp and despite the fact she could not feel his chest moving or hear the intake of a breath - she did not want to believe - it just wasn't possible.

'NO! NO! NO! NO!' Harry shook his form once more, Sirius's body rolled off, Harry moved so she was now bending beside him on her knees. 'Sirius - come on - please - please -' she reached out her arm, the shelve of her robe torn, enough so she could see that on the underside of her wrist, was the tattoo of the Black family crest. 'NO!'

A jet of red light admitted from somewhere in the distance and Harry looked up - Dumbledore had arrived and he had sent his spell towards Bellatrix who merely deflected it and skipped from the room singing, ' _I killed Sirius Black ... I killed Sirius Black ...'_

 _'_ ANNA NO!'

But Harry was not listening, she scrambled to her feet and broke into a run, chasing after Bellatrix who had just disappeared through a black door. Harry yanked at it, finding herself back in the Brain Room. Bellatrix aimed a curse over her shoulder. The tank rose into the air and tipped. Harry full of emotions, could fill her magic building, she blasted her way through it with just a wave of her hand. She did not care that she just cast wandless magic - she was on a mission - a mission to cause as much pain as possible. She leapt over Luna, who was groaning, past Ginny who stared at her wide eyed, past Ron who was giggling feebly at the now immobilised brain. 'Harry? - what -?' she heard Neville say as she streaked past him and the unconscious form of Hermione.

She wrenched open the door into the circular black hall and saw Bellatrix disappearing through a door on the other side of the room; beyond her was the corridor leading back to the lifts. Harry ran and caught the door just before it shut - now back in the main corridor Harry could sense Bellatrix's movements - she could also hear a lift clattering ahead; she sprinted up the passageway, swung around the corner and jammed the button to call for a lift.

By the time, Harry had entered the Atrium Bellatrix was almost at the telephone lift at the other end of the hall, she looked back and aimed another spell at Harry. Harry dodged, her own wand firmly in her hand now, she raised it.

' _CRUCIO_!' Bellatrix merely tripped. So, Harry tried again. ' _CRUCIO_!'

This time Bellatrix gave a cackled laugh, 'You have to mean it.'

' _Crucio!'_ Harry hollowed.

'Ahhh poor little baby Potter - did you love him - is that why you're trying so desperately to avenge my dear cousin!' she laughed. 'righteous anger won't hurt me for long, I'll show you how it's done shall I?'

'Bella!' a cold voice warned in the distance.

Tall, thin and black-hooded, his terrible snakelike face white and gaunt, his scarlet, slit-pupilled eyes staring ... Lord Voldemort had appeared in the middle of the hall, his wand pointing at Harry.

'So, where is my prophecy - Harry?' he said softly.

'Smashed, by your Death Eaters no less,' Harry said, staring at him despite the pain in her scar. 'So, you decided to show your face finally after trying to possess me.'

'Master, it is lies - we would never -'

'She speaks the truth, Bella ... I can tell that much ... months of preparation, months of effort ... and my Death Eaters have let Harry Potter thwart me again ...'

'Master, I am sorry, I knew not, I was fighting with the werewolf - I managed to evade his attacks, killing the Animagus Black!' Bellatrix sobbed, flinging herself down at Voldemort's feet as he paced slowly nearer. 'Master you should know -'

'Be quiet Bella,' Voldemort said dangerously. 'I shall deal with you in a moment. Do you really think I entered the Ministry of Magic to hear your snivelling apologies?'

'But Master - he is here - he is below -'

Voldemort paid no attention.

'I have nothing more to say to you Potter,' he said quietly. 'You have irked me too often, for too long. _AVADA KEDAVRA!'_

Harry froze on the spot, as she watched the jet of green light emit from his wand. But a headless golden statue of the wizard in the fountain had sprung alive, leaping from its plinth to land with a crash on the floor between Harry and Voldemort. The spell merely glanced off its chest as the statue flung out its arms to protect Harry.

'What?' Voldemort cried, staring around. And then he breathed, ' _Dumbledore!'_

Harry looked around, Dumbledore was now standing in front of the golden gates. Voldemort raised his wand and another jet of green light streaked at Dumbledore, who turned and was gone in a whirling of his cloak. Next second, he had reappeared behind Voldemort.

'It was foolish of you to come here tonight Tom,' Dumbledore said calmly. 'The Aurors are on their way -'

'By which time I shall be gone, and you will be dead!' Voldemort spat. He sent another killing curse but missed, instead of hitting the security guard's desk, which burst into flame.

'You do not seek to kill me, Dumbledore?' Voldemort said.

'We both know that there are others ways of destroying a man, Tom,' Dumbledore said.

'There is nothing worse than death, Dumbledore!' Voldemort snarled.

'You are quite wrong,' Dumbledore said calmly. 'Indeed, your failure to understand that there are things much worse than death has always been your greatest weakness -'

Another jet of green light - but a burst of flame appeared in mid-air - Fawkes swooped down in front of Dumbledore, opened his beak wide and swallowed the jet of the green light whole: he burst into flame and fell to the floor, small, wrinkled and flightless. Voldemort hissed. Then he was gone - Bellatrix screamed. Harry sure Voldemort had decided to flee made to run out from behind the statue, only to collapse in the middle of the floor.

She could feel her scar burst open again, but this time she would not, would not let Voldemort possess her, being possessed had cost her Sirius. She could sense Voldemort now, could feel his magic.

'Nnnnooooo!' Harry shouted, pushing him out from her mind, using every bit of strength she could summon. Her emotions were high and they were so forceful, that when Voldemort's body reappeared, he was blasted backwards, twisting oddly in the air, and then tumbled onto the ground. Voldemort got to his feet slowly, his red eyes widening with surprise and for the first time, he looked fearfully at Harry.

Footsteps could be heard along the hall - Fudge had appeared with another Ministry works and Voldemort vanished once more. Bellatrix had gone from their sight too.

'He was there!' shouted a scarlet-robed man, pointing at the spot Voldemort had been in moments ago, 'I saw him, Mr Fudge, I swear it was You Know Who.'

'I know, Williamson, I know, I saw him too! Fudge said. 'Merlin's beard - here - _here! -_ in the Ministry of Magic! - it doesn't seem possible - my word - how can this be-?'

'If you proceed downstairs into the Department of Mysteries, Cornelius,' said Dumbledore. 'You will find several escaped Death Eaters contained in the Death Chamber, bound by an Anti-Disapparation Jinx, and awaiting your decision as what do with them.'

'Dumbledore!' Fudge gasped, beside himself with amazement. 'You here - I - I' He looked wildly around at the Aurors he had brought with him.

'Cornelius, a few moments ago you saw proof with your own eyes, that I have been telling you the truth for a year, please do not waste your time trying to fight me,' Dumbledore said. 'Now I will explain everything once I returned Harianna - forgive me - Lady Potter, back to Hogwarts.'

* * *

 _ **A.N. I was in two minds as in what I was going to about Sirius's death ... and I'm sorry to all my Sirius/Anna fans ... but his death simply made Harry grow as a character ... so I thought if I was going to kill him, why not do it a different way ... last chapter of the book five coming up ... Harry learns about the prophecy and Sirius's funeral x**_


	99. Chapter 99

When Harry arrived back at Hogwarts via the Porkey Dumbledore had given her, she found herself in Dumbledore's office. Everything seemed to have repaired itself during the Headmaster's absence. The portraits of the previous headmasters and headmistresses were snoozing in their frames. Harry walked to the desk and sank down in the chair opposite ... her mind whirling ... her thoughts on Sirius ...

She did not want to believe it, but yet she had felt the tattoo burn onto her skin. Harry pulled at her sleeve, and closed her eyes. When she opened them, she was not going to see the Black family crest upon her skin and Sirius - Sirius would be alive. But when Harry did, in fact open her eyes, she saw that underneath the thin silver bracelet that glittered, the Black family crest. She traced the tattoo. It was proof - that in fact Sirius was dead - after all she knew very well that magic could not lie - it could mislead - but it could not lie. Sirius was dead and it was all her fault ...

The fireplace burst into emerald green flames. Dumbledore stepped out, and swept into the room, he walked over to the perch and from the inside of his robes withdrew the tiny form of Fawkes, and placed him gently on the tray of soft aches beneath the golden post where the full-grown Fawkes usually stood.

'You will be pleased to hear,' he said calmly, 'that none of your fellow students are going to suffer lasting damage from the night's events.'

Harry did not wish to be reminded how much damage she had caused. And although Dumbledore was now looking at her directly, Harry avoided his eyes.

'Madam Pomfrey is patching everybody up,' said Dumbledore. 'Nymphadora Tonks may need to spend a little time in St Mungo's, but it seems she will make a full recovery.'

For a moment, Harry wondered why he was telling this - had it been to make her feel guiltier than she already did - and then she remembered with a pain of regret - she was now the Head of the house of Black, she had a duty to its members, the ones loyal to her at least. Harry merely nodded in response.

'I know how you are feeling,' Dumbledore said quietly. 'You do not need to hide behind your Occlumency shields, Harry.'

So, she was Harry again now? After he had avoided her this whole year. And he presumed to know how she was feeling, Harry wanted to destroy - to smash, something, anything - and several of the instruments on Dumbledore's desk, though hearing her thoughts, exploded breaking apart.

'There is no shame in what you are feeling. On the contrary ... the fact you can feel pain like this is your greatest strength. This pain is part of being human - Harry - Anna -'

At the sound of hearing her nickname, the whole room shook.

'I apologise, Harry, I should not have called you that without permission,' Dumbledore said calmly, and he sat down opposite her. 'I only wish for you to look at me - and listen to what I have to say - than by all means, you are more than welcome to destroy my things - I daresay I have too many.'

Harry did not look up.

'It was not your fault Sirius died,' Dumbledore said. Harry's head snapped up, eyeing the man opposite her closely. 'If anyone is to blame, then it is me. It is my fault, almost entirely my fault - I will not be so arrogant as to take responsibility for the whole. Sirius was a brave, clever and energetic man, who like yourself would have done anything to help you, even if it meant going directly into danger. Nevertheless, you should never have believed for an instant that there was any necessity for you to go to the Department of Mysteries tonight. If I had been open with you, Harry, as I should have been. You would have known that Voldemort might try and lure you there, and you would have never been tricked into going. And Sirius would not have had to come after you. That blame lies with me, and me alone.'

'Harry I owe you an explanation,' said Dumbledore. 'An explanation of an old man's mistakes. I guessed, fifteen years ago, when I saw the scar on your forehead, what it might mean. I guessed that it might be a sign of a connection forged between you and Voldemort. And I was correct, for shortly after you rejoined the magical world, your scar was giving you warnings when Voldemort was close to you, or else feeling powerful emotion.'

'And this ability of yours - to detect Voldemort's presence, even when he is disguised, and to know what he is feeling when his emotions are roused - has become more pronounced since he returned to his own body. I became concerned that he might realise that this connection between you exists. Sure enough, the night you witnessed the attack on Mr Weasley he sensed your presence.'

'Sirius informed me you felt Voldemort awake inside of you the very night that you had the vision of Arthur Weasley's attack. I feared Voldemort may try to possess you and on the rare occasion when we had close contact I thought I saw a shadow of him stir behind your eyes ... so I arranged Occulmency lessons with Professor Snape.'

 _'It didn't work, I still couldn't shut him out,'_ Harry projected over, she was not going to talk to him.

'The mind, is a wondrous thing, it has many layers - learning Occulmency is not easy - especially for an Empath,' Dumbledore explained. 'We rely too heavily on our emotions, to feel and sense the magic around us. Though in the end, you managed to shut Voldemort out. With so much force and with so much emotion, that not only did you project your feelings but also your magic, so much so you cast wandless magic. Controlled wandless magic, however emotional you may have been, you attacked who had attacked you. So I believe Voldemort will unlikely try to possess you again.'

' _Great use that is now!_ ' Harry thought. _'I tried - I tried to check - Hermione was worried, mentioned my "saving people" thing - so we went to Umbridge's office, I spoke to Kreacher in the fire and he said Sirius wasn't there.'_

'Kreacher lied,' Dumbledore said. 'He intended for you to go to the Ministry of Magic. It seems when Sirius shouted at him to get "out" shortly before Christmas, Kreacher took his word and left. He wondered around the Lestranges place, after all, he could not go to the Malfoy's, he knew them to be spies. So when the break out happened Kreacher began to serve more than one master.'

Harry looked at him puzzled, wondering how he knew all this.

'Kreacher told me.' Dumbledore said. 'After you gave Professor Snape that cryptic warning, he realised what you had meant. He contacted Sirius at once. When you had not returned from the Forest, he grew worried and alerted certain Order members at once. Sirius told Kreacher to inform me what had happened. So he did. He was not able to betray us totally. He is not Secret Keeper for the Order, he could not give away our whereabouts, or tell them our confidential plans, that he had been forbidden to reveal. He did, however, give Voldemort information, he could have easily picked up upon - after all, it was all over the _Daily Prophet_ after the second task.'

' _He told them that the one person I'd go to any lengths to rescue it would be my godfather_.' Harry could not even bring herself to mention his name.

'Yes,' Dumbledore said. 'And all because of something I should have told you five years ago.'

'Now I did not believe for a moment that Voldemort was gone forever the night, he gave you that scar,' Dumbledore said. 'It became my priority to keep you alive - I knew Voldemort's knowledge of magic is perhaps more extensive than any wizard alive. I knew that even my most complex and powerful protective spells and charms were unlikely to be invincible if he ever returned to power. But I also knew where he was weak and I made my decision. You would be protected by an ancient magic of which he knows, but despises.'

' _You used Blood Magic_ ,' Harry projected. ' _That's why you left me there. You made me suffer ten hellish years, do you know that? - Hell even longer than that -_ '

The room shook again and Dumbledore sighed softly. 'I knew you would suffer, but to protect you I needed to put trust in your mother's blood. And however grudgingly, unwillingly, your aunt still took you. While you can still call home the place where your mother's blood dwells, there you cannot be touched or harmed by Voldemort. he shed your mothers' blood, but it lives on in you and her sister. And in taking you in, she sealed the charm I placed upon you. You need return there only once a year before your birthday.'

' _So, that's why you refused to help - with the guardianship appeal.'_

'Yes, then now, five years ago,' Dumbledore said. 'you arrived at Hogwarts, safe and intact. And well, you will remember the events of your first year at Hogwarts as well as I do. You found yourself facing off against Voldemort much sooner than I expected. And you asked me a question, Harry do you remember?'

' _Yeah_ ,' Harry thought. ' _I asked why did he try to kill me in the first place?_ '

'I told myself you were too young,' Dumbledore said. 'I did not want to worry you or scare you, so I did not answer you. And that was my flaw, I watched you year after year rise to the occasion. My flaw was I care about your happiness, I cared about it much more then your knowing the truth.'

' _Pettigrew, before he died said it was because of a prophecy that Voldemort tried to kill me_.'

'Yes,' Dumbledore said. 'Shortly before your birth, it was made. Voldemort knew it had been made, though he did not know its full contacts. And we, of course, know his next set of actions. So since his return to his body, he has been determined to hear that prophecy in its entirety. This is the weapon he has been seeking since his return: the knowledge of how to destroy you.'

' _The prophecy smashed though_.'

'The thing that smashed was merely the record of the Prophecy,' Dumbledore said. 'I happened to hear the prophecy in full, sixteen years ago, from an applicant who had applied for the post as Divination teacher ... I am talking of course about our dear Professor Trelawney.'

Dumbledore got to his feet and walked past Harry to the cabinet that stood beside Fawkes and withdrew Pensieve, placing it upon his desk, raised his wand to his temple. From it, he withdrew silvery, fin stands of thought clinging to the wand and deposited them into the basin. He sat back down behind his desk, he then raised his wand and prodded at the silvery substance with its tip. Professor Trelawney's figure rose out of it and when she spoke, it was in the harsh, hoarse tones Harry had heard her use once before ...

 _'The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches ... born to those who have thrice defeated him, born as the seventh month dies ... and the Dark Lord will mark her as his equal, but she will have power the Dark Lord knows not ... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives ...'_

Harry thought it over. The power he didn't know she would have - her mother's sacrifice, and neither of them could live while the other survived - ' _So basically ... in the end, one of us is going to have to kill the other ...'_

'Yes,' Dumbledore said simply.

For a long time, neither of them spoke. Harry looked out of the window, the sun had risen now.

'Harry,' Dumbledore said quietly, 'you should know that Sirius's body has been moved to Headquarters, Remus, of course, _informed_ me that he was not to be buried with the other Black family members, the choice -'

'Runewald,' Harry said hoarsely, speaking to him the first time.

'Then I will place it under the Fidelius Charm,' Dumbledore said quietly. 'If you would like I could be -'

'NO!' Harry said and the room shook once more. 'There's only one person - I trust enough to guard that secret if he is willing.'

'I'm sure he will be most willing, he has always done what he could to help you after all,' Dumbledore said.

Harry rose from the seat, making her way to the door, turning around when she reached it, 'It might be best if people thought you were though.'

...

Harry stood at the doors of which beyond them, lay the Great Hall. Harry had been avoiding the rest of the school when she could. Meal times she snuck down to the kitchens, barely eating a thing. She knew what would happen the moment she opened these doors ... almost a week ago, she had read it ...

 _HE WHO MUST NOT BE NAMED RETURNS_

Harry had frowned at the headline, and she had run a hand through her hair. She did not want to read what the Ministry had to say. Though her confiscated things had been returned to her - well placed on her bed for her, as she had been avoiding the school - Harry was not going to accept any form of apology. She flicked through the pages of the paper, stopping at the announcements and in black and white, in a small box, she read the official announcement of Sirius's death. She tossed the paper to one side and stared out at the view. Her wandering had brought her to the lake earlier that day and Harry did not want to think about her godfather or remember that she had pulled him out from this very vast lake or that she had saved him from Dementors once - but a thought had hit her - as much as Dumbledore blamed himself for not telling her the truth - Harry could have easily cast a Patronus - just because she had not known where any of the Order happened to be, it did not mean she could not have cast one and sent a message to the very man Voldemort feared. Sirius's death lied once again as her own fault ...

And the whole school would know she was the new Head of House, as part of a wizarding tradition they would welcome and respect her as such ... and Harry could not get out of it ... Remus was coming to collect her from the Great Hall ... but Harry did not want to face the people in the Hall, if at all and especially not alone ... her hand shook as she made to reach for the door, but she dropped it again. Harry looked up at the stairs, sensing magic.

'The door is not going to open by itself, you know,' Luna said in a dreamy voice.

'I - I,' Harry said struggling to find the words.

'I was late down because I had been putting up signs,' Luna explained. 'I've lost my possessions. People take them and hide them, but I really do need them back.'

'People, take your stuff?'

'Yes, well not so much since I became friends with you,' she shrugged, 'but well people seem to think I'm a bit odd, you know.'

'You could always Summon them you know?' Harry said.

'Yes,' Luna said quite dreamily, 'but where is the lesson in that?'

'Umm,' Harry said quietly, shaking her head. 'Actions always do have a consequence.'

'I'm sorry about your godfather, Harry,' Luna said softly. 'I lost my mother when I was nine, I blamed myself for quite some time actually - she was quite an extraordinary witch, you know, but she loved to experiment, and I loved to watch her. One of her spells went rather badly wrong ...'

'I'm sorry,' Harry mumbled.

'Yes, it was rather horrible,' Luna said conversationally. 'But it's not as though I'll never see mum again, is it?'

A memory occurred to Harry, something Sirius had once told her, ' _The ones that love us, Anna, never truly leave us, you can always find them ... in here.'_

'Would you like me to walk into the Hall with you?' Luna asked, indicating to the door.

Harry turned to the door in question and nodded. Luna pushed it open and together they stepped into the Great Hall. At the sound of the door opening many students' heads turned, there was a sudden shuffle as students hastened to rise from their seats. Even the teachers had risen from their seats - a wizarding custom - they bowed their heads as she walked past. Though there were a few members of the Slytherin who had remained seated, but Harry had expected that. She had not expected the Gryffindor table to look so different, it seemed shorter, or perhaps it looked as such because not only were the Gryffindor members sitting at the table, but a few members of Slytherin had joined them. Standing near her bests friends, where Draco, Blaise and Daphne. Harry made her way towards the gap, which she knew had been purposely left. There was a small amount of movement as her friends budged along one more so that Luna could sit with them. She slid into the seat next to Draco and sat down, hearing the other students doing the same.

'Well at least that's is over and done with,' Luna muttered.

'What was that Luna?' Hermione said.

'Oh, I was simply mentioning that mail had arrived.' Luna replied dreamily.

Chatter resumed in the Hall as the post arrived, as people spoke about their plans for the holidays.

'No idea, what we'll be up too,' Neville said. 'But I'm sure it will be dreadfully boring.'

'Daddy and I are going to go on an expedition to Sweden to see if we can catch a Crumple-Horned Snorkack,' Luna said, 'you'll be most welcome to join us.'

'Ummm, thanks, Luna,' Neville said, 'but I have no idea what one of those even are, I think it's probably best if I leave it to you.'

'Oh, Fred and George's swamp has been taken care of,' Ginny said, 'I saw Flitwick get rid of it this morning, he did it in about three seconds. But he left a tiny patch under the window and he's roped it off -'

'How comes?' Hermione said.

'Because it was a really good bit of magic,' said Ginny.

'I suppose Filch is not happy,' Harry said. 'Now all the mayhem has been settled because Dumbledore is back.'

'Nope, not at all,' Ginny said. 'Keeps saying Umbridge was the best thing that ever happened to Hogwarts.'

'Speaking of Umbridge,' Ron said, grinning, 'did you hear what Peeves did to her when she tried to leave last night?'

'No,' Harry said.

'He chased her out of the castle,' Ron laughed, 'whacking her alternatively with a walking stick he "borrowed" from Professor McGonagall, and a sock full of chalk.'

Harry couldn't help but laugh along with the others, she was grateful towards her friends, and she knew exactly what they were trying to do. Professor McGonagall walked down the table to escort her out, Remus waited for them by the Hall doors.

Runewald had not changed. Sun shone over the fields that surrounded the cottage. Harry now sat on the edge of her bed in her bedroom, eyeing the lacy navy blue dress that had been brought for her. His one request - no Black, but she could not bring herself to wear a bright colour, she didn't want to get changed at all ... she looked around her room and remembered the first time she had stepped into it.

 _Sirius had brought her things up the stairs, he had just taken her on a tour around the cottage. 'I saved the best room for last.' he told her, coming to stop at an empty wall._

 _'Sirius,' Harry frowned. 'There's nothing here.'_

 _'Not at the moment there isn't,' Sirius grinned, and he indicated to part of the wall. 'Place your hand just there - and wait.'_

 _Harry laughed as she done so, a door had revealed itself to her, and it bore her name. 'You used magic to conceal it?'_

 _Sirius nodded. 'It's magically connected to you as well now, no one can enter it unless you allow them too. Well apart from myself.'_

 _Harry pushed the door open, the room had been decorated in cream and gold, she stared around the room - speechless._

 _'What's the matter?' Sirius asked. 'Do you not like it, I could always -'_

 _'It's lovely,' Harry said, hugging him, 'thanks, Sirius.'_

Harry could feel tears, rolling down her cheeks, well that would not do, there was something she had to do first. If she cried now, she would never accomplish it. She rubbed the tears from her face, picked up the dress and began to change. The funeral was to take place outside. Chairs had been arranged into rows. There were only four of them, it was private funeral after all. Mad-Eye and Kingsley were to be on guard, and Tonks was to sit in the front row, near Harry and Remus. Harry walked down to the front row, Mr and Mrs Weasley, Bill and George were sitting in the row behind hers. Harry took her place next to Remus, he gave her a smile that did not reach his amber eyes. He too was blaming himself. Harry returned with a smile of her own. Neither of them spoke any words, none were needed, they just joined in each-others grief. Someone was speaking, now, but Harry was hardly listening.

 _'I hate this place,' Sirius said suddenly. 'I never wanted to be Lord Black.'_

 _It was a few days after Harry had seen his tattoo._

' _Toujours Pur,' Sirius shuddered as he revealed it once more. 'I would have never brought you here, too many bad memories.' he explained. 'They, my family ... and their pure-blooded views ... I hated the lot of them.'_

 _'Then, why come back here?' Harry said. 'Why not offer Runewald as Headquarters?'_

 _'Because I did not want you to associate, Runewald with the Order,' Sirius explained. 'It's your home.'_

 _Harry looked down at the tattoo. 'You don't like the tattoo because of what it means right? Always Pure.'_

 _'It's just a reminder of everything I did not want to be,' Sirius said._

 _'Then why not change it,' Harry suggested._

 _'Anna, you can't just magically change a family crest,' Sirius said. 'I would have tried before now if it had been possible.'_

 _'You miss understand,' Harry explained. 'I did not mean to change the crest, I meant to change the meaning of what Toujours Pur represents. Instead of it meaning to be always Pure-blooded - why not change it to mean to always be pure of heart.'_

 _Sirius gave a bark like laugh. 'Change the meaning ... I had not thought of that ... pure of heart huh?'_

 _'Yeah,' Harry nodded._

 _'OK, kiddo,' Sirius said. 'You've got it, pure of heart it is.'_

 _They looked at each other and laughed at their silliness._

 _'Do I want to know what you two are planning now?' a voice said from the doorway. Remus was eyeing them critically. 'The last time I left you two alone, I landed up wearing a tutu for a week.'_

 _Harry and Sirius looked at each other once more and laughed even harder._

Harry heard a snort from beside her and she looked up. It seemed Remus was also struggling to control his emotions. But he had been listening to what was being said, unlike Harry. And she heard him mutter, 'Oh, he knew when to be serious alright.' Harry too snorted. Sirius loved that pun about his name.

 _Harry could smell something burning. The smell had woken her up. She made her way down the stairs and into the kitchen ... Sirius was standing by the stove, his wand out extinguishing the smoke from the room._

 _'What on earth did you burn?' Harry asked._

 _Sirius whipped around, 'Everything!'_

 _Harry laughed. 'You should have just waited for me to wake up. I could have done it.'_

 _'That was the whole point in me cooking breakfast - so you would rest,' Sirius said._

 _A grouchy voice came into the kitchen. 'Seriously!' Remus grumbled. 'You should have waited for one of us, instead of trying to burn the house down.'_

 _'I just turned my back for a second!' Sirius held up his hands in surrender. 'Honestly!'_

 _Remus rolled his eyes. 'I think it's best we have breakfast out this morning. Before something horrible happens.' he shook his head. 'I also think we need to give you cooking lessons.' Remus went to leave the kitchen. 'And I'm being completely serious.'_

 _'But I'm always Sirius,' Sirius retorted._

 _Remus glared at him, walked out of the kitchen slamming the door. Sirius turned to Harry and winked, a grin plastered on his face._

 _'Winds him up every time,' Sirius laughed. 'You'd think that after years of hearing it, he would've learned by now.'_

'Anna?' Remus muttered. 'You're up ... are you sure you want to do this?'

Harry nodded and stood up making her way to face everyone. The poem in her hands. She wanted to do something for the man who had wanted her. The man who wanted to give her a life. A family. He had asked her once how she felt about adoption and Harry was unsure, how she felt about it at the time. She had not wanted to give up her surname - not that he had asked her too, but Sirius had thought he was a good way around the Ministry, he would no longer need to apply for guardianship. So, Harry wanted to do something - wanted to give him something - she had not spoken in public before, so she did not look up. She glanced merely at the sheet and willed that she would be able to hold herself together ... just long enough to do this for the man, who had been the closest thing to a parent she had ever had.

'To those I love and those who love me.' Harry read, 'When I am gone, release me, let me go I have so many things to see and do. You mustn't tie yourself to me with tears -' she choked.

'Be happy that we had so many years. I gave you my love, you can only guess - how much you gave to me in happiness.' she took a breath, 'I thank you for the love you each have shown, but now it's time I travelled on alone. So, grieve a while for me, if grieve you must,' she could feel tears welling in her eyes now.

'Then let your grief be comforted by trust. It's only for a while that we must part, so bless the memories within your heart. I won't be far away - for life goes on, and if you need me, call and I will come. Though you can't see or touch me, I'll be near,' Harry could barely make out the words now. 'And if you listen with your heart, you'll hear all of my love around you soft and clear. And then, when you must come this way alone, I'll greet you with a smile and "Welcome Home".'

Her feet carried her, but she wasn't aware if she had made it back to her seat. The pain was too much ... reality had finally kicked in ... and the one person she wanted ... the one person she most needed was not there to be a comfort to her. Arms wrapped around her, her head resting on a broad shoulder and she could smell a musky scent ... though tears had now blinded her sight, she knew who it must be ... George ...

'My fault ... it was all my fault ...' Harry rambled. 'I believed - he wouldn't be dead if it wasn't for me.'

'It wasn't your fault, not for a second,' George replied softly.

'You don't understand - oh it's hurts so much, it won't stop,' she mumbled, 'make it stop - he could - always knew what to do - only one that cared enough - Muggles - never been wanted before - oh George.' she wailed as more memories came to mind.

 _'Wingy?' Sirius suggested._

 _'No!'_

 _'Flighty?'_

 _'No!' Harry said. 'I meant it when I said I wasn't having a stupid marauder nickname.'_

 _'Beaky?'_

 _'GOD NO!'_

 _'Why not?'_

 _'That's Buckbeak's nickname.'_

 _'Right,' Sirius said looking back up at the stars in the night sky. 'Sure, is a starry night, I forgot the last time I was able to do this.'_

 _'That's it!'_

 _'What's it?'_

 _'Starry - you know Starling being the type of bird I am - so starry, kinda makes sense -'_

 _'The Marauders; Mooney, Padfoot, Prongs and Starry,' Sirius said testing it. 'OK kiddo you win. Now to change that Map.'_

...

' _Anna, I think we need to have a talk about BOYS!' Sirius suddenly said._

 _Harry looked up at him, he seriously was not thinking of having this conversation, out in public, in front of all these people. They were in a middle of a restaurant for Christ sake!_

 _'Look if this is about that boy trying to chat me up,' Harry said. 'I can handle it.'_

 _'It's not about that boy,' Sirius growled, 'but he made me realise that you are at that age, where you'll begin to notice boys and in return have boys notice you.'_

 _'Can't we have this conversation at home?'_

 _'I don't see what is so wrong with now!' Sirius stated, 'Now where was I - boys - now, there will come a time when you will start having crushes and go on dates. As your godfather, not only is it my duty to inform the scum he is not worthy but I also need to cover the basics with you.'_

 _'Not here!' Harry muttered, desperately._

 _'Now, when you go on a date, make sure you stick to boundaries, hand holding - I can live with - but full blown snogging and I'll wring their necks.' he said._ _'And if they even think of trying to take things further, or try to rush you into - into - anything more -'_

 _'Sex!' Harry said, feeling her face heat up. 'the word you're looking for is sex.'_

 _'Yes, that - if they push or force you into doing that - I'll kill them!'_

 _'Sirius!' Harry snapped. 'I've kissed one boy, OK? Just the one! I do not go around snogging every boy-'_

 _'You've already kissed someone?' Sirius asked bewildered. 'WHO?' he demanded._

 _' - nor does that mean I want to sleep with every boy!' Harry finished._

 _'WHO WAS IT? WHO KISSED YOU?'_

 _'George ... George Weasley ...'_

 _'Right ... I'll be having words with him.'_

Harry groaned as she lifted her head up. She felt slightly groggy. She must have fallen asleep. She was not in her room however, she had been placed in the guest room where Remus had often stayed. She felt rested and slightly lighter ... and she realised it was because she broke down. The sun was setting now, though that did not tell her how long she had been asleep for. She sat up noticing as she did so, an envelope had been placed on the chest of drawers. It was addressed to her ... in Sirius's handwriting. She made her way to over open it, she bit her lip as she tore it open.

 _Anna,_

 _If you have received this letter, then I guess I have met my match. Do not blame yourself, my death will never be your fault. I know you too well so if you're blaming yourself, stop. However, it happens whether it be on a lousy mission or I just do something completely stupid. It would be due to a choice I made. Besides kiddo I've had a good run, it's just for me, my mischief is managed. I will never stop protecting you like, I never stopped searching for a way for you to come and live with me. It is and will always be my duty. Not just because I'm your godfather but because I truly care for you._

 _You spoke to me in concern of turning dark, Harianna, you are the least dark person I know. Never forget who you are, stay true to yourself, Toujours Pur, remember. Even that means you continue to oblivious to those around you and fail to notice the things you are accomplishing. I'm proud of you, kiddo. My last request is easy, give the Death Eaters and Voldemort hell for me kiddo. Oh, and add a good old whack in Remus's direction for me. He'll know what it's for._

 _All my love, Sirius._

 _P.S. Don't forget to cause lots of trouble._

The letter caused Harry to smile slightly, Sirius always did know just what to say to make her feel better. Glancing out the window, she can see the new grave from here, and the new headstone with her godfather's name upon it. She knew inscription that was it on it well; _Never forget. Never give up. Never give in_.

'Just try and stop me,' Harry whispered, 'Just you try and stop me.'

Never forget, never give up, never give in. She could do this now more than ever. Voldemort and his Death Eaters had better watch this space Harry was coming for them.

...

 ** _A.N. Sirius funeral poem is called, I am always with you, it's by an unknown author - which_** ** _was very emotional to write as it was actually the poem I read at my own Dad's funeral ... so Harry's feelings at the funeral scene is very much how I felt at the time - I could literally put myself in her place - losing the only father figure she had ever known - like I had done, so I may have shed a few tears but it made it easier to connect to the character ... so that's it for book five. I'll be back shortly with book six, when I've figured out just exactly how I'm going to make it work ..._**


	100. Chapter 100

**_A.N. Warning, there probably won't be as many twists as turns as I would like in book six, but I will try my utmost to tell it my own way. This chapter hasn't been approved by my beta and that's due to the fact that I haven't had much luck getting hold of her. If anyone has any requests for Little Insights please do let me know ... I aim to update it in the next couple of days, for now, enjoy!_**

...

A figure was hastily walking through the chilly mist. And a second hooded figure materialised.

'Cissy, wait!' the second figure called. 'Narcissa - listen to me -'

'Go back Bella!'

'You must listen to me!'

'I've listened already. I've made my decision. Leave me alone!'

The women called Narcissa reached the top of the bank where a line of old railings separated the river from a narrow-cobbled street. The other women, Bella, followed at once. Side by side they stood looking across the road at the rows and rows of dilapidated brick houses, their windows dull and blind in the darkness.

'He lives here?' Bella asked at once. 'Here? In this Muggle dunghill? We must be the first of our kind ever to set foot -'

But Narcissa was not listening, she was already hurrying across the road.

'Cissy, you must not do this, you can't trust him -'

'Enough, the Dark Lord gave me something to do -' Narcissa said. 'And I intend to do it.'

'The Dark Lord is ... I believe to be ... mistaken ... trusting him -'

'I know your opinion,' Narcissa said. 'But if he is truly one of us, like Lucius believe him to be - after all without him, we would not have the information we required for this plan, to begin with - then he will do the task given to him, without a complaint - if not, then you can have the honours.'

'But Draco?'

'Is too young to fully understand,' Narcissa replied. 'He will do as he is asked, but you know as well as I, he can no longer betray the Black Head of House. They are close - he has accepted her -'

'Little filthy half-blood, taking what was rightfully mine,' Bella sneered. 'You know the Dark Lord wishes to -'

'I know,' Narcissa replied. 'which is why it is important Draco does not know everything about the plan.'

'Very well,' Bella said. 'I still think you are being foolish.'

'Then we'll use - the old way.'

'The Unbreakable Vow!' Bella said in a hushed tone. 'Do you think he will swear to it.'

'I believe so,' Narcissa replied. 'Come now.'

They moved deeper into the deserted labyrinth of brick houses. At last, they hurried up a street called Spinner's End. The reached the very last house, where a dim light glimmered through curtains in a downstairs room. Narcissa knocked and together they stood waiting. After a few seconds, they heard movement behind the door and it opened a crack. A silver of a man could be seen looking out at them, a man with long black hair parted in curtains around a sallow face and black eyes. Narcissa threw back her hood.

'Well you haven't killed me,' the man said. 'that must mean you want something from me.'

'Our Lord, believes you to still be loyal,' Narcissa said. 'I have come with a message - a request from him, Severus.'

'It is best we do not dwell where we could be overheard.' The man opened the door wider, he stood back to let them into the house. 'Come inside and tell me how I can be of service.'

...

 _Harry wasn't quite sure where here was. One moment she had been in her cupboard in the dark and now, now she was sitting in a field of grass. She was rather puzzled and if she didn't figure out how to get back to her cupboard, she would be in really big trouble ..._ _Harry stood up and looked around widely ... just where was she? ... There was a lake ahead of her. Well, she was definitely far from her aunt and uncles house._

 _'Well, hello there,' a deep voice softly said._

 _Harry turned around, she was sure, she had been alone a minute ago ... there had been no one around for miles ... how did the man get here so quickly ... she took a step back ... she wasn't allowed to speak to strangers, she wasn't allowed to speak with any one ... but what if this man knew how she got back to her aunt and uncles ..._

 _She glanced the man over, he looked funny, he was wearing weird clothes. It was nothing she had seen before. He had a long plain shirt, that had a belt around the middle. His trousers had been tucked into his boots that came up to meet his knees ... His hair was dark brown, he looked young,_ _his face was friendly, and he had a beard. For a stranger, there was something about him that seemed oddly familiar ..._

 _'Hello,' she replied._

 _'You look a little lost,' the man said. 'that means you are not meant to be here.'_

 _That was rather odd, Harry thought. It was not her fault, she didn't know where she was or how she came to be here._

 _'Not that it matters,' he said. 'we'll just have to find your way back.'_

 _He took a step closer and Harry noticed what it was that was so familiar._

 _'You have the same eyes as me,' she said._

 _'That is most ... unusual - now just who are you? And how old just might you be?'_

 _Harry shook her head. 'Not telling, don't like my name - but I'm seven.'_

 _The man chuckled, 'I don't like mine much either, it's a very funny name.' he said. 'Did you know that every name has a meaning behind it - my own means "well born".'_

 _'Really? I did not know that. Do you know what Harianna means?' Harry said._

 _'Harianna - huh,' the man chuckled. 'well, at least I know your name now.'_

 _'Hay that's not fair, you tricked me,' Harry said. 'What's yours?' she demanded._

 _'Eugene,' the man said. 'You can call me Eugene for now - Harry.'_

 _Harry blinked up at the man, how did he know? She had not told him her nickname._

 _'Now, what do you think about getting you out of here,' he said, 'and getting you back home.'_

Harry rubbed at her eyes. She had just had the weirdest dream. Not that she could remember much of it. She could remember a field of grass and a man, but the man's name - she could not remember the man's name. Harry looked sleepily out of the window. Night had fallen and she wondered why was she sitting in the chair by her bedroom window. Oh, - Dumbledore.

Harry turned to the room itself. She was back in her bedroom at Privet drive, though small it had become rather messy. She bit her lip and glanced at the clock it was now ten o'clock. Her hands rubbed over face and she got up from the chair. She had a whole hour before Dumbledore got here to sort this mess out. But as she reached the laid-out clothes and books upon her bed, they moved magically, her books and her clothes which folded themselves neatly before being placed into her trunk. Harry turned her head to the corner of the room. Dobby smiled at her sheepishly.

'I know I can use magic,' Harry said, looking down at the elf. 'but I still have the Trace.'

'Mistress shouldn't have to be doings it,' Dobby said.

'According to you, I shouldn't have to be "doings" a lot of things,' Harry muttered, rolling her eyes. 'I might be a "Lady" now, but that does not mean anything as changed - thank you though, for packing my things.'

'Mistress is most welcome - should Dobby takes her things to the Wheezys now?'

'Perhaps when Dumbledore arrives.' Harry said.

Harry wondered what she should do now. Dobby however helpful he may have been had stopped her from keeping herself busy. Though he had not tidied up the newspapers that lay scattered. Harry picked up the first the headline blared: HARIANNA POTTER: THE CHOSEN ONE? The article had been a speculation about what happened at the Ministry of Magic, the night Who Know Who had been sighted. Harry tossed it in the bin. The prophecy. Harry could not deny it existed, she could not deny that she knew what it actually contained. What it would come down to. But that knowledge had cost her dearly. Harry picked up the other paper, this headline bored: SCRIMGEOUR SUCCEEDS FUDGE. Harry threw that paper in the bin to. The only thing of any use it had contained had been a leaflet that had security measures within it. Even though a formal apology had been given to Harry and Dumbledore, Harry was uninterested in what the Ministry had to say for itself.

This summer, like every summer, Harry had, had so far had brought with it change. After losing Sirius, this summer had also been slow. Winky remained at Runewald, to keep an eye on it, Dobby had insisted he was to stay with Harry. Kreacher had been the first change - after inheriting every Sirius had owned - Kreacher had been ordered to remain at Hogwarts, she did not want to deal with the elf that betrayed his master. Then there was the second change, and it was more to her appearance then anything. Harry had not forgotten Sirius's last request in the letter she had read. Give Voldemort and his Death Eaters hell. And Harry was not going to hide if she got a chance to do so. She grew out her fringe and she kept it swept away from her face, either pushed back or parted in such a way that it no longer hid her scar.

Harry turned back to the window, she could sense magic approaching. It was precisely eleven o'clock, the streetlamp outside the window went out. She peered out the window, a tall figure in a long, billowing cloak was walking up the garden path.

'He's here,' Harry said. 'You can go now, and do remember to knock first Dobby. I do not want you frightening Mrs Weasley.'

'Yes Mistress,' Dobby said, and he disappeared with a crack, along with her things. The doorbell rang moments later.

'Who the blazes is calling at this time of night?' she heard her uncle shout.

She had forgotten to warn the Dursleys, Dumbledore might be coming. She hurried along the corridor and down the stairs.

'Good evening. You must be Mr Dursley. I daresay Harry has told you I would be coming for her?'

Harry reached the bottom step, and in the doorway stood a tall, thin man with waist-length silver hair and beard.

'Judging by your look of stunned disbelief, Harry did not warn you that I was coming,' Dumbledore said pleasantly. 'However, let us assume that you have invited me warmly into your house. It is unwise to linger overlong on doorsteps in these troubled times.'

Harry whipped out her wand. 'Stay right where you are,' she said, 'not that I don't believe it's you because someone would have to be incredibly insane and stupid to impersonate you, but for enlightenment.'

'I once told you that the best mysteries were best left unsolved.' Dumbledore said.

Harry nodded. 'OK, we're good.' and Dumbledore stepped over the threshold, and closed the door behind him, Petunia walked out from the kitchen.

'Now, your things Harry,' Dumbledore said. 'Are you all packed?'

'Yes,' Harry said rolling her eyes, 'Sorry, I've just had an over helpful elf, is all. Dob went to the Burrow moments ago, I told him to knock though.'

'Very wise,' Dumbledore said.

'Sir?' Harry said noticing that one of Dumbledore's hands was blackened and shrivelled. 'What happened to your -?'

'Later, Harry,' Dumbledore said. 'First I must ask something of you aunt and uncle, then we will be on our way.'

Vernon was now purple in the face, Petunia look bewildered, and Dudley who had come down the stairs was shaking his head.

'Oh, you will, will you?' Vernon said.

'Yes,' Dumbledore said simply, 'I shall.'

'Now, as you will no doubt be aware Mr and Mrs Dursley,' Dumbledore said. 'Harry comes of age in a year's time -'

'No,' Petunia said, 'no she doesn't. She's a month younger than Dudley, and Dudders doesn't turn eighteen until -'

'Ah, you see in the wizarding world, we come of age at seventeen.' Dumbledore explained. 'And as you already know, the wizard called Lord Voldemort has returned. The wizarding community is currently in a state of open warfare. Harry, whom Lord Voldemort has already attempted to kill on a number of occasions, is in greater danger now than the day I left her upon your doorstep fifteen years ago, with the letter explaining about her parents' murder, and the charm that I had placed upon her, in the hopes you would take her in, and treat her as though she was your own.'

'You do not do as I asked. You never treated Harry as a daughter. Now the magic I evoked fifteen years ago means that Harry has powerful protection while she can still call this house home. However miserable she may have been. This magic will cease to operate the moment that Harry turns seventeen. I ask you this that you allow Harry to return, once more to this house, before her seventeenth birthday, which will ensure that the protection continues until that time.'

None of the Dursleys said anything.

'Well, Harry ... time for us to be off,' Dumbledore said.

...

They came to an abrupt halt at the end of Privet Drive.

'Not that I expect two people with Empathetic abilities to be attacked,' Dumbledore said calmly, 'do however keep your wand at the ready Harry.'

Harry nodded, pulling her wand out.

'You have not, of course, passed your Apparition test.' he said.

'Well, no. Don't you have to be seventeen?'

'You do,' Dumbledore said. 'So, you will need to hold on to my arm tightly. My left - as you have noticed, my wand arm is a little fragile at the moment.'

Harry gripped Dumbledore's proffered forearm.

'Very good,' said Dumbledore. 'Well, here we go.'

Harry felt Dumbledore's arm twist away from her; the next thing she knew, everything went black; she was being pressed very hard from all directions, she could not breathe - and then - She gulped great lungful's of cold night air and opened her streaming eyes. She felt as though she'd just been forced through a very tight rubber tube.

'If that was Apparition feels like,' Harry said, 'I'm not sure I want to learn how to do it.'

'The sensation does take some getting used to.' Dumbledore smiled. 'This way Harry.' And he set off at a brisk pace, past an empty inn and a few hoses.

'So, tell me,' Dumbledore said. 'Your scar ... has it been hurting at all.'

'No,' Harry said, 'I thought it would be burning all the time now Voldemort's getting so powerful again - but then I actually thought about it. And I figured he's also been using Occlumency against me - I mean he's just not going to let me see what he's up to now, is he?'

'I thought as much,' Dumbledore said. 'Left here.'

They turned the corner, passing a telephone box and bus shelter.

'Not that I'm complaining,' Harry said, 'but just why are we wondering around this - village? - at the dead of night?'

'Well, we are of course, once again, one member of staff short.' Dumbledore said. 'And I'm hoping you'll be able to help me persuade an old colleague of mine out of retirement and return to Hogwarts.'

'Me?' Harry repeated.

'Yes Harry,' Dumbledore said, 'you.'

The church clock chimed midnight behind them.

'Sir,' Harry said, 'I was wondering what you thought of the new Minister - was it true you had a disagreement or was the Prophet -'

'It was not sprouting lies, we disagreed upon a matter - that is all,' Dumbledore said, 'But Rufus is a man of action, he has a much more decisive and forceful personality than Cornelius - he does not underestimate Lord Voldemort.'

'And Susan Bones ... I read about her aunt Madam Bones.'

'She is doing well under the circumstances,' Dumbledore said, 'Professor Sprout went to speak with her, we were not sure she wanted to return to Hogwarts.'

'I don't blame her if she didn't.'

'She has chosen to return,' Dumbledore said, 'Professor Sprout reported to me that she had said, "screw Voldemort, I'm returning" and muttered, "I'll show him, it's not just the spells you know".'

Harry flushed. They were nearing a small, neat stone house set in its own garden. The front door was hanging off its hinges.

'Oh! Oh dear, dear, dear.' Dumbledore said, and he glanced up and down the street. It seemed quite deserted, Harry could not sense a magical presence. 'Wand out and follow me, Harry.' He opened the gate and walked silently up the garden path, when he pushed the front door open, he wand raised at the ready. ' _Lumos Maxima!'_

The narrow hallway in front of them lit up. To the left, another door stood open. Now they were closer, Harry could sense a magical presence, Dumbledore walked into the sitting room with Harry right behind him. A scene of total devastation met their eyes. A grandfather clock lay splintered at their feet. A piano was on its side, its keys were strewn across the floor. The wreckage of a fallen chandelier glittered lay deflated, feathers oozing from slashes in their sides, something dark red and glutinous was spattered over the wallpaper.

Dumbledore moved carefully into the middle of the room, scrutinising the wreckage at his feet. Though Harry could not see, the magical presence, she knew someone was here, and without warning, Dumbledore plunged the tip of his wand into the overturned sofa, which yelled, 'Ouch!'

'Good evening, Horace,' Dumbledore said.

Where a spilt second before there had been an armchair, there now crouched an enormously fat, balding man. 'What gave it away?' he grunted as he staggered to his feet.

'My dear Horace,' Dumbledore said looking amused, 'if the Death Eaters really had come to call, the Dark Mark would have been set over the house.' he chuckled and added. 'And Empaths are not easily fooled, not when one can sense magical presence.'

Dumbledore waved his wand and the furniture flew back to its original place. The other wizard was shorter then Dumbledore and his gaze fell upon Harry once the room was back to normal.

'Oho,' he said, his large round eyes flying to Harry's forehead and the lightning-shaped scar that she was no longer hiding.

'This,' Dumbledore said, moving forwards to make the introduction, 'as you've worked out, is Lady Harianna Potter. Harry, this is an old friend and colleague of mine, Horace Slughorn.'

'So, this how you've come to persuade me, is it? Well the answer's no, Albus.'

'Are you sure -?'

'No Albus, I might have been in hiding for the past year, but some funny rumours have reached me since Dolores Umbridge left! If that's how you treat staff these days -'

'Hay!' Harry said, 'That's not fair - it wasn't Professor Dumbledore's fault - he wasn't even in the school at the time.'

'Oh, and you would know what happened? Of course,' Slughorn said.

'Yeah, I was there,' Harry said, 'we happened to encounter a herd of angry centaurs to whom she called "filthy half-breeds".' Harry shivered. 'We only got out due to some - unlikely help - I'm just grateful we didn't run into Aragog -'

'Aragog?'

'An Acromantula that lives in the Forest.'

Slughorn's eyes widen with interest, 'Really?'

Harry nodded, 'I've met him - he was not so - pleasant or friendly - so I'd advise against following any spiders.'

Dumbledore turned suddenly.

'Are you leaving?' asked Slughorn at once.

'No, I was wondering whether I might use the bathroom,' Dumbledore said.

'Oh,' said Slughorn, looking disappointed. 'Second on the left down the hall.'

Dumbledore crossed the room. Once the door had closed, Slughorn looked around the room.

'You might as well sit down, Lady Potter,' Slughorn said. 'Don't think I don't know why he's brought you. I suppose he told you -'

'Harry,' Harry replied, taking a seat, 'I prefer to be called Harry,' she clarified. 'But if you must know, Professor Dumbledore hasn't said a thing.'

Slughorn raised an eyebrow. 'Did he not?'

'No,' Harry said. 'Then again he doesn't need to. You see I'm a bit of a theorist genius - Arithmancy happens to be my favourite subject for that reason.'

'I was never good with the theories behind numbers,' Slughorn said. 'No, Potions was my calling.'

Harry blinked at him, she had not expected that, Dumbledore wanted to replace Snape?

'You, shouldn't have favourites as a teacher, you'd be Albus's I suppose,' Slughorn said, but Harry merely shrugged in response. 'Your mother, however, was one of mine. Lily Evans, one of the brightest I ever thought. Vivacious, you know. Charming girl. I used to tell her, she ought to have been in my house. Very cheeky answers I used to get back, too.'

Harry chuckled.

'I was head of Slytherin,' Slughorn said. 'Your mother actually confided in me once, that the Sorting Hat actually thought about putting her in Slytherin.'

'That's strange,' Harry said. 'That happened for me also.'

'You're in Gryffindor?' Slughorn said, to which Harry nodded. 'Yes, it usually goes in families. Not always though. Sirius Black, he was a big pal of your fathers at school. His whole -'

'Family were sorted into Slytherin,' Harry said. 'S- he told me, the only Black to be sorted into Gryffindor.'

'Well, yes. I got his brother Regulus when he came along, but I'd liked to have had the set.'

Harry was beginning to understand why Dumbledore had thought she could help him, Slughorn liked to "collect" people.

'I couldn't believe it when I found out that your mother was Muggle-born. Thought she must have been pure-blood, she was so good.'

'One of my best friends is Muggle-born,' Harry said, 'she's the best in your year, only been beaten in two subjects so far - Arithmancy and Defence Against the Dark Arts - that's not counting our recent OWLs though, so I have no idea if she's got top marks.'

'Funny how that sometimes happens, isn't it?'

'Not really,' Harry said coldly.

'You mustn't think I'm prejudiced!' he said quickly, 'No, no, no! Haven't I just said your mother was one of my all-time favourite students? But to come back to teach in such difficult times, and at Hogwarts-'

'What's wrong with teaching at Hogwarts?' Harry asked.

'I'd be declaring publicly an allegiance to the Order of the Phoenix!' Slughorn replied.

Harry burst out laughing. 'So, let me get this straight - you're telling me, that the reason you won't come back to teach is because you feel as though you'd be joining the Order?'

'I don't see why that's so funny?'

'I'm sorry, but that's rather silly,' Harry said. 'You don't have to be in the Order to teach at Hogwarts, a lot of the staff aren't in the Order. Besides if there was one person Voldemort ever feared, it is Dumbledore.'

'I heard rumours that You Know Who, happens to fear you, also,' Slughorn said.

'I have Slytherin friends Mr Slughorn,' Harry said, 'I know cunningly resourceful questions when I hear them.' Slughorn arched an eyebrow. 'But if you truly want to know, yes Voldemort fears me, and for a good reason, but it is different to the reason he fears Dumbledore.'

Harry turned her head to the doorway, she had long ago sensed, Dumbledore's presence outside in the hallway. 'You've been a long time, Professor,' she called out, as he re-entered the room.

'I was admiring the Muggle magazines,' Dumbledore said pleasantly. 'Well, Harry, we have trespassed long enough, I think it is time for us to leave.'

'I'll do it!' Slughorn said, as Harry rose out of the chair.

'You'll come out of retirement?'

'Yes, yes,' said Slughorn, 'I must be mad, but yes.'

'Wonderful!' Dumbledore said beaming. 'Then Horace, we shall see you on the first of September.'

'Yes, I daresay you will.'

As they set off down the garden path, Slughorn's voice floated after them.

'I want a pay rise, Dumbledore!'

Dumbledore chuckled. The garden gate shut behind him.

'Something puzzling you Harry?' Dumbledore asked.

'Were you almost also sorted into Slytherin too, Professor,' Harry said, 'because I get the feeling Slughorn knew why I was there but still fell for the trap anyway.'

Dumbledore chuckled. 'Horace - Professor Slughorn - likes his comfort. As you may have worked out he likes to "collect" things, mainly those who are famous, successful and powerful. He used to handpick favourites at Hogwarts, sometimes for their ambition or their brains, sometimes for their charm or their talent, and he had the uncanny knack for choosing those who would go on to become outstanding in their various fields.'

'And you wish for him to "collect" me?'

'I think it will be most useful, yes,' Dumbledore said, and he stopped walking when they ere level with the church they had passed earlier. 'This will do, Harry. If you will grasp my arm.'

Even though she was ready this time, Harry still found Apparition unpleasant. When the pressure disappeared and she found herself able to breathe again, she was standing in the country lane besides Dumbledore looking ahead to the crooked silhouette of her third favourite building in the world: The Burrow.

'If you don't mind Harry I would like a few words with you,' Dumbledore said. 'I hope you will forgive me for mentioning it, Harry, but I am pleased and a little proud at how well you seem to be coping after everything that happened at the Ministry. I think Sirius would have been proud of you.'

'He was,' Harry said softly. 'He told me so - so I'm going to upkeep his last request, if it happens to be me next that they come after, I'm not going down without fighting, I'm going to give them hell and I'll take as many Death Eaters, hell even Voldemort with me if I can.'

'Spoken both like your mother and father's daughter and Sirius's true goddaughter!' Dumbledore said. 'Well, that just happens to lead us onto a closely related subject ...'

'You mean how the _Daily Prophet_ has been speculating that I'm the Chosen One?' Harry said.

'They seem to have guessed correctly,' Dumbledore said. 'Because Voldemort sent his Death Eaters to steal a prophecy, and that the prophecy concerned you. Now, I think I am correct in saying that you have not told anybody that you know what the prophecy contains?'

'To be honest Professor, I haven't had a chance to,' Harry said, 'I had other things on my mind - I thought about telling Ron and Hermione though, it makes sense, they've been through everything with me.'

'Yes, perhaps that is wise. You do them a disservice by not confiding something this important to them,' Dumbledore said. 'Now on a different note, I wish to tell you two changes to your academic studies - first Professor Vector wishes for you to take your NEWT this year, seeing as you missed out on the opportunity to even study it last year -' Harry arched an eyebrow, 'Yes I thought the Ministry was trying to win you over too - but the opportunity is there if you want it.'

'I'll think about it; Professor Vector doesn't need an answer right now does she?'

'No,' Dumbledore said smiling slightly, 'And secondly I wish for you to take private lessons with me this year.'

'Really - wicked!' Harry said, 'Speaking of education, you don't happen to know when our results arrive - I mean we haven't heard anything yet - and I'd like to know I'm able to take History, however, boring it may be.'

'I believe, you will receive your results sometime later today.' Dumbledore said. 'Now two things, before we part. Firstly, I wish you to keep your Invisibility Cloak with you at all times from this moment onwards. Even within Hogwarts itself. Just in case.'

Harry nodded. 'OK, fair point, I still need to work on making that Invisibility spell, last longer.'

'And lastly, while you stay here, The Burrow has been given the highest security the Ministry of Magic can provide. These measures have caused a certain amount of inconvenience to Arthur and Molly. They do not mind in the slightest, for their only concern is your safety.'

'So basically, don't do anything stupid - like risking my neck for example?'


	101. Chapter 101

Harry groaned as she was woken by what sounded, like cannon-fire as the door burst open, then curtains were being pulled back; the sunlight dazzling through to Fred and George's bedroom.

'Wuzzgoinon?' Harry said rubbing at her eyes sleepily.

'We didn't know you were here already!' said a loud and excited voice.

Harry looked up, Ron was grinning widely, while Hermione smiled a little hesitantly at her.

'Well now you've woken me up,' Harry said, 'do you mind waiting outside whilst I get changed.'

Ron looked slightly flustered. 'Yeah - umm - I'll wait on the other side of the door.'

Hermione closed the door behind him. Harry climbed out of the bed and wondered to her trunk while Hermione looked around the room.

'I'd never thought Fred and George's room would look - so clean.'

Harry chuckled and pulled out some clothes. She too looked around the room. A large vase of flowers had been placed on a desk in front of the small window, though Harry was quite sure she could still smell gunpowder. A considerable amount of the floor space opposite the bed she had been using was devoted to a vast number of unmarked, sealed cardboard boxes.

'Mrs Weasley probably made them do it,' Harry replied, now fully dressed.

'Most likely,' Hermione said, pulling the door open. 'It's OK Ron you can come in now.'

Ron looked slightly sheepish as he walked back into the room. 'Umm - so sorry about - waking you up.' he said, then he took in Harry's appearance. 'Mate your scar is on show.'

'It's meant to be, I'm trying out a new style,' Harry said, 'And don't worry about waking me, normally it would be an over bearing elf - but that's a different matter - speaking of which _please_ tell me your mum managed to get Dob to go back to Runewald like planned.'

'Your elf free,' Ron said, pulling over a cardboard box and sitting on it. 'So umm - you all right?'

Harry nodded. 'You?'

'Not bad,' Ron said. 'When did you get here? Mum's only just told us!'

'About one o'clock this morning.'

'Were the Muggles all right?'

'Same as usual,' Harry shrugged, as Hermione sat down on the edge of the bed. 'I didn't see them much to be honest. I've kept myself busy with research. How are you, Hermione?'

'Oh, I'm fine,' Hermione said, she was scrutinising Harry as though she sickening for something. And Harry had no wish to discuss what she thought was behind her friend's behaviour. Harry was not ready to speak about Sirius's Death.

'What's the time? Did I miss breakfast?'

'Mum's bringing you up a tray, don't worry,' Ron said, 'So, what's been going on?'

'What do you mean "what's been going on"?'

'Well - you were with Dumbledore!' Ron said

'I was only there to help him persuade this old teacher to come out of retirement; Horace Slughorn.'

'Oh - we thought it'd be something like that.' Hermione said softly.

'You did?'

'Yeah, now Umbridge has left, obviously, we need a new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher -'

'He teaches Potions Hermione,' Harry said. 'I'm not sure who has taken that roll.'

Ron's eyes widened, and a gleeful smile spread across his face. 'Snape's gone?'

Harry shrugged. 'Sounds that way.'

'He could be doing something for the Order?' Hermione suggested.

Harry shook her head. 'Voldemort's out in the open now, going by what he said the night he returned, he knew Snape was spying - if Snape's done anything, I bet he's gone into hiding.'

'That makes sense,' Hermione said thoughtfully, 'So what's Slughorn like? Did he seem like he'll be a good teacher?'

'Dunno,' Harry shrugged. 'Can't be worse than Umbridge though.' Harry looked up towards the open door, and Ginny came into view.

'I know someone who's worse than Umbridge,' she said, she looked irritated. 'Hi Harry.' she added softly.

'What's up with you?' Ron asked.

'It's _her,'_ Ginny sighed, plonking herself down on Harry's bed too. 'She's driving me mad.'

'What's she done now?' Hermione asked sympathetically.

'It's the way she talks to me - you'd think I was about three!'

'I know,' Hermione agreed. 'She's so full of herself.'

Harry felt like she was interrupting a private conversation. 'I'll just make myself -' she stopped speaking, her head turned back to the hallway, she could sense another magical presence. Moments later a young woman was standing in the doorway, a woman of breath-taking beauty. She was tall and willowy with long blonde hair, and appeared to emanate a faint, silvery glow. She was carrying a heavily laden breakfast tray.

'Fleur!' Harry said with mild surprise.

''Arry,' she replied in a throaty voice. 'Eet 'as been too long, non?'

'Oui,' Harry replied, 'far too long - How are you?'

As Fleur swept over the threshold towards her, Mrs Weasley was revealed, bobbing along in her wake, looking rather cross.

'There was no need to bring up the tray, I was just about to do it myself!'

'Eet was no trouble,' Fleur said, setting the tray down on the bed, then she swooped to where Harry was sitting, kissing her upon each of her cheeks. 'I 'ave been longing to see 'Arry again. You remember my seester, Gabrielle? She never stops talking about you. She'll be delighted to see you again.'

'She will?' Harry asked bemusedly.

'Oui,' Fleur said, 'Next summer -'

'Next summer?' Harry repeated.

'You do not know?' Fleur asked.

Her great blue eyes widened and she looked reproachfully at Mrs Weasley, who said, 'We hadn't got around to telling Harry yet.'

Fleur turned back to Harry, swinging her silvery sheet of hair so that it whipped Mrs Weasley across the face. Harry gave her a narrowed look. Fleur smiled apologetically at Mrs Weasley, who blinked at her in return, then Fleur's eyes searched out her own. 'Bill and I are going to be married!'

'You're going to be a Weasley?' Harry said excitedly, 'Brilliant - congratulations - you're marrying into a really good family. I hope you're aware of that.'

'That is why he brought me 'ere, so I could get to know 'is family properly - Bill is very busy at ze moment, working very 'ard, and I only work part time - I was so pleased to 'ear you would be coming - zere isn't much to do 'ere.'

'We'll catch up later,' Harry said. 'Yeah?'

Fleur nodded. 'Enjoy your breakfast.'

And she swept gracefully out of the room, closing the door quietly behind her. Mrs Weasley sighed heavily.

Ginny rolled her eyes. 'Sure, you can get Phlegm to behave.'

'I hope she hasn't heard you call her that,' Harry said, Ginny flushed. 'Yeah, well, that might be why she's talking to you like you're three.'

'I'm not the only one that doesn't like her,' Ginny said, defensively, 'Mum doesn't either.'

'It's not that!' Mrs Weasley said in a cross whisper. 'I just think they've hurried into this engagement, that's all!'

'They've known each other a year,' Ron said.

'Well, that's not very long! I know why it's happened, of course. It's all this uncertainty with You Know Who coming back, people think they might be dead tomorrow, so they're rushing into all sorts of decisions they'd normally take time over. It was the same last time he was powerful, people eloping left right and centre -'

'And they could have done the same thing,' Harry replied, 'Instead Bill chose to bring Fleur here, seems to me that he really likes her and cares what you all happen to think,' she shrugged, 'but that's just my opinion.'

'I had not thought of that,' Mrs Weasley said slowly.

'She's still full of herself,' Hermione said.

Harry smiled slightly, 'Appearances can be deceptive - you know as well as I do how the famous Muggle expression goes.'

'Don't judge a book by its cover,' Hermione rolled her eyes, then sighed, 'I guess we have been a little harsh-'

'And not very welcoming,' Ginny added.

...

'Thank you,' Fleur whispered into Harry's ear.

As soon as Harry mentioned the arrival of their OWL results arriving that day, Hermione had rushed them down into the kitchen, so she could eagerly wait for their arrival.

Harry nodded. 'You're welcome,' she whispered back, 'though you might want to watch how to speak to people and how you act with them - remember when we first met - remember how guilty you felt for looking down upon me - you'll be making the same mistake, if you do so with the Weasleys.'

Fleur looked nervously, around the kitchen. 'I do not weesh for them to 'ate me, I only wanted to give a good impression.'

'And you landed up giving off the wrong one,' Harry said softly.

'But Mrs Weasley -'

'Will come around,' Harry said, 'she can come across a little scary, but she does mean well. She's protective of her brood. She just has trouble letting go - and you are going to marry her first born, that's not going to help matters.'

Fleur smiled slightly. Then Hermione screamed, she was pointing through the window. Three black specks were visible in the sky, growing larger all the time.

'I just know I've failed everything!' Hermione said hysterically.

Harry rolled her eyes.

'What happens if we fail?' Ron asked.

'We discuss our options with our Head of House,' Harry said, approaching them both, 'Umbridge kindly informed me during my Career's Advice meeting.'

'How nice of her,' Ron muttered.

The owls flew directly towards The Burrow, each of which, it became clear as they flew lower over the path leading up to the house, was carrying a large square envelope. Mrs Weasley opened the kitchen window, all three owls soared through it and landed on the table. All three of the lift their right legs.

Nervously Harry moved forwards. She kept reminding herself all she needed to achieve was a pass in History to take it at NEWT level, but given what happened. The letter addressed to her was tied to the owl in the middle. She detached the envelope, and nobody in the kitchen spoke. She slit it open and unfolded the parchment inside.

 _ORDINARY WIZARDING LEVEL RESULTS_

 _Pass Grades:_

 _Outstanding (O)_

 _Exceeds Expectations (E)_

 _Acceptable (A)_

 _Fail Grades:_

 _Poor (P)_

 _Dreadful (D)_

 _Troll (T)_

 _HARIANNA JAMIE POTTER HAS ACHIEVED:_

 _Ancient Runes: E_

 _Astronomy: A_

 _Care of Magical Creatures: E_

 _Charms: E_

 _Defence Against the Dark Arts: O_

 _Herbology: E_

 _History of Magic: A_

 _Potions: E_

 _Transfigurations: E_

Harry let out a sigh of relief, she had passed everything. And in total, she now had two Outstanding OWLs Defence Against the Dark Arts and Arithmancy. She had even got the pass grade she needed to take History as a NEWT. Though she did wish her Potions grade had been better, Snape - then she realised, would no longer be teaching Potions so she still had a chance of doing her back up career of becoming an Auror, it just depended on Slughorn.

Harry looked up, Ron looked rather delighted. 'I only failed Divination and History of Magic,' he announced happily. 'Here - swap -'

Harry glanced down at Ron's grades: there were no 'Outstandings' there ...

'Knew you'd be top in Defence Against the Dark Arts,' Ron said, his hand clapped onto her shoulder. 'We've done all right haven't we?'

'Well done!' Mrs Weasley said proudly, ruffling Ron's hair. 'Seven OWLs, that's more than Fred and George got together!'

Harry chuckled lightly.

'Hermione?' Ginny said. 'How did you do?'

'I - not bad,' Hermione said in a small voice.

'Oh, come off it,' Ron said, striding over and whipped her results out of her hand. 'Yep, nine "Outstandings" and two "Exceeds Exceptions" in Defence Against the Dark Arts and Arithmancy.' He looked at her, half-amused, half-exasperated. 'You're actually disappointed, aren't you?'

Hermione shook her head, Harry smiled at her softly. She did not have the heart to tell Hermione that she had been offered to take her Arithmancy NEWT exam this year.

'Well, we're NEWT students now!' Ron grinned.

...

Harry was not impressed when the green luxurious Ministry Car turned up the morning of the trip to Diagon Alley.

'What do we need one of those for?' Ron said. 'We've got our own car?'

'Don't you get it?' Harry said hotly. 'It's because of me - the Ministry is trying to win my favour-'

Ron dropped his voice, 'Because of the prophecy?'

Harry nodded. She, of course, had told Ron and Hermione everything she knew about the prophecy the first chance that she got. 'They're allowing me to take my Arithmancy NEWT, this year-'

'Harry!' Hermione gasped, 'that's a really big opportunity.'

'I know,' Harry said, 'but I dunno what I want to do -'

'Do it of course,' Ron said, 'then you can shove it in Ministry' faces.'

'They did stop you from even studying NEWT level last year,' Hermione said. 'I would take it.'

'OK,' Harry smiled, 'you've convinced me.' and she climbed into car.

'Now,' Mr Weasley said as he too climbed into the car, 'Harry, you've been given top-grade security status, so we'll be joining up with additional security at the Leaky Cauldron.'

Harry groaned, and hid her face in her hands. She did not fancy doing her shopping surrounded by a battalion of Aurors. A short while later, the Ministry car pulled up into Charing Cross Road, stopping outside the Leaky Cauldron. Mr Weasley peered through the glass of the car. 'Ah excellent, they're here.'

Harry groaned once more and stepped out of the car. She was not greeted by a battalion of Aurors, in fact it was just a few people, Remus, Tonks and Hagrid. Harry beamed at them. Remus looked very much the same, though his hair was greyer and his shabby robed clothing was back. Tonks, heart-shaped face looked a little pale, and she was sporting mousy-brown hair. Hagrid had of course not changed at all.

'When Mr Weasley told me, I was to have security I didn't realise that it would mean you,' Harry said, 'but I'm glad - I had visions of being escorted by a bunch of Aurors.'

'Well, that's what the Ministry wanted to do,' Hagrid explained.

'Hagrid's your main security escort, Dora,' Remus said; Harry noticed that Tonks went slightly pink in the face as he called her that name, 'and I will patrol the area to provide extra cover in case you need it.'

Harry nodded and stepped into the Leaky Cauldron after them. The pub was completely empty, only the landlord Tom, was to be seen. He looked up, smiled toothlessly at them. 'Lady Potter, is it good to see you again.' he greeted. Harry nodded in reply, though her left hand rubbed at the tattoo upon her right wrist. Diagon Alley had too changed. The colourful, glittering window displays of spell books, potion ingredients and cauldrons were lost to view, hidden behind the large Ministry of Magic posters that had been pasted over them. Harry noticed that many of the people who passed them were wearing the same harried, anxious look as Mrs Weasley was sporting. Though many of them still stared at Harry as she passed, once they caught sight of her. No one was stopping to talk to anyone anymore; the shoppers stayed together in their own tightly knit groups.

Much later, with their school things purchased, they headed for number ninety-three. The premises owned by Fred and George Weasley. Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes was unlike any other shop Harry had seen. Set against the dull, poster-muffled shop fronts around them, Fred and George's windows hit the eye like a firework display. The left-hand window was dazzlingly full of an assortment of goods that revolved, popped, flashed, bounced and shrieked. The right-hand window was covered with a gigantic poster, like the ones the Ministry had put up but emblazoned with flashing yellow letters were the words: _Why Are_ _You Worrying About You Know Who? You SHOULD Be Worrying About U-NO-POO - the Constipation Sensation That's Gripping the Nation!_

Harry giggled, she heard a moan from beside her and looked round to see Mrs Weasley, gazing, dumbfounded at the poster.

'They'll be murdered in their beds!' she whispered.

'No, they won't!' Ron said, who like Harry was laughing. 'This is brilliant!'

The shop was packed with customers; Harry could not get near the shelves. She looked around, boxes piled up to the ceiling, which Harry recognised as the Skiving Snackboxes. There were bins full of trick wands that had different price ranges. Harry laughed at the sight of the boxes of quills, which came with Self-Inking, Spell-Checking and Smart Answer varieties. And one of Harry's inventions - the Make-Over Tin, it literally contained trick sweets, to give anyone a hideous make-over. A spaced cleared in the crowd and Harry pushed her way towards the counter and stopped at a box bearing a highly-coloured picture of a handsome youth and a swooning girl on the deck of a pirate ship.

'"Patented Daydream Charms ..."' Hermione said picking up the box, '" _One simple incantation and you will enter a top-quality, highly realistic thirty-minute daydream, easy to fit into the average school lesson and virtually undetectable (side effects include vacant expression and minor drooling). Not for sale to under-sixteens."_ You know, that really is extraordinary magic!'

'For that, Hermione,' a voice said behind them, 'you can have one for free.'

A beaming Fred stood before them, wearing a set of magenta robes that clashed with his flaming hair.

'Hermione, daydream, during a lesson ...' Harry said pointedly. 'Fred, what were you thinking of - I on the other hand -'

'Don't even think about it, Princess, not unless you're going to daydream about me,' George said stepping through the crowd. He was bearing a black eye. When he reached Harry, he pulled her into a hug and kissed her swiftly on the cheek. He glanced over her appearance and his eyebrow arched into a questioning look.

'I fancied a change,' Harry shrugged, 'What happened to you?'

'Punching telescope,' George explained, 'can't seem to find a decent bruise-remover anywhere.'

Harry rolled her eyes and reached into her bag, and pulled out a small tub. 'Here - Ultimate Bruise Remover - part of the Starry's Deluxe range.'

George unscrewed the tub to reveal a thick yellow paste.

'Just dab it on, the bruise will be gone within the hour,' Harry explained. George dabbed it onto his eye.

'Right,' Fred said, 'While George makes himself look pretty again, I'll start giving you a tour Harry.'

Harry followed Fred towards the back of the shop, where she saw a stand of card and rope tricks.

'Muggle magic tricks!' Fred said happily. 'For freaks like dad -'

'Your dad is not a freak,' Harry said, 'trust me - I would know.'

Fred raised an eyebrow but said nothing and George returned moments later. Fred pushed back a curtain beside the Muggle tricks and Harry saw a darker, less crowded room. The packaging on the products lining these shelves was more subdued.

'This is where we're making the real money,' Fred announced happily. 'We just developed this more serious line ... funny how it happened ...'

'You wouldn't believe how many people, even people who work at the Ministry, can't do a decent Shield Charm,' George explained. 'Course, they didn't have you teaching them, Anna.'

'That's right ... we started off with Shield Hats. We thought it would be a bit of a laugh, you see. But the Ministry bought five hundred for all its support staff! And we're still getting massive orders!'

'So, we've expanded into a range of Shield Cloaks, Shield Gloves ...'

'... they won't help much against Unforgivable Curses, but for minor to moderate hexes or jinxes ...'

'And then we thought we'd get into the whole area of Defence Against the Dark Arts, because it's such a money-spinner,' George said, 'This is cool,' he said pointing out some type of powder, 'Instant Darkness Powder, we're importing it from Peru. Handy if you want to make a quick escape.'

'And our Decoy Detonators are just walking off the shelves,' Fred said, pointing at a number of weird-looking black hooter-type objects that were indeed attempting to scurry out of sight.

'I see what you mean,' Harry laughed.

'All you have to do is drop one surreptitiously and it'll run off and make a loud noise out of sight, giving you a diversion if you need one.'

'Handy,' Harry said, picking up a few.

A pretty young witch with short blonde hair poked her head around the curtain; she too was wearing magenta staff robes. She blinked a few times at Harry, then turned towards Fred and George.

'There's a customer out here looking for a joke cauldron, Mr Weasley and Mr Weasley,' she said.

'Right you are, Verity, I'm coming,' George said promptly, 'And you're to refuse payment from Lady Potter here.'

'But -!' Harry said, who already pulled out her money-bag.

'You don't pay here, Anna,' George said firmly, waving away Harry's gold.

'You gave us our start-up loan, we haven't forgotten,' Fred said sternly. 'Take whatever you like, and just remember to tell people where you got it, if they ask.'

George swept through the curtain to help with customers and Fred led Harry back into the main part of the shop to find Hermione and Ginny still poring over the Patented Daydream Charms.

'Haven't you girls found our special Wonder Witch products yet?' Fred asked. 'Follow me, ladies ...'

Near the window was an array of pink products around which a cluster of excited girls was giggling enthusiastically.

'What's this?' Ginny asked picking up a small pink pot.

'Guaranteed Ten-Second Pimple Vanisher! Part of the Starry's Deluxe range!' Fred said. 'And then we've got the best range of disguised love potions you'll find.'

Ginny raised an eyebrow sceptically. 'Do they work?'

'Certainly, they work, for up to twenty-four hours at a time depending on the weight of the person in question-'

'- and the attractiveness of the person,' George said, reappearing at their side. 'But we're not selling them to our sister,' he added, becoming suddenly stern, 'not when she's got already about five boys on the go from what we've -'

This was news to Harry as far as she was concerned, Ginny had only gone out with two guys and she happened to be dating one of those currently.

'Whatever you've heard from Ron is a big fat lie,' Ginny said calmly.

'Are you or are you not currently going out with a boy called Dean Thomas?'

'Yes, I am,' Ginny said. 'And last time I checked, he was definitely one boy, not five.' Ginny said.

'What's wrong with Dean anyhow?' Harry said, 'You both seemed to like him last year when he sent that Stinging Hex at Smith.'

'Oh, that's Dean,' George said with realisation, 'that's alright then -'

'But you're still not having the love potions.'

Ginny shrugged, 'Don't need them.' she said, 'What are those?' She was now pointing at a number of round balls of fluff in shades of pink and purple, all rolling around the bottom of a cage and emitting high-pitched squeaks.

'Pygmy Puffs,' George said. 'Miniature puffskeins, we can't breed them fast enough.'

'They're really cute!'

'They're fairly cuddly, yes,' conceded Fred, Ron had appeared at George's elbow, laden with merchandise.

'Next time,' Ginny said angrily to him, 'don't tell tales about me, to these two or I'll set both, Hermione and Harry on you!'

'That will be -' Fred said examining the many boxes in Ron's arms. 'three Galleons, nine Sickles and a Knut. Cough up.'

'I'm your brother!'

'And that's our stuff you're nicking. Three Galleons, nine Sickles. I'll knock off the Knut.'

'But I haven't got three Galleons, nine Sickles!'

'You'd better put it all back then, and on the right shelves.'

Ron dropped several boxes, swore and stuck his middle finger up at Fred, which was spotted by Mrs Weasley, who appeared at that precise moment.

'If I see you do that again I'll jinx your fingers together,' she said sharply.

'Mum, can I have a Pygmy Puff?' Ginny said at once.

'A what?' Mrs Weasley asked warily.

'Look, they're so sweet ...'

Mrs Weasley moved aside to look at the Pygmy Puffs, and Harry momentarily had an unimpeded view out of the window. A man, dress in a long black cloak, with a hood that covered his face was hurrying along the street on his own. Harry recognised the familiar paced walk, she knew who it belonged to. She had no doubts who was hiding under that cloak, the question was, with all these people around - why?

She glanced around. Mrs Weasley, Ginny and Hermione were bending over the Pygmy Puffs. Mr Weasley was examining a pack of Muggle marked playing cards. Fred and George were both helping customers and Ron had disappeared out of view. On the other side of the glass, Hagrid was standing with his back to them, looking down the street. It was all too easy to reach into her bag, pull out her Invisibility Cloak and slip it on undetected.

But the time Harry made it outside, the man she had been trying to follow had disappeared as successfully as she had. All she knew was the direction he had set off in. But she had to be careful, even though she was hidden from sight, as an Empath he would be able to sense her magical presence approaching. But Harry, also knew the flaws with sensing magical presences, with so many people around, it was harder to sense just one approaching you. She stayed near to other people as she could as she scurried along, peering left and right, through shop windows, until she looked straight ahead. The man glanced around and she caught sight of his face - Snape. And he was turning into Knockturn Alley. Whatever he was up to Harry was sure it was not Order business. So Harry followed him at a distance.

Snape entered the only shop in Knockturn Alley that Harry had ever visited: Borgin and Burkes, which sold a wide variety of sinister objects. And in the middle of the cases full of skulls and old bottles stood Snape with his hood now down and his back to Harry. He was talking quite animatedly to the shop owner Mr Borgin, who was wearing an expression of mingled resentment and fear. Keen not to get any closer, Harry pulled out some Extendable Ears, from her bag, which of course had been given to her by George.

' ... do you know how to fix it?'

'Possibly,' said Borgin. 'I would need to see it though. Why don't you bring it into the shop?'

'Do not test my patience!' Snap snapped. 'If you cannot help, then just say so. I do not have time to be playing games. Or my very dear friend Fenrir Greyback will stop by to pay you a visit.'

'Well, without seeing it, I must say it will be very difficult job, perhaps impossible...'

'Impossible you say ...' from the tone of Snape's voice she could tell he was smirking. 'I know just the person ... make sure that doesn't go anywhere ...' Snape said indicating to something, and Harry couldn't tell what it was, 'I'll need it - there will a heavy price to pay, if I find out you've sold it,' he said stepping forward to Mr Borkin, Snape was hidden from view, Harry could only see Mr Borkin's frightened face. 'Do we have an understanding ...'

Harry tugged at the Extendable Ears, she knew from Snape's tone of voice that the meeting was over. She stowed the Extendable Ears back into her bag. She wished she'd been able to see what he had been indicating to. But with Knockturn Alley looking very much deserted, Harry had to make a quick getaway before Snape caught onto her presence. The Weasleys were now by the door of Weasleys Wizarding Wheezes. Harry slipped off the Cloak and struck up a conversation with Hagrid, who also had his back to Harry.

A frightening familiar ice-cold chill. All of a sudden it had gone strangely quiet, too quiet. Shoppers had sensed the same thing she had and were hastily making a break for safety. It became oddly dark - there was a whole swarm of them - the last time she had seen this many Dementors up close had been in her third year. Their breaths were rattling - there was complete panic and disarray. Somehow Harry had been pushed into the swarming crowd - some frozen to the spot, others pushing through to get away. Harry fell to the floor in the middle of it all, pulled out her wand, it trembled in her hands. She had the words for the spell on the tip of her tongue but she could not bring herself to say them. A Dementor had closed in on her now, again she tried to utter the incantation, but the words would not come. She felt cold now, she felt like she was never going to be happy again ... the Dementor lowered its hood ... her wand fell out of her hand ... she felt numb ... something bright ... something white ... shape like a small bird, that looked distinctively familiar appeared and it was driving the Dementors away ... Harry did not have the strength to keep her eyes open, she fell into the darkness ...


	102. Chapter 102

_Harry was in the green open field, with the lake near by ... she looked around, this time she spotted a play park in the distance ... this place ... she felt like she had been here before, then she remembered ... her dream ... though she had not recalled seeing the park before..._

 _There was an exasperated sigh from behind her, that made her jump. She turned and stared open mouthed at the man before her. The man in her dream, dressed in the same clothes._

 _'I did not mean to scare you,' he said,_

 _'It's OK, I did not sense that anyone was near me ...' Harry mumbled._

 _'And you wouldn't ... your Empathy Powers will not work here,' he replied._

 _'You - you know who I-?'_

 _'Yes I know who you are Harry,' he said. 'After all, I was the one who guided you here.'_

 _'Where are we? Who are you?'_

 _'No place that matters ... not yet ...' he shook his head. 'As for who I am, I'm not surprised you don't remember. But that is not the point. The point is that I brought you here, because I have a message for you ...'_

 _'You do?'_

 _'Yes,' he replied softly, green eyes, looking into green. 'STOP!'_

 _'What?'_

 _'That is the message.'_

 _'Stop?' Harry repeated, 'Stop what?' she asked. 'Who would send me a message like that? What's that supposed to mean?'_

 _'Maybe, you're supposed to figure that out ...' he replied softly. 'You should go back now, you've already been here far too long ...'_

...

The light above her was annoying her, incredibly. She did not want to wake yet, but the light was not going away. With slight annoyance, Harry opened her eyes, feeling a little dazed from her very random dream. She looked around noticing that she was in a well-lit room, of what looked like a hospital ward. The red headed figure of George Weasley was resting in the arm chair beside the bed. His face was twitching in his sleep, his left hand was resting on the bed. He woke up as Harry groaned from trying to move herself.

'Don't try to get up, yet,' George said sleepily, placing his hand upon her arm to stop her moving. 'you gave us quite a scare ... I thought - well I thought we'd got to you too late -' he said feebly. 'How are you feeling?'

Harry flex her fingers, and wriggled her toes, 'Fine.'

George snorted, shaking his head. 'You're version of fine, seems to always mean you're still alive - that is not what I asked.'

'I - I'm OK, I think - what happened, the last thing I remember was a Patronus -'

'Yeah, I cast it,' George said, he looked away awkwardly. 'Which made me wonder why you hadn't.'

'George,' Harry said weakly, 'It happened so quickly, and in the mass of the crowd I couldn't tell what was going on - my emotions were all over the place - it felt cold, I couldn't tell where anyone was magically -'

'I know you can't sense creatures, Anna,' George said, irritably, 'though Dementors, do tend to give themselves away. I just - you never - you didn't cast a Patronus - Why?'

'I dunno,' Harry said softly, shaking her head.

'Anna, Hagrid said when he spotted you through the crowd, it looked like you froze -' George sighed. 'Did you freeze?'

'I dunno - I think so.'

'Why?'

'Not sure,' Harry shrugged.

'Did - did something happen while you were with the Muggles?' George asked seriously. 'Did they hurt you?'

'What?' Harry said, 'No. Why would you think that? How would that affect me from casting a Patronus?'

George shrugged. 'First thing that came to mind - we all know they never treated you right - however much you don't talk about them - besides what we know.'

'George,' Harry said slowly, 'I'm not going to talk about the Muggles.'

'Why not?' George said angrily. 'What happened? What was so bad that you can't possibly talk about? Huh Anna, was it something to do with your cupboard?'

'What?'

'Don't,' George said, 'Don't even think of trying to get out of it. I know the cupboard under the stairs meant something to you. Why else would you write "Harry's Room" on a wall in it?'

'That's nothing,' Harry said.

'Please do not lie to me,' George sighed.

'It's not a lie, it doesn't matter anymore.' Harry said.

George's face flushed red, and it was not from embarrassment. 'Doesn't matter,' he repeated furiously, 'of course it matters, but you won't talk about it - not to anyone -'

'I don't want to talk about it,' Harry said, hotly. 'What part of that do you not understand?'

George looked furious. 'FINE!' he spat. 'Keep your damn secrets - We're supposed to be a couple - you're supposed to be able to tell me anything - I guess not, and I'm not so sure I want to be with someone that keeps things hidden from me.' he said. 'I'll send mum in on my way out, Harry. You should know the Healers were just waiting for you to wake up - you should be able to go back to The Burrow soon.'

Harry wasn't sure what hurt more, as the door slammed shut. George walking out or hearing him call her Harry.

...

'I can't believe you snuck -,' Hermione said, a few days later. They were back at the Burrow, in Fred and George's room, 'well actually, I can believe it,' she corrected herself, shaking her head. 'But that is not the point, point is, Snape could have been there on behalf of the Order, and you are struggling to remember exactly what he said.'

'Mate, Hermione has a point, I mean what else do you know other than he wanted something fixed,' Ron added. 'Don't get me wrong, bloke is still a git, and his behaviour was rather odd -'

Harry shook her head. 'I think he's gone back or returned to Voldemorts side, he showed Borgin something I could not see, something on his arm. He even dropped names -'

'Look, Harry, your theories, are known to be well thorough, but they are not flawless.' Hermione mentioned. 'You do have this knack for seeing what you expect to see -'

'Yes, yes,' Harry said irritably. 'But what if I'm right? What if he has returned to being a Death Eater? What if he's been a Death Eater all this time? He could be leaking information about the Order, us, everything ...'

'Dumbledore trusts him,'

'Dumbledore, told me himself he even makes mistakes ... and right now I think Snape is one.'

Hermione sighed. 'I don't know, you said yourself that Voldemort knew he was a spy - I don't think he would just let Snape back in, if he knew that information.'

'But what if he just thought it?' Harry said, 'What if he had no proof?'

Hermione looked at Ron uncertainly, Harry sighed and let the conversation drop. She just wished she'd been able to get a bit closer.

...

After the irritation of her best friends not listening to her, Harry was already annoyed the morning of September first. One of the Aurors that had been provided as extra security almost got himself hexed when he "tried" to help Harry through the barrier of platform nine and ten. To add to her frustration, the moment she stepped onto platform nine and three-quarters, where the scarlet Hogwarts Express stood, she was pretty sure that she was attracting unwanted attention. She shook her head, she should have been used to the stares by now. No matter what she did, she always got attention. Ron and Hermione disappeared to the Prefect compartment, and Ginny left to find Dean, leaving Harry by herself wandering through the train corridor. She had just about given up trying to find someone she knew, when she heard a shout -

'Harry!'

She turned her head, blinking at a round-faced boy that had called her name.

'Neville!' Harry sighed in relief. 'I'm so glad to see you.'

Neville smiled in return. 'We've been waiting for you. Come on in, let me help you with your trunk.'

Neville picked up the other end of the trunk, and led Harry into the compartment, he just came out off. The people that had been waiting for Harry, turned out to be, Neville himself, Luna Lovegood and Susan Bones.

'Hi,' Harry said to them all, after Neville and herself placed her trunk in the luggage compartment.

'Hi, Harry!' Susan said.

'Hello, Harry,' Luna said peering over her copy of _The Quibbler._ She was wearing rather odd glasses upon her face, which made her look like a demented, multicoloured owl. Harry suspected that they were the free Spectrespecs that the magazine had handed out for free.

'Quibbler doing well then?' Harry asked.

'Oh yes, circulation's well up.' Luna said happily, at the same time Susan huffed, causing Harry to turn her head.

'Sorry,' she mumbled. 'I just wish everyone would stop staring at us.'

'Umm,' Neville agreed, looking out of the compartment window. 'It's definitely got much worse, since Harry joined us. I just wish I knew why they were staring at us before.'

'Really!' Harry exclaimed. 'Neville, you and Luna were at the Ministry with me - our little adventure was all over the _Daily Prophet_ \- it's no wonder they are staring at you.'

Neville flushed in embarrassment. 'I'd thought gran would be really angry with me,' he said, 'but she was really pleased. She even brought me a new wand, look!' He pulled out his new wand. 'Cherry and unicorn hair. We think it was one of the last Ollivander sold, he vanished the next day - OI, come back here, Trevor!'

Neville dived under the seat to retrieve his toad as it made one of its frequent bids for freedom.

'Are we still doing DA meetings this year, Harry?' Luna asked.

'Not sure,' Harry shrugged. 'All, depends on the new teacher and the amount of time I have free - I mean, I'm Quidditich Captain and I've got no one I trust to leave in charge - and there's also the fact I've been given the opportunity to take my Arithmancy NEWT this year.'

'WOW, Harry!' Susan said.

'I know,' Harry said.

'I hope you do continue the DA,' Neville said, glancing up from under the seat. 'I learned loads from you.'

'Yes, I rather enjoyed the meetings, too,' Luna said. 'It was like having friends.'

Harry sighed deeply, she had been about to reply when her head turned towards the compartment door. It slid open, to reveal a bold-looking boy with dark eyes, and black hair. Harry knew he was in her year and was pretty sure in was in Ravenclaw.

'Hi, Lady Potter, I'm Marcus - Marcus Belby,' he said loudly and confidently. 'You could join me in my compartment -'

'Thank you -' Harry interrupted him. 'But I'm good where I am thanks. I've only just started catching up with my friends-' Harry indicated to the others in the compartment. 'Sorry.'

'Oh,' he said, looking surprised and he withdrew closing the door behind himself.

'People expect you to have cooler friends than us,' Luna said.

'You guys are cool,' Harry said, shaking her head. 'Not a lot of people stuck up for me last year - you did - besides Luna, you and Neville fought with me at the Ministry - they didn't.'

'We didn't face him though,' Neville said emerging from under the seat, Trevor held firmly in his hands. 'You did. You should hear my gran talk about you. " _That Harianna Potter's got more back bone than the whole Ministry of Magic put together!"_ She'd give anything to have you as a granddaughter ...'

Harry chuckled lightly. 'But that is not what we went there for,' Harry reminded him.

Sensing another magical presence approaching Harry sighed, this time she chose not to ignore the compartment door sliding open again.

'Look - I already told you I'm not -' Harry looked up, to see that no one was currently standing in the doorway. The door shut again.

'That was weird,' Neville said, looking at the door.

'Reckon it opened by itself?' Susan said.

'Harry?' Luna asked, just as Draco made himself look visible again, he was glancing out of the compartment window, back along the corridor. Harry rolled her eyes.

'Was that really necessary-' Harry began and Draco turned around, he was sporting several cuts and a bruised eye. 'Draco, what happened?'

'I don't have much time -'

'Draco!'

'Harry, please, you've got to listen to me,' Draco said in a hurry. 'I don't have much time and they'll figure out I went for more than a bathroom break - I came to tell you, that you've got to stay away from me - for both our sakes - stay away. I've been asked to do something I don't want to do -'

'Draco, I can help you,' Harry said, pulling down her sleeve to reveal the tattoo upon her wrist. 'I'm honour-bound.'

'Harry, they'll kill me, if we get to close,' Draco said seriously. 'Just stay away and you'll be safe.'

Draco checked the corridor again. 'I've got to go back now, I've been gone too long - remember to stay away - I don't want to see you get hurt.' He disappeared from view again, the compartment door slid open and closed just as quickly.

'Just what on earth was that about?' Susan said.

'For once,' Harry replied bemused. 'I have no clue.'

Ron and Hermione turned up when Harry and Neville began chatting about exam results.

'Wish the lunch trolley would hurry up, I'm starving,' Ron said longingly, 'Hi, Neville, Luna, Susan. Oh, guess what, Harry?' he added, 'Malfoy's not doing prefect duty. He's just sitting in his compartment with the other Slytherins, we saw him as we passed.'

'That's odd,' Harry said.

'Does seem unusual,' Ron said.

'No that's what I mean - I thought he disappeared from your prefect meeting, instead he disappeared from a compartment full of Slytherins. Most of them respect me - so I don't understand -'

'He was with Crabbe, Goyle and Nott, Harry,' Hermione explained.

'Oh no,' Harry muttered, but before she could say anything a breathless third-year girl stepped inside the compartment.

'I'm supposed to deliver these to Neville Longbottom and Lady Potter.' She said, holding out two rolls of parchment, tied with a ribbon. Baffled, Harry and Neville took the scroll addressed to each of them. And she made her way out of the compartment again.

'What is it?' Ron asked, as Harry read hers.

'An invitation,' Harry said.

 _Harianna,_

 _I would be delighted if you would join me for a bite of lunch in compartment C_

 _Sincerly, Professor H.E.F. Slughorn_

'Who's Professor Slughorn?' Neville asked.

'New teacher,' Harry explained. 'I've got to go, Dumbledore requested I play nice - seems to think it'll be useful.' she said looking at Ron and Hermione pointedly.

'I best see why he asked for me,' Neville said.

'Oh, you'll see,' Harry said unhelpfully.

They were not the only invitees to compartment C. Blaise Zabini, Ginny, the guy who walked into their compartment earlier Marcus Belby, and a fellow Gryffindor Harry also knew to be in her year.

'Harry!' Slughorn said, jumping up at the sight of her. 'Good to see you. And this must be Mr Longbottom!'

Neville nodded, looking scared.

'Don't worry,' Harry whispered, 'remember - I've got your back.'

Harry took the vacant seat next to Blaise, Neville sat beside her.

'Now do you know everyone?' Slughorn asked Harry and Neville.

'Ginny,' Harry said indicating her head towards the squashed girl besides Slughorn. 'Blaise and I've just had the pleasure of meeting Marcus Belby -'

'Oh good,' Slughorn said, 'that just leaves this charming young man. Let me introduce you to Cormac McLaggen -'

McLaggen, a large, wire-haired youth, raised a hand and Harry and Neville nodded back to him.

'Well now, this is most pleasant,' Slughorn said looking around at them all. 'A chance to get to know you all better. Here, take a napkin. I've packed my own lunch, the trolley, as I remember it, is heavy on Liquorice Wands, and a poor old man's digestive system isn't quite up to such things ... pheasant, Belby?'

While Slughorn was slightly distracted, Harry whispered into Blaise's ear.

'Have any idea what's up with Draco?' she said, 'Do you know why his playing little Death Eater?'

'No clue,' Blaise whispered back. 'He pretty much ignored Daphne and I all summer - outright blanked us earlier.'

Harry shook her head. 'He came into our compartment earlier - using the Invisibility Spell to do so - gave me a warning told me to stay away from him.'

Blaise looked around at the other people in the compartment. 'Daphne knows more than I do. She told me from what she could make out from her parents was that the Dark Lord has been taking up vacancy at Malfoy Manor - you must have seen the article of Lucius arrest -'

'Yeah, I saw it,' Harry said. 'The Brockdale Bridge - wasn't he in charge of the giant attack -'

Blaise nodded. 'It was a test - a test of his loyalty - Daphne said -,' he lowered is voice, 'that the Dark Lord wants Draco to do something - he wants him to spy on you.'

'But that counts as betrayal,' Harry said, 'Draco can't his -'

'Accepted you -' Blaise agreed. 'The Dark Lord expects him too, though, and there was something else – he's been tasked with something - something they think he won't do - Daphne couldn't figure out what it was though.'

Slughorn was now speaking with Neville.

'Do me a favour,' Harry said, watching Slughorn closely. 'Keep an eye on him, if his running around with little wannabe Death Eaters it doesn't bode well for us.'

'I'll do what I can.'

The people Slughorn had invited with the exception of Ginny, seemed to be connected to somebody well- known or influential. Marcus Belby uncle had invented the Wolfsbane Potion. Neville parents had been well-known Aurors. Blaise's mother turned out to be a famous beautiful witch, McLaggen seemed to know the Minister for Magic. Harry was saved for last.

'And now,' Slughorn said, shifting in his seat. 'Lady Harianna Potter! Where to begin? I feel I barely scratched the surface when we met over the summer! The "Chosen One", they're calling you now!'

Harry said nothing. Belby, McLaggen and Blaise were all staring at her.

'Of course,' Slughorn continued, watching Harry closely, 'there have been rumours for years ... I remember when - well - after that terrible night - Lily - James - and you survived and the word was that you must have powers beyond the ordinary -'

'Anyway - such rumours this summer. Of course, one doesn't know what to believe, the Prophet has been known to print inaccuracies, make mistakes -' Harry snorted at that, the _Daily Prophet_ sure had made mistakes when it came to her. 'but there seems little doubt, given the number of witnesses, that there was quite a disturbance at the Ministry and that you were there in the thick of it all!'

'Professor, you could have just asked,' Harry said, raising an eyebrow. 'Yes, I was there, Yes I fought Voldemort - yes he was after some kind of Prophecy - '

McLaggen gave a tiny cough that was clearly supposed to indicate amused scepticism. Harry projected her annoyance towards at him. He stared wide eyed at her. Neville, Ginny and Blaise had their wands out the moment they felt her magic.

'I'd be very careful McLaggen - Ginny knows a very nasty Bat Bogey Hex, Blaise can curse anything that approaches, so quickly that if you blink you'd miss it and Neville - well his rather good at Stunning. I should know, I taught them those particular spells, so try to not annoy me,' Harry warned.

McLaggen looked away sheepishly, and the wands lowered.

...

Harry had missed Hogwarts but as she sat down on the Gryffindor table, she couldn't help but feel as though something was missing. But she was not sure as into what it was. She was so caught up in her own thoughts of what it could possibly be, that she had missed the Sorting.

'Hagrid's waving at you, Harry,' Hermione shook her, making Harry snap out of her thoughts.

She glanced up at the staff table and grinned back at Hagrid. Harry was surprised to see the Divination Teacher Trelawney, sitting on Hagrid's other side; she rarely left her tower room. She looked as odd as ever, Hermione had always considered her a bit of a fraud, Harry, though, having heard one true prophecy from her, herself and learned the previous term it had been she who had made the prediction that caused Voldemort to kill Harry's parents and attack Harry herself.

'So, what did Professor Slughorn want?' Hermione asked.

'To know what everyone else wants to know,' Harry answered, 'what happened at the Ministry.'

'People were interrogating us about it on the train, weren't they Ron?'

'Yeah,' Ron said. 'All wanting to know if you really are the Chosen One -'

'Zacharias Smith even cornered me,' Ginny added. 'In the end, he annoyed me so much I hexed him - that's how I ended up in Slughorn's compartment - I thought I was going to get a detention, when he came in, but he just thought it was a really good hex and invited me to lunch.'

'Better reason, then why the rest of us was there,' Harry said.

'I don't think I like him very much,' Neville added thoughtfully. The Great Hall doors opened and Snape swept into Hall, Harry watched him move swiftly towards the teachers table. If Snape had not left, then why would Dumbledore replace him - unless.

'No!' Harry said, staring wide eyed as Dumbledore got up from his seat. Ron and Hermione looked at her questionably, but were unable to ask her anything.

'The very best of evenings to you!' Dumbledore said, smiling broadly.

'What happened to his hand?' Hermione gasped.

She was not the only one who had noticed. Dumbledore's right hand was blackened and dead-looking as it had been on the night he had come to fetch Harry from the Dursleys.

'Nothing to worry about,' he said as whispered swept the room. 'Now ... to our new students, welcome; to our old students, welcome back! Another year full of magical education awaits you ...'

'His hand was like that when I saw him over the summer,' Harry whispered to Hermione.

'But Madam Pomfrey - but then there are some injuries you can't cure ... old curses ... and there are poisons without antidotes,' Hermione muttered.

' ... and Mr Filch, our caretaker, has asked me to say that there is a blanket ban on any joke items brought at the shop called Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes.'

Harry chuckled and turned her head quickly, blinking as she came face to face with Neville, who raised his eyebrows questionably. Harry looked away again quickly. This feast was getting weirder by the second. Harry felt like she was missing a limb.

'Those wishing to play for their Quidditch teams should give their names to their Heads of House or their House Captain. We are also looking for new Quidditch commentators...'

With a pang, Harry realised why Hogwarts seemed so strange, the word Quidditch reminded her. Come to think of it, Hogwarts of course would not be the same without them. It was oddly quiet. She of course was thinking of the two beaters she had to replace Fred Weasley - and his twin brother who had for the last five years proclaimed the spot next to Harry at meal times - George Weasley. After what she assumed had been a break-up, even thinking about him, hurt.

'We are pleased to welcome a new member of staff this year. Professor Slughorn,' Slughorn stood up, 'is a former colleague of mine who has agreed to resume his old post of Potions master.'

'Potions?'

' _Potions?'_

The word echoed all over the Hall as people wondered whether they had heard right.

'Professor Snape, meanwhile, will be taking over the position of Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher.'

Snape, did not stand up at the mention of his name, merely raised a hand in lazy acknowledgement of the applause from the Slytherin table. Harry looked along the table in question, the loudest ones were the little Death Eater wannabes, which of course included Draco Malfoy.

Harry shared a look with Hermione and a horror-struck Ron, she leant across in table and whispered. 'Spread the word, DA is starting up again.' Ron nodded, Hermione looked slightly confused, so Harry explained, 'If he teaches Defence Against the Dark Arts anything like how he taught Potions - we're going to need it.'

'Well, there's one good thing,' Ron said. 'Snape'll be gone by the end of the year - that job is jinxed. No one's lasted more than a year ...'

Dumbledore cleared his throat. Harry, Ron and Hermione were not the only ones who had been talking; the whole school had erupted in a buzz of conversation at the news that Snape had finally achieved his heart's desire. Dumbledore waited for the hall to quieten again.

'Now as everybody in this Hall knows, Lord Voldemort and his followers are once more at large and gaining in strength. I cannot emphasise strongly enough how dangerous the present situation is, and how much care each of us at Hogwarts must take to ensure that we remain safe. The castle's magical fortifications have been strengthened over the summer, we are protected in new and more powerful ways, but we must still guard scrupulously against carelessness on the part of any student or member of staff. I urge you, therefore, to abide by any security restrictions that your teachers might impose upon you, however irksome you might find them - in particular, the rule that you are not to be out of bed after hours. I implore you, should you notice anything strange or suspicious within the or outside the castle, to report it to a member of staff immediately. I trust you conduct yourselves, always, with the utmost regard for your own and each other's safety.'

'But now, your beds await, as warm and comfortable as you could possibly wish, and I know that your top priority is to be well-rested for your lessons tomorrow. Let us therefore say goodnight. Pip pip!'

Not in the mood to follow the rest of the crowd, Harry waited until most of the students drew ahead of her. Hermione and Ron, disappeared to fulfil their prefect duty of shepherding the first-years. Hagrid was walking down the length of the table.

'You all right, Harry? You seemed to be lost in your own thoughts.' he asked.

'I'm fine,' Harry replied with a small smile.

'I was almost late - lost track of time because I was with Grawp.' Hagrid said happily. 'He's got a new home up in the mountains now, Dumbledore fixed it - nice big cave. He's much happier than he was in the Forrest. We were having a good chat.'

'That's nice,' Harry said softly.

'Oh yeah, he's really coming along,' Hagrid said. 'You'll be amazed. I'm thinking of training him up as me assistant. Anyway, I'll see you tomorrow, first lesson after lunch. Come Early and you can say hello to Buck - I mean Witherwings!'

Harry had forgotten that Buckbeak had been moved back to Hogwarts and re-christened. Hagrid raised a cheery farewell, and headed out the door before Harry could tell him any different.


	103. Chapter 103

'But he can't really think we'd continue Care of Magical Creatures!' Hermione said, looking distressed. 'I mean, when has any of us expressed ... you know ... any enthusiasm.'

The very first thing Harry did as they sat down for breakfast, was tell Ron and Hermione the rather awkward conversation with Hagrid. Neville had once again taken up George's vacant seat.

'That's it, though,' Ron said. 'We were the ones who made the most effort in class because we like Hagrid. But he thinks we like the stupid subject. D'you reckon anyone's going to go on to NEWT?'

Neither Harry nor Hermione answered; there was no need. They knew perfectly well that nobody in their year would want to continue Care of Magical Creatures. After they had eaten, they remained in their places, awaiting Professor McGonagall's descent from the staff table. The distribution of timetables was more complicated than usual this year, for Professor McGonagall needed first to confirm that everybody had achieved the necessary OWL grades to continue with their chosen NEWTs.

Hermione was immediately cleared to continue with Charms, Defence Against the Dark Arts, History, Transfiguration, Herbology, Arithmancy, Ancient Runes and Potions, and shot off to her first period. Neville took a little longer as his grandmother wanted him to continue with Transfiguration. Professor McGonagall talked him around into taking Charms. Parvati was also cleared after she asked who was teaching Divination. McGonagall shook her head and informed her that Professor Trelawney and Firenze were dividing the classes between them.

'Potter,'

Harry looked up at the mention of her name. Professor McGonagall was consulting her notes. 'Ancient Runes, Arithmancy, Charms, Defence Against the Dark Arts, Herbology, Transfiguration, History ... all fine. Professor Vector wishes to know if you'd like to take your Arithmancy NEWT this year?'

Harry nodded. 'Yeah, I thought it over - I'd like to do it.'

'Good, she will be pleased. Now, why haven't you applied for Potions?'

'I wasn't sure what grade Professor Slughorn accepted into his NEWT classes, Professor.' Harry explained.

'He is perfectly happy to accept NEWT students with "Exceeds Expectations". Do you wish to proceed with Potions?'

'Yes,' Harry said, 'though I didn't buy the books or any ingredients -'

'I'm sure Professor Slughorn will be able to lend you some,' said Professor McGonagall. 'Very well, Potter here is your time table. Oh, by the way - twenty hopefuls have already put down their names for the Gryffindor Quidditch team. I shall pass the list to you in due course and you can fix up trails at your leisure.'

A few minutes later as Harry was checking over her timetable to see where she needed to be, Ron had been cleared to take Charms, Defence Against the Dark Arts, Herbology, Transfiguration and Potions.

'Look,' Ron said in delight, gazing at his timetable, 'free period now ... and a free period after break ... and after lunch ... excellent!'

Harry laughed, 'Well you enjoy your free period, I'm going off to Ancient Runes, to see what I've missed.'

An hour later Ron joined up with them for Defence Against the Dark Arts. Harry and Hermione were already queuing up.

'How did it go?' Ron asked, seeing Hermione carrying an armful of heavy books. Then quizzically looked at Harry wondering why she had none.

'It was good,' Hermione said anxiously, 'though we got loads of homework. A fifteen-inch essay, two translations and we've got to read these by Wednesday!'

'Shame,' Ron yawned.

'You wait,' she said resentfully. 'I bet Snape gives us loads.'

The classroom door opened, and Snape stepped into the corridor, his shallow face framed as ever by two curtains of greasy black hair.

'Inside.' he said.

Harry looked around the Defence Against the Dark Arts room. Snape had already imposed his personality upon the room. It was gloomier than usual as curtains had been drawn over the windows, and was lit by candlelight. New pictures framed the walls, many of them showing people in pain, sporting injuries or strangely contorted body parts.

'I have not asked you to take out your books,' Snape said, closing the door and moving to face the class behind his desk. The class stowed their books away. 'I wish to speak to you and I want your fullest attention. You have had five teachers in this subject, I believe.'

 _Yeah, like you haven't watched them all come and go,_ Harry thought scathingly.

'Naturally, these teachers will all have had their own methods and priorities. Given this confusion I surprised so many of you,' Snape's eyes wondered over the class, resting upon a few students, Neville included. 'scraped an OWL in this subject. I shall be even more surprised if all of you manage to keep up with the NEWT work, which will be more advanced.'

'The Dark Arts,' Snape said, setting off around the edge of the room, 'are many, varied, ever-changing and eternal. Fighting them is like fighting a many-headed monster, which, each time a neck is severed, sprouts a head even fiercer and cleverer than before. You are fighting that which is unfixed, mutating, indestructible.'

'Your defences must, therefore, be as flexible and inventive as the Arts you seek to undo.' he said, 'Now ... you are, I believe, complete novices in the use of non-verbal spells. What is the advantage of a non-verbal spell?'

Hermione's hand shot into the air.

'Very well - Miss Granger?'

'Your adversary has no warning about what kind of magic you're about to perform, which gives you a split-second advantage.'

'An answer copied almost word for word from _The Standard book of Spells Grade six,'_ Snape said dismissively, 'but correct in essentials. Yes, those who progress to using magic without shouting incantations gain an element of surprise in their spell-casting. Not all wizards can do this, of course, it is a question of concentration and mind power which some ... lack.'

'You will divide into pairs,' Snape explained. 'One partner will attempt to jinx the other without speaking. The other will attempt to repel the jinx in equal silence. Carry on.'

Not that, Snape knew, but Harry had taught at least half the class, in her DA meetings the previous year how to perform a Shield Charm. None of them ever cast the Charm without speaking, however, a reasonable amount of cheating ensued. Many people were muttering the incantation instead of saying it aloud. Hermione managed to cast a Shield Charm without muttering a single word ten minutes into the lesson. Snape ignored this feat and swept amongst the pairs as they practised. It was nearing the end of the lesson when he finally approached Harry and Ron. Ron who was supposed to be jinxing Harry was purple in the face, his lips tightly compressed. Harry had her wand at the ready, waiting to repel a jinx that seemed unlikely ever to come.

'Pathetic Weasley,' Snape snarled after a while. 'Here - let me show you -'

As he turned, Harry dropped her wand, her emotions were running high, and she reacted instinctively; she projected her magic into shielding her as Snape cast his spell. Her Shield Charm was so powerful Snape was thrown off his feet and he hit a desk. The whole class had looked round and watched as Snape righted himself, scowling.

The best thing was, he couldn't even give her a detention for it, he said they had to cast the spell non-verbally, he said nothing about not using wandless magic. Several people gasped as the sight of blood that trickled down Snape's face. Behind Snape, Ron, Dean and Seamus grinned appreciatively.

'That was brilliant!' Ron said, 'I so need to learn how to do that.'

'I can't teach you to perform wandless magic,' Harry said, Ron looked disappointed. 'I can, however, teach you how to perform a spell non-verbally and by next lesson no less.'

'Wicked!' Seamus said, overhearing their conversation. 'I heard DA was happening again this year.'

'Yeah,' Dean said, 'where and when?'

'Was thinking Sundays after dinner, for regular meetings,' Harry said, 'and the same place as last time.'

'Harry,' Ron said startled, 'won't that be a bit ... obvious ...'

'That is the whole point,' Harry said triumphantly, 'I want him to know what we are doing.'

'Well I thought he sounded a bit like you,' Hermione said.

'How on earth did Snape sound like me?' Harry asked completely offended.

'Well, you know when you spoke about what it is like to face Voldemort. You said it was just you and your brains and your guts - well, isn't that what Snape was saying? That it really comes down to being brave and quick-thinking?'

Harry was so shocked that she had memorised her words, that she did not dare argue.

'So ... umm what about tonight for our first meeting - Sixth-years only,' Harry said to the boys. 'It will give me more time with anyone who struggles.'

'Cool, see you later then, Harry,' Dean said.

As they sat down in the Gryffindor Common room for break, Harry pulled out her books for Ancient Runes and began reading.

'Harry! Hey, Harry!'

Harry looked up from her book; Jack Sloper, one of the Beaters on the previous year's Quidditch team was hurrying towards her holding a roll of parchment.

'For you,' Sloper said. 'Listen, I heard you got your captaincy back. When are, you holding trails?'

'Dunno,' Harry said in irritation, 'I'll let you know.'

'Oh right. I was hoping it'd be this weekend -'

But Harry was not paying him any attention, from what she had seen of his performance and level of play, Sloper would be lucky to get back onto the team. She was paying more attention to the parchment in her hands, recognising the thin, slanting writing.

 _Dear Harry,_

 _I would like to start our private lessons this Saturday._

 _Kindly come along to my office at eight p.m. I hope you are_

 _enjoying your first day back at school._

 _Yours sincerely,_

 _Albus Dumbledore_

 _P.S. I enjoy Acid Pops._

She passed the letter over to Ron and Hermione and went back to her own book. After break Harry, Dean and Hermione wondered off to Arithmancy, leaving Ron with Seamus and Neville.

...

'Professor Vector wants you to do to what as part of your Arithmancy NEWT?' Ron exclaimed, after Harry and Hermione, re-joined him for lunch.

'Fix the Vanishing Cabinet,' Harry said.

'The one that's been broken for years - the one which Fred and George shoved Montugue into last year,' Ron clarified.

'The very same one,' Harry answered.

'Why?'

Hermione gave a heavy sigh. 'Because Arithmancy isn't just about the magic behind numbers - it's also about theories and magical connections - fixing the cabinet shows that Harry has an understanding of magical theory.'

'Right-' Ron said, still looking slightly baffled. 'Nuts if you ask me - completely nuts - not possible.'

'It's a good thing, that I like defying the odds of possibilities then,' Harry said, 'isn't it?'

Ron gave her a thoughtful look, then shrugged his shoulders. Hermione rolled her eyes. Feeling out of sorts, Harry ate her lunch quickly.

'I'm off to the library,' she announced. 'I'll see you both for Potions.'

Harry dragged her feet as she wandered through the corridors towards the library. She really needed to get over the fact that Hogwarts did not feel the same. But she could not help feeling weird over the fact that George was missing and to make matters worse she missed him greatly. She never thought she had taken him for granted - it was true what they say. You don't know what you've got until it's gone. And Harry did not like it one bit. Because she knew what she had, she just did not think she'd lose it. Harry sighed as she reached the Library, she wondered the book shelves, not really looking for any book, in particular, she just wanted an excuse to leave the Gryffindor table. Her wondering made her almost bump into Marcus Belby until she sensed his presence at the last moment, though a book of his dropped out of his hands.

'Sorry,' she whispered, 'I wasn't exactly concentrating on where I was going.'

'Don't worry about it,' he said.

Harry bent down to retrieve the book.

'N-no leave it,' he said.

Harry stared unblinkingly at the book. It was titled, _Empathetic Magic and its abilities._ But it was the cover and the person's name that stood out. The cover was very plain and old but upon it was a symbol she knew well - the one she knew associated with Ancient Magic - the five-sided pentagram held within a circle - the very same symbol on her necklace. And it was written by E. M. Averhill. The name stirred something in her memory E. M. Averhill; Eugene Averhill, the man who had died innocently in a witch-trial during Merlin's time.

'I knew it,' Harry muttered, handing back the book to a very confused and embarrassed Belby. 'I knew I had seen his name before. Thanks.'

Harry hurried off back out the library and up the stairs to the Gryffindor tower. She yanked open her trunk and pulled out her mothers' book, the very same book Sirius had given her in her fourth-year. She opened it up, stopping at the family tree.

'Gotcha!' she said happily tracing his name right at the top of it, the date of death matching perfectly to the right time. 'Now just to find out exactly who you are.' It felt like everything was suddenly falling into place - as she recalled the man from her dreams name. 'And why the hell you let everyone think you were a Muggle.'

When Harry arrived in the corridor for double Potions, she saw only a dozen people had progressed to NEWT level. Blaise, Draco, Daphne and Nott. Marcus Belby, Lisa Turpin, Michael Corner, Terry Boot, and Ernie Macmillan from Hufflepuff.

'Harry,' Ernie said, holding out his hand, 'didn't get a chance to speak in Defence Against the Dark Arts this morning. It was an alright lesson - for Snape - of course, for us old DA members, Shield Charms are an old hat - though couldn't cast it non-verbally-'

'Good thing, I'm holding the DA meetings again, there's one tonight just for sixth years - spread the word, same place as last time after dinner. I'll get you casting non-verbally - you wait.'

Ernie gave her an odd look.

'I don't intend on keeping our meetings a secret,' Harry explained, with a satisfied smirk.

Before Ernie could say any more, the dungeon door opened. The room was unusually full of vapours and odd spells. Harry, Ron and Hermione sniffed interestingly as they passed large, bubbling cauldrons. The four Slytherins took a table, as did the Ravenclaws leaving Ernie to take a table with Harry, Ron and Hermione. The table they sat on was nearest a gold-coloured cauldron that was emitting one of the most seductive scents Harry had ever inhaled: it reminded her of treacle tart, the smell of fresh air and a musky scent, she was oddly familiar with but could not place.

'Now then, now then,' Slughorn said, whose outline was quivering through the many shimmering vapours. 'Scales out, everyone, and potion kits, and don't forget your copies of _Advanced Potion-Making ...'_

'Sir?' Harry said raising her hand.

'Harry?'

'I haven't got a book or scales or anything - nor has Ron - we didn't know we'd be able to do the NEWT, you see-'

'Ah yes, Professor McGonagall did mention ... not to worry, not to worry at all. You can use ingredients from the store cupboard, and I'm sure we can lend you some scales, and we've got a small stock of old books here, they'll do until you can write to Flourish and Blotts ...'

Slughorn strode over to a corner cupboard and after a moment's foraging emerged with two very battered-looking copies _Advanced Potion-Making_ by Libatius Borage, which he gave to Harry and Ron, along with two sets of tarnished scales.

'Now then,' Slughorn said, returning to the front of the class, 'I've prepared a few potions for you all to have a look at. These are the kind of thing you ought to be able to make after completing your NEWTs. You ought to have heard of 'em, even if you haven't made 'em yet. Can anyone tell me what this one is?'

He indicated to the cauldron nearest the Slytherins. It contained what looked like plain boiling water. Harry was pretty sure it was Veritaserum, And Hermione's hand hit the air before anybody else's; Slughorn pointed at her.

'It's Veritaserum, a colourless, odourless potion that forces the drinker to tell the truth,' Hermione said.

'Very good, very good!' Slughorn said happily. 'Now, this one,' he indicated to the cauldron near the Ravenclaws, 'here is pretty well-known ... featured in a few Ministry leaflets lately, too ... who can-?'

Hermione's hand was fastest once more. 'Polyjuice Potion, sir.'

Harry, too, recognised the slow-bubbling, mud-like substance in the second cauldron.

'Excellent, excellent! Now, this one here ... yes, my dear?' Slughorn said, looking slightly bemused as Hermione's hand raised once more.

'It's Amortentia! It's the most powerful love potion in the world!' Hermione said.

'Quite right, you recognised it, I suppose, by its distinctive mother-of-pearl sheen?'

'And the steam rising in characteristic spirals,' Hermione said. 'And it's supposed to smell differently to each of us, according to what attracts us -'

Hermione turned slightly pink and did not complete her sentence. Harry couldn't blame her.

'May I ask your name, my dear?' Slughorn said, ignoring Hermione's embarrassment.

'Hermione, Granger, sir.'

'Granger? Granger? Can you possibly be related to Hector Dagworth-Granger, who founded the Most Extraordinary Society of Potioneers?'

'No I don't think so, sir. I'm Muggle-born, you see.'

Harry saw Nott lean close to Goyle and whisper something; both of them sniggered, but Slughorn showed no dismay; on the contrary, he beamed and looked from Hermione to Harry, who was sitting next to her.

'Oho! " _One of my best friends is Muggle-born and she's the best in our year!"_ I'm assuming this is the very friend of whom you spoke, Harry?'

Harry nodded. 'The very one, sir.'

'Well, well, take twenty well-earned points for Gryffindor, Miss Granger.'

Nott looked like the time Hermione punched Draco in the face. Hermione turned to Harry with a radiant expression and whispered. 'Did you really tell him that?'

'What was the point in lying Hermione,' Harry concluded.

'She has a point,' Ron added. 'You are the best in the year.'

'Now,' Slughorn said. 'Amortentia doesn't really create love, of course. It is impossible to manufacture or imitate love. No, this will simply cause a powerful infatuation or obsession. it is probably the most dangerous and powerful potion in this room - oh yes,' he said, nodding gravely at Malfoy and Nott, both of whom were smirking sceptically. 'When you have seen as much of life as I have, you will not underestimate the power of obsessive love ...'

'And now, It is time for us to start work.'

'But sir, you haven't told us what's in the last cauldron,' Ernie said pointing at the smallest cauldron. The potion within was splashing about, it was the colour of molten gold.

'Oho,' Slughorn said. 'Yes, that one, ladies and gentleman, is a most curious potion called Felix Felicis. I take it,' he turned to look at Hermione, who had let out a gasp, 'that you know what this potion does, Miss Granger?'

'It's liquid luck,' Hermione said. 'It makes you lucky.'

The whole class seemed to sit up a little straighter.

'Quite right, take another ten points for Gryffindor. Yes, it's a funny little potion, Felix Felicis. Desperately tricky to make, and disastrous to get wrong. However, brewed correctly, as this has been, you will find that all your endeavours tend to succeed ... at least until the effects wear off.'

'Why don't people drink it all the time, sir?' Terry Boot asked.

'Because there is such a thing as too much of a good thing,' Slughorn said If taken in excess, it causes giddiness, recklessness and dangerous overconfidence ... and highly toxic in large quantities. But taken sparingly and very occasionally ...'

'Have you ever taken it, sir?' Michael Corner asked.

'Twice,' Slughorn said. 'Two table-spoonful's taken with breakfast. Two perfect days. Anyway, this potion is what I shall be offering as a prize in this lesson. One tiny bottle of Felix Felicis, enough for twelve hours' luck. From dusk to dawn, you will be lucky in everything you attempt. Though I must warn you that this potion is a banned substance in organised competitions ... sporting events as such, examinations or elections. So, the winner is to use it on an ordinary day only ... and watch how that day becomes extraordinary!'

'So,' Slughorn said. 'for a chance to win my fabulous prize, ten to page ten of _Advanced Potion-Making._ We have a little over an hour left to us, which should be enough time for you to make a decent attempt at the Draught of Living Death. The person who does best, will win little Felix here.'

To Harry's annoyance the copy of the book, Slughorn had given her had been written in by the previous owner. And the previous owner had made annotations and crossed things out. It had been trying to figure out what ingredients she needed and how to prepare them. When she came to the first amendment, she crushed up her Sopohorous Bean instead of cutting, but she had only realised her error once she placed the beans into her cauldron. She made the same mistake a second time, following the previous owner instructions to add a clockwise stir after every seventh counter-clockwise stir. By the end of the lesson on Harry's potion looked pink while most people potions looked purple. Slughorn stared at her potion, when he came to check it.

'Well, Harry, my dear,' he cried to the dungeon. 'It seems we have a clear winner. Excellent, excellent. Good Lord, it's clear you've inherited your mother's talent, she was a dab hand at Potions, Lily was! Here you are - one bottle of Felix Felicis, as promised, and use it well.'

'How did you do that?' Hermione asked as they made their way to the Great Hall for dinner. Harry explained what had happened.

'I didn't mean to,' she said, at Hermione's look of disapproval. 'it was just so hard to work out the text, that I slipped up.'

'I think we should check this book out. All those funny instructions - who knows,' Hermione said settling herself down at the Gryffindor table.

'Fine,' Harry pulled out the book from her bag and began muttering spells, tapping the book with her wand.

' _Speccialis revelio!'_ she said muttering the last spell she could think of. Nothing happened at all to the book. It simply lay there looking old, and dirty and dog-eared. 'Happy? Or would you like me to see if it can do back flips?'

'It seems all right,' Hermione said, still staring at the book suspiciously. 'I mean, it really does seem to be ... just a text book. Does it say who it belonged to at least?'

Harry pulled out the book, noticing that something was scribbled along the bottom of the back cover in the same small cramped handwriting as the instructions that had won her the bottle of Felix Felicis.

'Yeah,' Harry said. 'Only, he called himself the Half-Blood Prince.'

...

Harry entered the room of requirement, in rather a hurry.

'Hi, all, I'm so sorry I'm late, I was checking up on a few things,' she said looking around at her fellow sixth-year DA members. Unexpectedly Daphne and Blaise both showed up. 'I'll get straight to it, as I'm sure most of us want to have the pleasure of annoying Snape.'

'So, with great pleasure, I'm going to re-cap a few things, before we start casting non-verbal spells.' she explained, causing several members to grin.

'Snape, was right about a few things,' she told them, hearing several groans. 'Sorry, but he was. When he said, it took concentration and mind power- he wasn't lying - but he was wrong in saying not all wizards could do it - well, of course, they can it wouldn't be possible otherwise.'

'Each of us has the potential to cast a spell non-verbally, some just find it harder to do so.'

'But Harry, how's explaining all this meant to help us?' Dean said.

'That's a very good question, one I'm about to answer,' Harry said. 'you see, magic needs a purpose - a sense of direction - for it work - before this year, we relied heavily upon letting the words of incantation let us drive our magic into doing what we want. It's pretty basic when you think about it - do the right wand movement - say the correct incantation and bob's your uncle - you cast a spell.'

'Every time you cast a spell - you've given magic its purpose - and it's done what you wanted it to do,' Harry said looking around. 'But you're all forgetting one thing - the one thing you need for you to be able to do so - the one thing each of us does upon instinct. And it is that you need to focus on when casting spells non-verbally - you need to feel - have an emotional attachment to the spell you cast, you do so when you cast spells verbally, why should non-verbal spells be any different?'

'You need to give magic that sense of direction, that emotional driven feeling you put into your spells for it to work - without doing so, then casting magic is pretty much impossible,' Harry said. 'And that is coming from someone who likes to think only things that have been proven to be impossible truly are so.'

'So ... who wants to start?' Harry said looking around. 'Will begin with the Shield Charm.'

Harry did not expect miracles to happen - she did not expect everyone to start casting non-verbally she had not anticipated it taking until almost curfew for most of the DA members to perform a Shield Charm non-verbally, but it was a start.


	104. Chapter 104

_**A.N. Sorry chapter is very much like the original ... this is your warning ..**_

* * *

True to Harry's word she did manage to get her fellow sixth-year DA members casting a few spells non-verbally by the next Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson. Though in a true Snape-like fashion, Snape did not show any of his confusion as into how so many of his students had miraculously learned to produce non-verbal spells. Harry had also given up trying to figure out the "proper" instructions (as labelled by Hermione) to Potions and just followed the Prince's instructions. But it seemed at least Slughorn was impressed by her efforts, so much so that by their fourth lesson he was raving about her abilities. Harry was actually glad to have help in at least one of her subjects due to how busy she had been. After all the homework, they had been given, and her extra research into Eugene Averhill. She had wondered who the Half-Blood Prince had been, but she was not going to spend her time finding out. She had skimmed through the book to see if he or she (as Hermione kept adding) had left any clues, but so far it had been amendments to Potions and a few spells that looked like the Prince had made up themselves.

Harry, having finished her homework on Saturday evening, was planning how to arrange Quidditch trials, when she noticed what the time was. Five to eight. She was going to be late for Dumbledore.

'I've got to go,' Harry said, hastily putting her things into her bag.

'Where?' Ron said looking up from his homework.

'Meeting with Dumbledore - remember,' Harry said.

'Ooohh!' Hermione gasped. 'Good luck! we'll wait up, we want to hear what he teaches you!'

'Hope it goes OK,' Ron said, and the pair of them watched Harry leave through the portrait hole. She proceeded through deserted corridors until she reached the spot where a single gargoyle stood against the wall.

'Acid Pops,' Harry said and the gargoyle sprang aside; the wall slid apart, and a moving spiral stone staircase was revealed. Harry knocked on the door.

'Come in, Harry,' Dumbledore called.

'Evening, sir,' Harry greeted, as she entered his office.

'Good evening. Sit down please,' Dumbledore said smiling, waving at the empty seat from across his desk. 'I do hope you've had an enjoyable first week back.'

'Umm quite enjoyable,' Harry said.

'Well I've heard, that you've been keeping yourself very busy,' Dumbledore said, 'I even heard rumours that you are tutoring Defence Against the Dark Arts again.'

Harry looked up sheepishly. 'People seemed to be struggling - and umm - well - yeah, I thought I'd go over it. I won't let anyone get hurt.'

Dumbledore merely chuckled. Harry looked around the office wondering what her Professor was going to teach her when nothing seemed to be out of place - nor had anything been set up.

'So, Harry,' said Dumbledore. 'You have been wondering, I am sure, what I have planned for you during these - for want of a better word - lessons.'

'Yeah, I have.'

'Well, I have decided that it is time, now that you know what prompted Lord Voldemort to try and kill you fifteen years ago, for you to be given certain information.'

'But - you said you'd tell me everything - sir,' Harry said. It had been hard to keep the note of accusation from her voice, even harder not to project it over.

'And so, I did,' Dumbledore said. 'I told you everything I know. From this point, forth, we shall be leaving the firm foundation of what we know. From here on in, Harry we are going down a path of what we think we know, and I may be woefully wrong.'

'So we working on theories?' Harry clarified. 'But, you think you're, right? Right?'

'Naturally, but as I have proven to you, even I make mistakes.'

'And these theories - do they have to do with the prophecy?'

'It has a great deal to do with the prophecy,' Dumbledore said, getting to his feet and went to the cabinet beside the door, pulling out a familiar stone basin etched with odd markings around its rim. He placed the Pensieve on the desk in front of Harry.

'We have an appointment with the memory of Bob Ogden's,' Dumbledore announced. Harry gave him a rather odd look, as he tipped a silvery-contents of a bottle into the Pensieve. 'After you,' he gestured towards the bowl.

Harry, took a breath and plunged her head forwards into the silvery substance. Before the memory adjusted, Dumbledore landed beside her. They were standing in a country lane bordered by high, tangled hedgerows, beneath the summer sky. A short, plump man wearing thick glasses. He was reading a wooden signpost that was sticking out of the brambles. Harry knew this must be Ogden; he was the only person in sight, and he was wearing strange clothing so often chosen by inexperienced wizards trying to look like Muggles.

'So, what did this Bob Ogden do?'

'He worked in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement,' Dumbledore said. 'He died some time ago, but not before I had tracked him down and persuaded him to confide these recollections to me.'

Ogden set off at a brisk walk down the lane, Dumbledore and Harry followed. As they passed the wooden sign, Harry saw they were heading in the direction of Little Hangleton.

The village itself was nestled between two steep hills, its church and graveyard clearly visible. Across the valley, set on the opposite hillside, was a handsome manor house surrounded by a wide expanse of velvety green lawn. Ogden had broken into a trot, but inside of going into the village, Ogden had disappeared through a gap in the hedge. They followed him on to a narrow dirt track bordered by higher and wilder hedgerows than those they had left behind. To find a house half-hidden. Its walls were mossy and so many tiles had fallen off the roof that rafters were visible in places. As they reached the front door, Harry noticed someone had nailed a dead snake to it.

There was a rustle and a crack and a man in rags dropped from the nearest tree, landing on his feet in front of Ogden.

' _You're not welcome.'_

The man standing before them had thick hair, so matted with dirt it could have been any colour. Several of his teeth were missing. His eyes were small and dark. Ogden backed away several paces before he spoke.

'Er - good morning. I'm from the Ministry of Magic -'

' _You're not welcome.'_

'Er - I'm sorry - I don't understand you,' said Ogden nervously.

For a moment, Harry wondered why. She, of course, could understand the stranger clearly, but then she remembered the snakes.

'Parseltongue, of course -' she said.

'Yes, Harry,' Dumbledore said.

The man in rags was now advancing on Ogden, knife in one hand, wand in the other.

'Now look -' Ogden began, but too late: there was a bang, and Ogden was on the ground, clutching his nose, while yellowish goo squirted from his fingers.

'Morfin!' said a loud voice.

An elderly man had come hurrying out of the cottage. This man was shorter than the first. He came to halt beside the man with the knife, who was cackling with laughter at the sight of Ogden on the ground.

'Ministry, is it?' said the older man.

'Correct!' Ogden said. 'And you, I take it, are Mr Gaunt?'

''S right,' said Gaunt. 'Got you in the face, did he?'

'Yes, he did!' snapped Ogden.

'Should have had yourself know, shouldn't've you,' Gaunt said aggressively. 'This is private property. Can't just walk in here and not expect my son to defend himself.'

'Against what?' Ogden said, clambering to his feet.

'Busybodies. Intruders. Muggles and filth.'

Ogden pointed his wand at his nose to stop the flow of what looked like yellow pus. Mr Gaunt spoke out of the corner of his mouth to Morfin, Harry was ready to hear Parseltongue this time. _'Get in the house. Don't argue.'_

Morfin seemed to be on the point of disagreeing but when his father cast him a threatening look he changed his mind, lumbering away to the cottage, slamming the door closed behind him.

'It is you son I'm here to see, Mr Gaunt,' said Ogden. 'That was Morfin wasn't it?'

'Ar, that was Morfin,' said Gaunt. 'Are you pure-blood?' he asked, suddenly aggressive.

'That's neither here nor there,' Ogden replied coldly.

'Now I come to think about it, I've seen noses like yours down in the village.'

'I don't doubt if your son's been let loose on them,' said Ogden. 'Perhaps we could continue this discussion inside?'

'Inside?'

'Yes, Mr Gaunt. I've already told you. I'm here about Morfin. We sent an owl -'

'I have no use for owls. I don't open letters.'

''Then you can hardly complain that you had no warning of visitors,' Ogden said tartly. 'I am here following a serious breach of wizarding law which occurred here in the early hours of this morning -'

'All right, all right!' Gaunt bellowed. 'Come in the bleeding house, then, much good it'll do you!'

The house seemed to contain three tiny rooms. Two doors led off the main room, which served as a kitchen and living room combined. Morfin was sitting in a filthy armchair beside the smoking fire. A scuffling noise in the corner made Harry realise that somebody else was in the room. A girl who was dressed in a ragged grey dress.

'M'daughter, Merope,' Gaunt said grudgingly, as Ogden looked enquiringly at her.

'Good morning,' said Ogden.

But the girl did not answer, with a frightened look at her father she turned her back and continued shifting the pots on the shelf behind her.

'Well, Mr Gaunt, to get straight to the point,' Ogden said. 'We have reason to believe that your son Morfin performed magic in front of a Muggle late last night.'

There was a deafening clang. Merope had dropped one of the pots.

' _Pick it up!'_ Gaunt bellowed at her. 'That's it, grub on the floor like some filthy Muggle, what's your wand for, you useless sack of muck?'

Ogden looked shocked, as Merpoe who had already picked up the pot flushed scarlet, she lost her grip on the pot again, drew her wand shakily from her pocket, muttered a spell that caused the pot to shoot across the floor away from her, hitting the wall opposite and crack in two.

Morfin let out a mad cackle of laughter. Gaunt screamed, 'Mend it, you pointless lump, mend it!'

Merope scrambled across the room, but before she had time to raise her wand. Ogden had lifted his own and casting the repairing spell upon it, causing the pot to mend itself instantly.

'Lucky the nice man from the Ministry's here, isn't it? Perhaps he'll take you off my hands, perhaps he doesn't mind dirty Squibs ...'

Harry gasped, she knew that a Squib was a non-magical person who is born to at least one magical parent. Squibs were in essence, 'wizard-born Muggles.' They were rare and are looked upon with a degree of disdain by some witches and wizards, particularly pure-bloods.

Without looking or thanking Ogden, Merope picked up the pot and returned it, hands trembling to its shelf.

'Mr Gaunt,' Ogden began again, 'as I said: the reason for my visit -'

'I heard you the first time!' snapped Gaunt 'And so what? Morfin gave a Muggle a bit of what was coming to him - what about it, then?'

'Morfin has broken wizarding law,' Ogden said sternly.

'Teaching a filthy Muggle, a lesson,' Gaunt said, 'is illegal now, is it?'

'Yes,' Ogden said. 'I'm afraid it is.' He pulled out a small scroll of parchment from his pocket and unrolled it.

'What's that then, his sentence?' Gaunt said.

'It is a summons to the Ministry for a hearing -'

'Summons! Summons? Who do you think you are, summoning my son anywhere?'

'I'm Head of the Magical Law Enforcement Squad,' said Ogden

'And you think we're scum, do you?' Gaunt screamed. 'Scum who come running when the Ministry tells 'em to? Do you know who you are talking to, you filthy little Mudblood, do you?'

'I was under the impression that I was speaking to Mr Gaunt,' Ogden said.

'That's right!' Gaunt roared, raising his hand, to show Ogden a black-stone ugly ring he was wearing on his middle finger. 'See this? See this? Know what it is? Know where it is from? Centuries it's been in our family, that's how far back we go, and pure-blood all the way! know how much I've been offered for this, with the Peverell coat of arms engraved on the stone?' Then he ran towards his daughter, his hand flew at her neck, and he dragged her towards Ogden by a gold chain around her neck. 'And this, see this! Slytherin's. Salazar Slytherin's! We are the only descents left, since Merlin died, what do you say to that, eh?'

Harry glanced over to Dumbledore. That was the first she knew of Merlin being a decent of Slytherins.

'Mr Gaunt your daughter!' Ogden said in alarm, but Gaunt had already released Merope.

'So, don't you go talking to us as if we're dirt on your shoes! Generations of pure-blood, all wizards - more than you can say, I don't doubt!'

'Mr Gaunt, I'm afraid that neither your ancestors nor mine have anything to do with the matter in hand. I am here because of Morfin and the Muggle he accosted late last night. Our information,' Ogden glanced down at the scroll. 'is that Morfin performed a hex on the said Muggle, causing him to erupt in highly painful hives.'

Morfin giggled.

' _Be quiet boy!'_ Gaunt snarled in Parseltongue. Morfin fell silent again.

'And so, what if he did, then?' Gaunt said defiantly to Ogden. 'I expect you've wiped the Muggles filthy face clean for him, and his memory to boot -'

'That's hardly the point, is it, Mr Gaunt. This was an unprovoked attack on a defenceless -'

'Ar, I had you marked out as a Muggle-lover the moment I saw you,' Gaunt sneered.

'This discussion is getting us nowhere,' Ogden said firmly. 'It is clear from your son's attitude that he feels no remorse for his action. Morfin will attend a hearing on the fourteenth of September to answer the charges of using magic in front of a Muggle -' Ogden broke off. The jiggling, clopping sounds of horses and loud, laughing voices were drifting through the open window. Apparently, the winding lane to the village passed very close to where the house stood.

'My God, what an eyesore!' rang out a girl's voice. 'Couldn't your father have that hovel cleared away Tom?'

'It's not ours,' said a young man's voice. 'Everything on the other side of the valley belongs to us, but that cottage belongs to an old tramp called Gaunt and his children. The son is quite mad, you should hear some of the stories they tell in the village -'

The girl laughed. The jingling, clopping noises were growing louder. 'Tom,' said the girl's voice again, 'I might be wrong - but has somebody nailed a snake to that door?'

'Good Lord you're right!' said the man's voice. 'That'll be the son, I told you he's not right in the head. Don't look at it, Cecilia, darling.'

The jingling and clopping sounds were now growing fainter again.

 _'"Darling",'_ Morfin whispered in Parseltongue, looking at his sister. _'"Darling", he called her. So he wouldn't have you anyway.'_

Merope was so white, Harry thought she was going to faint.

 _'What was that?'_ Gaunt said sharply, also in Parseltongue, looking from his son to his daughter. _'What did you say, Morfin?'_

 _'She likes looking at that Muggle,'_ Morfin replied. _'Always in the garden when he passes, peering through the hedge at him, isn't she? And last night -'_

Merope looked terrified, she shook her head jerkily, imploringly, but Morfin went on, ' _Hanging out of the window waiting for him to ride home, wasn't she?'_

 _'Hanging out of the window to look at a Muggle?'_ said Gaunt quietly.

All three Gaunts seemed to have forgotten Ogden, who was looking both bewildered and irritated at this renewed outbreak of incomprehensible hissing and rasping.

 _'Is it true?'_ Gaunt said in a deadly voice, advancing towards the terrified girl. _'My daughter - pure-blooded decendant of Salazar Slytherin - hankering after a filthy, dirt-veined Muggle?'_

Merope shook her head frantically, pressing herself into the wall.

 _'But I got him, Father!'_ Morfin cackled. _'I got him as he went by, and he didn't look so pretty with hives all over him, did he, Merope?'_

 _'You disgusting little Squib, you filthy little blood traitor!'_ Gaunt roared, losing control, and his hands closed around his daughter's throat.

Ogden raised his wand and cried, ' _Relashio!'_ Gaunt was thrown backwards away from his daughter, falling flat onto his back. With a roar of rage, Morfin leapt out of his chair and ran at Ogden, brandishing his knife and firing hexes indiscriminately from his wand.

'Bloody hell,' Ron exclaimed, looking bemused after Harry repeated everything. 'I can't believe it. You Know Who actually had a mother.'

'No of course he didn't,' Hermione said sarcastically. 'He just appeared out of thin air one day.'

Harry unable to help herself, laughed.

'Still though,' Ron said with an unimpressed look. 'Why is Dumbledore showing you memories? How do they help you defeat him?'

'I was wondering about that myself,' Hermione said. 'There is a very old expression about keeping your friends close, but to keep your enemies closer - knowledge is power, after all.'

'I don't think so,' Harry said. 'I don't think that's why Dumbledore is showing me memories.'

'Really?'

'Umm,' Harry said, 'Any fool can know. The point is to understand.'

'So, do you understand, Dumbledore's madness?' Ron asked.

'Not yet,' Harry replied softly.

'Mate,' Ron asked, 'Just, why are you reading up on Merlin? I thought you were looking into the Eugene fellow.'

'I still am,' Harry said. 'But it was something Gaunt said, about Merlin being a decent of Slytherin's. I didn't know that - so I got to reading up his history - and I guess I got hooked. Especially about the story of how he got trapped in the form of a tree.'

'Wasn't that due to Nimue?' Hermione said.

'Yes,' Harry nodded. 'He fell in love with her, and she trapped him.'

'Daft if you ask me,' Ron said. 'All his power and he falls for a trick like that?'

'Oh, Ron, honestly,' Hermione scalded.

'He has a point,' Harry said.

Non-verbal spells were now expected, not only in Defence Against the Dark Arts, but in Charms and Transfiguration too. Their lessons had become more demanding then ever before. History was becoming rather irritating and it wasn't due to trying to say awake as Professor Binns droned on. Nope the problem had been McLaggen, who thought he knew everything, but just didn't. Potions, thanks to the Prince was becoming Harry's best subject. One result of their enormous workload had been that Harry, Ron and Hermione had so far been unable to find time to go visit Hagrid. He had stopped coming to meals at the staff table, and on the few occasions when they had passed him, he had failed to notice their greetings.

'We'll go after try-outs this morning,' Harry said. 'But trails might take all morning, with the number of people that applied. I dunno why the team's this popular all of a sudden.'

'Really, Harry,' Hermione said, suddenly impatient. 'You are completely oblivious at times, for someone who's a smart witch. It's not Quidditch that's popular, it's you!'

The owls arrived, Harry looked up, waiting for her copy of the _Daily Prophet._

'Anything?' Ron asked.

'More Dementor attacks,' Harry announced, and disbelieving what she was reading. 'And they arrested Stan Shunpike, listen.'

 _'"Stanley Stunpike, conductor on the popular wizarding conveyance the Knight Bus, has been arrested on suspicion of Death Eater activity. Mr Shunpike, 21, was taken into custody late last night after a raid on his Clapham home ..."'_

'Stan Shunpike, a Death Eater? Just what were they thinking?' Harry finished.

'He might have been under the Imperius Curse,' Ron said. 'You never can tell.'

'It doesn't look like it,' Hermione said 'It says he was arrested after he was overheard talking about Death Eaters' secret plans in a pub.'

'And they took him seriously - like a real Death Eater would do that,' Harry said.

'They want to look like they're doing something. People are terrified - the Patil twins' parents want them to go home. And Eloise Midgen has already been withdrawn. Her father picked her up last night.

'But Hogwarts is safer than their homes,' Ron said. 'We've got Aurors, and those protective spells, and we've got Dumbledore!'

'Haven't you noticed,' Harry said glancing up, looking towards the staff table. 'Even he's not here all the time.'

'I think he's left the school to do something with the Order,' Hermione mentioned in a low voice. 'I mean ... it's all looking serious, isn't it?'

Harry and Ron did not answer. There was no need to, Hermione was right. Hannah Abbott had been taken out of Herbology to be told her mother had been found dead. She was now sitting at the Hufflepuff table looking caught between defeated and determined. When they left the Gryffindor table five minutes later to head down to the Quidditch pitch, they passed Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil, Harry was unsurprised to see the two of them whispering, looking distressed. Though when Ron drew level with them, Parvati suddenly nudged Lavender, who looked around and gave Ron a wide smile, wishing him "good luck". Ron blinked at her, then returned the smile uncertainly.

Harry looked around when she reached the Quidditch Pitch. Half the Gryffindor house seemed to have turned up, from first-years who were nervously clutching school brooms, to seventh years who towered over the rest looking coolly intimidating. And McLaggen.

'Hiya, Harry,' he said confidently, stepping out of the crowd to shake her hand.

'McLaggen,' Harry replied. 'What you trying out for?'

'Keeper.'

'You didn't try-out last year,' Harry said, already knowing the answer. Only Ron had shown up for that try-out.

'I was in the hospital wing when they held the trails,' McLaggen said. 'Ate a pound of Doxy eggs for a bet ...'

Harry re-framed from rolling her eyes, unsure whether he was telling the truth or not. And if he was, she wasn't sure she wanted someone on her team who took a bet more seriously.

'Right ...' Harry said. 'well ... if you wait over there ...'

She pointed over to the edge of the pitch, close to where Hermione was sitting. She thought she saw a flicker of annoyance pass over his face, but Harry was not going to give him any preferential treatment. He would more likely land being on the receiving end of a hex.

Harry thought it would be best to start off with the basics. All the applicants for the team were divided into groups and made to fly around the pitch once. The group of first-years did not even manage to get off the ground. The second group was comprised of the silliest girls, Harry had ever encountered. Some of them had turned up without brooms, Harry sent them away from the pitch without blinking. And to top it all off, people from other Houses had turned up.

'If there is anyone else here,' Harry said shouting at the hopefuls, 'that is not from Gryffindor, LEAVE NOW!'

There was a scuffle, and more people sprinted from the pitch. Ginny looked at her in amusement. Harry did not care that she had projected her annoyance over, at least everyone could tell she actually meant it. After two hours, many complaints and several tantrums, Harry found herself three Chasers: Katie Bell, who had insisted on trying out. Demelza Robins was new to the team, but she had been very good at dodging Bludgers, and Ginny had out-flown all the competition. Her Beaters neither had the brilliance of Fred and - she was not going to think about him. No Fred's twin, was going to remain firmly out of her mind. But she had been pleased with her choice: Jimmy Peakes, a short but broad-chested third-year had managed to give Harry a rather nasty lump on the head. And Ritchie Coote, who looked weedy but aimed well.

Harry had left the Keepers until last, hoping for an emptier stadium. The rejected players and a number of people who had come down to watch had joined the crowd now, so that it was larger than ever. As each Keeper flew up to the goal-hoops, the crowd roared and jeered in equal measure. Harry glanced at Ron, who had always had a problem with nerves, he was looking slightly green. None of the first five applicants saved more than two goals. Cormac McLaggen to Harry's disappointment was actually good, he saved four penalties out of five. On the last one he shot off in completely the wrong direction. Ron looked ready to pass out as he mounted his Cleansweep Eleven. Harry wanted to close her eyes, but as Captain she knew she couldn't. And she need not worry: Ron had saved not one or two but five penalties in a row. Delighted, Harry turned to McLaggen's red face inches from her own.

'His sister didn't really try,' McLaggen said menacingly. 'She gave him an easy save.'

'Utter rubbish,' Harry said, standing her ground. Though McLaggen was much taller than her, she was not going to intimidated by him.

'Give me another go.' McLaggen said.

'No,' Harry replied. 'You've had your go, just like everyone else. You saved four. Ron saved five. Ron's Keeper, he won it fair and square. Now move, before I make you.'

For a moment, she thought McLaggen might hit her, but he contented himself with an ugly grimace and stormed away, growling what sounded like treats to thin air.

'Did you see McLaggen lumbering off in the wrong direction on his fifth penalty?' Ron said as they made their way towards Hagrid's. He had gained the colour back in his complexion and was looking satisfied with himself. 'It looked like he'd been Confunded ...'

To Harry's surprise, Hermione turned a very deep shade of pink at these words, but Ron did not notice, he had been too busy describing each of his penalties. A grey Hippogriff was tethered in front of Hagrid's cabin. Harry stepped forwards and bowed low to the Hippogriff without breaking eye contact or blinking, after a few seconds the Hippogriff sank into a bow too.

'Hello, Buckbeak, how are you?' Harry asked, moving forwards to stroke the feathery head. 'Missing him? Me too. But you're OK here with Hagrid, aren't you?'

'Oi!' said a loud voice.

Hagrid had come striding around the corner of his cabin. 'Get away from him! He'll have your fingers - oh. It's you lot.'

Fang had bounded towards them. Hagrid stood and looked at them all for a spilt second, then turned and strode into his cabin, slamming the door behind him.

'Oh dear!' Hermione said.

Harry walked over and knocked loudly. 'Hagrid! Open up, we want to talk to you!' There was no sound from within. 'If you don't answer the door, we'll blast it open!'

'Harry!' Hermione gasped. 'Don't you think that's a bit much?'

'Nope,' Harry said, pulling out her wand, she had once told Hagrid she knew how to do this, 'reckon _bombarda_ will do the trick?'

But before she could say anything else, the door flew open again, and there stood Hagrid, glowering down at her, looking alarming.

'I'm a teacher!' he roared. 'A teacher, Potter! How dare you threaten to break down my door!'

'Well it got your attention didn't it, sir,' Harry replied.

'Since when have you called me sir?' Hagrid said looking stunned.

'Umm, all last year, when Umbridge was being a cow in your lessons.' Harry answered.

'I forgot about that,' Hagrid said. 'Alright, come in then, you ungrateful little ...'

Mumbling darkly, he stood to let them pass.

'Well?' Hagrid said grumpily, as they sat down. 'What's this? Feeling sorry for me? Reckon I'm lonely or something?'

'We wanted to see you,' Harry said at once.

'We missed you!' Hermione added.

'Missed me yeah right.'

'Hagrid, we really wanted to carry on with Care of Magical Creatures, you know,' Hermione said.

Hagrid gave a snort.

'We did!' Hermione said. 'But none of us could fit it in, we hardly see Harry as it is now days.'

'What you dragging me into this for?' Harry said startled.

'Mate she has a point,' Ron said. 'Between all the stuff you are doing, the DA, preparing for your Arithmancy NEWT, doing that research - we hardly see you, even at meal times.'

There was a funny squelching sound and they all looked around. In a large barrel standing in the corner they had only noticed was what looked like foot-long maggots.

'What are they?' Harry said, who had stood up from her seat.

'Giant grubs,' Hagrid said.

'And they grow into ...?' Ron said, looking apprehensive.

'They won't grow into nothing,' Hagrid said. 'I got them to feed Aragog.' And without warning, he burst into tears.

'Hagrid!'

'What is it?'

'It's him ... Aragog ... I think he's dying,' Hagrid gulped. 'He got ill over the summer and he's not getting better ... I don't know what I'll do if he ... if he ... we've been together so long ...'

Hermione patted Hagrid's shoulder, awkwardly, Ron swiftly started making some tea. Several hours later, Hagrid was much calmer. They headed back across the grounds for dinner. As they came into the castle they spotted Cormac McLaggen entering the Great Hall, which took him two attempts to do so, which made Harry think of of something. She tugged on Hermione's arm and held her back from following Ron through the doors straight away.

'If you ask me,' she said quietly, 'McLaggen looks like he was Confunded. And he was standing right in front of where you were sitting.'

Hermione blushed. 'OK, I did it. But you should have heard the things he was saying about Ron and Ginny!'

Harry shook, her head. 'I wouldn't have allowed someone as hot-headed as he is onto the team anyway - but thank you, for helping.'

'You're not going to tell me off for interfering?' Hermione said, raising an eyebrow.

Harry laughed. 'Why should I, the amount of times I let -' she stopped herself, she had just been about to say his name, '-the twins get away with things.'

Hermione, gave her a quizzing look, as they entered the Hall. 'What's going on with George and you anyway?'

'What do you mean?'

'Honestly, Harry, obviously, something's gone on - I mean - he's not here, and well I noticed you haven't received any mail from him-'

'I haven't received mail from anyone,' Harry corrected.

'That is not my point - what happened?'

'We had a row -' Harry said softly. 'When I was in Saint Mungo's - I think - I think we broke up,' she shrugged. 'Sure, seemed that way from what he said.'

'Oh - Harry-'

'I'm fine, 'Mione,' Harry said sighing. 'I'm dealing with it.'

As they reached the Gryffindor Table, Professor Slughorn appeared in front of them.

'Harry, Harry, just the person I was hoping to see!' he boomed. 'I was hoping to catch you before dinner! What do you say to a spot of supper tonight in my rooms instead? We're having a little party, just a few rising stars. I've got McLaggen coming, and Zabini, the charming Melinda Bobbin - I don't know whether you know her? Her family owns a large chain of apothecaries - and, I do hope that Miss Granger will favour me by coming too.'

Slughorn made a little bow to Hermione, and wondered off.

Harry slid into a seat, rubbing her temple, muttering incoherent things about people wasting her time.

'Cheer up, Harry,' Neville said, 'Ginny and I have both been roped into going too.'

'And there is no way, you are leaving me to go by myself,' Hermione added, Harry knew she was thinking of McLaggen.

Harry glanced up, giving her an irritated look. 'McLaggen, twice in one day. Belby is probably going to - I swear he's been flirting with me - I don't know if I can handle it, I think I might be sick tonight.' she said.

'Dumbledore, asked you to play nice,' Ron said. 'Remember?'

Harry groaned. 'Okay, okay. I suppose it does give me a chance to catch up with Zabini.'


	105. Chapter 105

'Just go on the date,' Hermione said in an exasperated voice, causing, Harry to groan.

It was halfway through October, and their first trip of the term to Hogsmeade had been made for the following day. Normally Harry, would be looking forward to going to the village. This time she however was not. Slughorn's parties only made it worse. Harry had been correct when she thought Belby had been flirting with her, he would often chat to her and thanks to the book he'd been reading into Empathetic Magic, he knew more about her abilities then she did. Like the very fact that she could also disguise her magical presence from other Empaths. And that she could also tune out the presence of other magical presences. Slughorn seeing their "little chats" commented more than once about how lovely they looked as a couple. And would often sit them next to one another at his parties. It had worked, as Belby had asked her to accompany him to Hogsmeade at the last Slug Club party.

'What is the worst that could happen?' Hermione added, 'you might find you like the guy.'

Harry though, did not want to go on the date. She hardly wanted to go to the village - not without a certain red head that she could not get off her mind. His spot next to her at the table was always filled by one of her friends. It just didn't feel right.

'If I go on this stupid date, will you give it a rest?' Harry said defeated.

'Yes.'

'Fine, I'll go to Hogsmeade.' Harry replied, though she had no intention of telling Belby.

It turned out Hermione had not trusted her enough and arranged for Harry to meet up with Marcus Belby the following morning.

...

The morning of Hogsmeade, Harry received another note of when her next lesson with Dumbledore would be. They had been talking about the Prince's spells. Ron had accidentally cast Levicorpus non-verbally making Neville dangle upside-down earlier that morning.

'I'm sorry but this Prince fellow,' Hermione said, 'is a bit dodgy if you ask me.'

'You don't like him because he's better than you at Potions,' Ron said.

'Who puts their time and energy into making up spells that cause people to hang upside-down by their ankles?' Hermione said.

'Fred and George,' Ron shrugged, 'it's their kind of thing. And er-'

'My dad,' Harry said, only remembering. 'My dad used that spell - I - Remus told me.' The last part had been a lie, but she was not about to tell them, what she had seen in Snape's memories.

'Maybe your dad did use it, Harry,' said Hermione, 'but he was not the only one. We've seen a whole bunch of people use it. Dangling people in the air. Making them float along, helpless.'

'Death Eaters ...'

'But they were abusing it! I didn't mean to, it turned out to be a laugh though.' Ron said. 'And this Prince was a Half-Blood -'

'I don't think that matters,' Harry said, 'remember, you're the one who told me that we would have died out if we hadn't married Muggles.'

'The Death Eaters, dislike anyone who's not pure.'

'That's not strictly true, it's only Muggle-borns they hate, they'd be quite happy to let you and Harry join up.'

'There's no way they'd let me be a Death Eater!' Ron said. 'My whole family are blood traitors! That's as bad as Muggle-borns to Death Eaters!'

'They would love to have me,' Harry added. 'We'd be best pals - the only problem is they seem to like trying to kill me.'

Ron laughed, and Hermione gave a grudging smile.

'I best be off. I've got to meet up with Belby,' Harry muttered.

'It might help, if you start calling him by his first name,' Hermione called out after her.

...

Belby was an idiot, Harry was glad he put his foot in it when they met up. It saved her the trouble of going on the date. Her fame, that had been the reason why he liked her. Not because of who she was but her fame. And now she was wondering the village of Hogsmeade on her own. Harry entered Honeydukes, when she was feeling this frustrated only one thing would be helpful - sweets. She felt much better when she left the shop, and upon leaving she slammed into someone with an - THUD - making her fall to the floor.

'I'm so sorry,' Harry said hastily, a hand merely reached out to help her up.

'It's OK, Harry,' said a familiar voice.

Harry's head snapped up, she had collided into George. It still felt odd, hearing him call her that. She accepted his hand, and got to her feet.

'You OK? You're normally so aware of your surroundings - thanks to your Empathy.'

'I tuned out,' Harry admitted. She felt rather awkward. 'Well I guess - I mean - I should be going.'

Harry, grabbed for her things, which had also fallen to the floor, and turned to leave.

'Wait-'

Harry turned her head, back into his direction. George looked as awkward as she felt. He stood, with his hands in the pocket of his robes, shuffling from one foot to the other, barely looking at her as she spoke.

'Do you think -? Could we talk? - Maybe over a drink?' he gestured towards the direction of the Three Broomsticks. 'If you have time, that is?'

'I have time,' Harry said softly, his blue speckled eyes caught her own, she thought she saw a glimmer of relief in them.

'So - how's - umm things?' he asked nervously.

Harry shrugged. 'OK, I guess - you?'

'Same ...' George said, pulling the door open to the Three Broomsticks. They ordered some drinks, paid for them and found a table. Once they had sat down George started running a hand through his hair. Harry long knew that this was a sign of frustration or nervousness. It was weird how much she knew things like that about him, now she thought about it.

'I-'

'So-'

They had both broken they awkward silence that hung between them at the same time.

'You first,' George said.

'Oh, it was nothing,' Harry said, biting her lip. 'I just wondered why you were in Hogsmeade.'

George sighed deeply. 'Honestly, I was looking for you.'

'Oh - why?'

George let out another sigh, his hand running through his hair once more. 'I wanted to apologise - for what I said, back in Saint Mungo's. I was completely out of order.'

'I didn't help matters by being so defensive,' Harry told him, honestly.

George shook his head. 'But you are entitled to your own secrets - I have my fair share, that I - well my point is - I was a dick and I'm sorry, Harry.'

'It's OK,' Harry smiled back at him. 'Honestly.'

George shook his head once more. 'You're such a forgiving person you know that?'

Harry shrugged. 'Does this mean - that we are OK?'

George laughed lightly, 'We were always OK, Harry.'

'It's Anna or Princess to you,' she replied, a small smile on her face, shrugging, 'it's not like you needed permission before.'

One of George's hands cupped the side of her face. He too was now smiling. 'Oh, how I have missed you, Princess Anna.'

Harry laughed. 'Not as much as I've missed you, Prince George.'

'I thought it was Prince Charming?' George teased.

'That, too,' Harry said. 'But seriously Hogwarts has not been the same, and other people keep taking your spot -'

'My spot?'

'Yeah, the place next to me, where you always sat at meal times,' Harry told him.

'I knew I'd impress you one day,' George said triumphantly.

'And here I thought it was because of your dashing good looks!'

'Ah, she admits it,' George shouted. 'finally!'

Harry laughed, she felt happier now she was in his company, and she was glad that they had sorted themselves out. And it was with deep regret hour later, as he kissed her upon her forehead, before she got into the school carriage, than she left him to return to Hogwarts.

...

'So, Merope - You Know Who's mother sold her necklace for money?' Ron clarified.

Harry nodded. She was once again, relaying everything she'd see in the memories Dumbledore had shown her.

'She had gotten desperate.' Harry said. 'Needed the money and then, from there landed up at the orphanage.'

'OK, so then Dumbledore went to the orphanage himself?' Ron asked.

'Yeah,'

Hermione shivered. 'Oh, even as a child Voldemort sounds horrible - bullying because he could.'

'Umm,' Harry agreed. 'He believed it a lot quicker - being a wizard - then I did - said he knew he was different, he knew he was special.'

'He was special alright,' Ron said, 'in the head.'

'He was certainly addicted to power, even from a young age,' Harry said. 'when he saw, Dumbledore cast a spell, he practically wanted a wand, there and then. And he hated his name from a young age.' Harry added. '"There are a lot of Toms". He was convinced it was his father that had been magical.'

'But he disliked his name,' Hermione said.

'Dumbledore said, that even then, he wished to be different, separate, notorious.' Harry said. 'And we know he shredded his name once he found out about his heritage.'

'He liked to be alone, too.' Harry added, 'Wanted to do things himself. He preferred to operate alone. Dumbledore said the adult version is the same.'

'But his Death Eaters?'

Harry shook her head. 'All deluded, according to Dumbledore. He never had a friend, nor has he ever wanted one.' Harry sighed. 'Though he must have trusted a few - Lucius had that diary of his remember -'

'Oh yeah, the one you destroyed that contained his memories,' Hermione said, thoughtfully. 'I always wondered how he did that. I could never find the answer either.'

...

Harry knew she had a stupid smile on her face, but she just couldn't help it.

'Care to tell us, who you've heard from that has caused you to smile like that?' Hermione asked, indicating to the parchment in Harry's hand.

'Nope,' Harry replied, still smiling.

Hermione rolled her eyes. 'I take it the date with Belby went well? Is he the one sending you secret love notes?'

'God no!' Harry said, a little too quickly. 'Belby was a right idiot, whereas this guy knows how to be a true gentleman.'

Hermione's eyebrows raised, 'Oohh! So, it is a guy?'

'And I'm not telling,' Harry said, then she stuck her tongue out for good measure, she then read her letter once more.

 _Dearest Princess,_

 _How's Hogwarts now? You said when I saw you that it was not the same without me._

 _It was good to see you too. Things are a little hectic here, we're working on that new_

 _concealer Potion recipe you gave us for Starry's Deluxe - it's brilliant! However, did you find the_

 _time to come up with a concealer that can Conceal It All - that's what we're calling it - the Conceal It All Concealer -_

 _Is Hogwarts that bad without me? That your spending all your time researching?_

 _Don't worry I missed you too. Send me the date of next Hogsmeade weekend._

 _Looking forward to seeing you soon,_

 _Missing you,_

 _Your Prince Charming x_

Harry could make out his teasing tone even in letter form. She wrote a hasty reply telling him the date of the next weekend which was due the weekend after Gryffindor's first match.

'So, you looking forward to the next Slug Club party?' Hermione asked.

'I hadn't thought about it, to be honest,' Harry shrugged, looking up from her reply.

Ron made a face of disgust. 'His holding another party just for favourites - really -'

'There not that bad, he drones on a bit about ex-pupils -'

'Completely fawns on McLaggen,' Harry added in sheer disregard. 'just because he's so well connected -'

'He has given us some really nice food and he introduced us to Gweong Jones.'

'The Captain of the Holyhead Harpies?'

'That's right,' Hermione nodded. 'Personally, I thought she was a bit full of herself.'

'Slughorn's next party is near Christmas,' Harry said, 'isn't it?'

Hermione nodded once more. Ron was looking angrier by the second.

'Well, two have fun,' Ron said with a sneer worthy of Draco Malfoy. 'If you ask me, "Slug Club" is just pathetic. But I hope you enjoy it. Why don't you try getting off with McLaggen-'

Harry pulled a face as though she was going to be sick, at hearing those words.

'We're allowed to bring guests,' Hermione added quickly, turning slightly pink. 'I was going to ask you to come, but if you think it's stupid then I won't bother!'

Harry hastily, dove for her school bag, though even rummaging around in her bag did not distract her from hearing her friends' conversation.

'You were going to ask me?' Ron said, in a completely different voice.

'Yes,' Hermione said. 'But obviously, if you'd rather I got off with McLaggen ...'

Harry, gave her school bag a rustling shake.

'No I wouldn't,' Ron said in a very quiet voice.

As though they had only noticed Harry's abrupt departure to under the table, Hermione's voice said. 'Harry?' Which caused Harry to bump her head on the table.

'Oh,' she grimaced, 'that hurt.'

'What were you doing?'

'Looking for something in my school bag, but it's not overly important,' Harry said. she attached a p.s. to her letter and read it over.

 _Dear Charming,_

 _Hogwarts still feels empty without you, in all honestly, it just feels too damn quiet._

 _Maybe I have been spending a lot of time in the library, but it just feels so odd not seeing you every day. The next Hogsmeade weekend is in November. Why? Missing me so much, that you just have to pay another visit? Though I do look forward to seeing you. Did I mention Slug Club to you at all? I think I might have done - the new Potions Professor, Slughorn, it's his club full of his favourite students because of their connections or talents. Well, n_ _ext one is at near Christmas, and we are allowed to bring guests, fancy coming? If not, I'm going to have_ _to_ _find myself a date. And Slughorn's parties are boring enough as it is without having to put up with_ _boring company. You should "liven it up" in true George Weasley style. I can just imagine_ _the look on Slughorn's face. It might help me out so he doesn't invite me to any more parties._

 _Missing you, lots,_

 _Princess Anna x_

 _P.S. Hermione's just asked Ron - I knew something like this was going to come but - feeling slightly awkward!_

 _Please say you can make it! I'll make it up to you - full blown snog? Would that be enough payment?_

As the first match of the season drew nearer, the worse Ron's nerves became. And their last practice before the game had been the worst Harry had ever seen. Ron's nerves had gotten so bad that after letting in half a dozen goals, his technique for saving became wilder and wilder until he finally punched an oncoming Demelza Robins in the mouth.

'I'm sorry, it was an accident,' Ron shouted after her as she zigzagged back to the ground dripping blood everywhere. 'I just -'

'Panicked,' Ginny said angrily, landing next to Demelza and examining her lip. 'You prat, Ron, look at the state of her!'

'I can fix it,' Harry said, landing beside them, pointing her wand at Demelza's mouth, ' _Episkey!_ And don't call Ron a prat Ginny.'

'Well you seemed too busy to call him a prat and I thought someone should -'

By the end of practice, Harry felt that honesty was not the best policy when they were this close to the upcoming match.

'Good work, everyone, I think we'll flatten Slytherin,' she told them. As long as she had the old back up plan of catching the Snitch as quick as possible up her sleeve they would. Her Chasers and Beaters seemed happy enough.

'I played like a sack of dragon dung,' Ron said in a hollow voice.

'Your problem is your nerves,' Harry said patiently. 'You were the best Keeper I tried out, you earned your spot.'

Her words of encouragement did not falter Ron's sulky mood.

...

The morning of the Quidditch match, Harry was actually considering forfeiting the game. Ron's mood had not improved, her team was a nervous wreck. She rolled out of the bed opening her trunk, pulling out some of her things ... if only there was something she could do to make Ron pull himself together ... make him play at the top of his form ... when she lifted out a small bottle, she had placed in her trunk not that long ago - and an idea came to her.

Breakfast was the usual excitable affair; the Slytherins hissed and booed loudly as every member of the Gryffindor team entered. Harry glanced at the ceiling and saw a clear, pale blue sky. Perfect weather conditions. The Gryffindor table, a solid mass of red and gold, cheered as Harry and Ron approached.

'Cheer up Ron,' Hermione said. 'You'll be brilliant!'

He gave her a weak smile.

'Tea?' Harry asked Ron. 'Coffee? Pumpkin juice?'

'Anything,' Ron replied glumly. Ginny sighed heavily next to Harry.

Harry handed over a glass of pumpkin juice. 'There you go, Ron. Drink up.'

'Wait!' Ginny said. 'Did you just put something in Ron's drink?'

'Have no idea what you're talking about,' Harry said, hastily putting the little bottle in her pocket.

'Did you?' Hermione piped up.

Ron though picked up the glass and drained it. 'Like Harry would do a thing like that.'

Harry looked around, getting up from the table. Ron followed her. The grass crunched under their feet as they walked to the stadium.

'Pretty lucky the weathers good, eh?' Harry said.

'Yeah,' Ron said, looking pale and sick-looking.

Katie and Demelza were already wearing their Quidditch robes and waiting in the changing room.

'Conditions look ideal,' Katie said. 'And guess what? That Slytherin Chaser Vaisey - he took a Bludger in the head yesterday during their practice, and he's too sore to play! And better than that - Malfoy's gone off sick too!'

'What?' Harry said staring at her. 'He's ill? What's wrong with him?'

'No idea, but it's great for us,' Katie said brightly. 'They're player Harper instead.'

'But the guys an idiot,' Ginny said walking in, looking annoyed.

Harry grinned. 'This day just keeps getting better.'

'Lucky I call it.'

Ron swiftly changed into his robes, and left the changing room again, so that Harry and Ginny could change.

'You're lucky if you're not expelled,' Ginny hissed. 'Hermione told me what it was that you poured in Ron's drink. You know you can't use it in competitions.'

Harry gave her a sly smile. 'Who says I did.' she pulled out the untouched bottle. Ginny's eyes widened.

'But you - Ron - I -' she gave a small smile. 'Very sneaky, Harry. Very sneaky.'

'What can I say,' Harry said shrugging her shoulders. 'You Weasleys were a really bad influence on me.'

'George more like it.' Ginny muttered.

Five minutes later they walked out onto the pitch, to tumultuous roars and boos. One end of the stadium was solid red and gold; the other a sea of green and silver.

'Harry,' Ron muttered. 'You didn't put anything in my pumpkin juice did you.'

Harry raised her eyebrows but said nothing expect. 'Game's about to start. I best let my hand be squished to death by the new Slytherin Captain.'

Harry stepped towards Madam Hooch, the referee, who was standing ready to release the balls from the crate.

'Captains, shake hands,' she said, and Harry did indeed get her crushed by the new Captain, Urquhart. 'Mount your brooms. On the whistle ... three ... two ... one ...'

The whistle sounded, Harry kicked off hard from the ground, her team mates following her. Harry soared around the stadium looking for the signs of the Snitch. Then a voice that was jarringly different from usual commentators started up.

'Well there they go, and I think we're all surprised to see the team that Potter's put together this year. Many thought given Ronald Weasley's patchy performance last year, that he might be off the team, but of course, a close personal friendship with the Captain does help ...'

Harry looked around to the commentator's podium. A tall, skinny blonde with an upturned nose was standing there, talking into the magical megaphone, Zacharias Smith, a Hufflepuff player she heartily disliked. Harry shook her head, she doubted anyone could take Lee Jordan's place.

'Oh and here comes Slytherin's first attempt on goal, it's Urquhart streaking down the pitch and - Weasley saves it, well he's bound to get lucky sometimes, I suppose ...'

'That's right, Smith, he is,' Harry muttered, as she searched around once more.

With half an hour of the game gone, it seemed like Gryffindor could do no wrong, they were leading sixty points to zero. Ron making some truly spectacular saves. This effectively stopped Smith wondering loudly about Ron's place on the team and he started on Peakes and Coote instead.

'Of course, Coote isn't the usual build for a Beater,' Smith said loftily. 'they've generally got a bit more muscle -'

'Go on Ritchie - show him your muscle,' Harry shouted as Coote speed past. 'And hit a Bludger at him!'

Ritchie grinned broadly, chose to aim the next Bluger at Harper though instead, Harry heard the dull thunk that meant that the Bludger had found its mark.

When Gryffindor were a hundred points up, Harry saw the familiar glint of gold and chased after the Snitch. The game came to an end as Harry held the small golden ball up.

Discretely she filled Hermione in on the stunt she pulled on the way up to the tower. She was less than impressed, but glad Harry didn't do anything illegal. Ron was simply stunned but delighted that he had done all so well by himself without the help of Felix. He was so elated, that during the party Gryffindor was having, he snogged the living daylights out of Hermione.

...

Harry could not wait to escape to Hogsmeade. As happy as she was for her two best friends for finally getting their act together, she felt like a third wheel in their presence. Hogsmeade made a lovely distraction, and though her friends were grateful that she was giving them time alone, they had been hesitant in her leaving them to be on her own. George had not quite come up. Harry felt very hesitant into telling them the reason as into why she suddenly felt so happy. The weather was bitterly cold the morning of the Hogsmeade trip, Harry had to wrap warm. George's face was looking a bit flushed, and it looked like he was shivering, though his warm smile spoke volumes. Harry wasted no time, she hugged him tightly, he squeezed her back in return. They remained huddled together, as they walked through the village. George was showing his amusement at the tons of sweets Harry had topped up with after they left Honeydukes.

'You can't have got through your stack of sweets already,' he mocked.

'I had help,' Harry grumbled, 'A lot of unwanted help mind you.'

'Ron?' George said, raising his eyebrows.

'Mostly,' Harry said, nodding, 'the rest of time, I admit to it being me.'

George gave her a look puzzled bemusement.

'It's not easy, dealing with your two best friends, not being able to keep their mouths to themselves you know.' Harry said rolling her eyes.

'So, you've been pigging out on sweets as a way to distract you,' George laughed.

'Yes,' Harry replied unimpressed.

George pulled her towards him, wrapping an arm around her waist, a hand buried in her hair. 'It's a good thing, that I'm here to provide another distraction then. Isn't it?'

His speckled eyes were dancing with mischief. Harry reached up with a hand, cupping his cheek so that she could pull him towards her. Despite over the years of how much she had grown, George was still a good inch or so taller than her. Not that she minded so much. She kissed him swiftly, pushed him away from her quickly and ran in the direction of the Three Broomsticks, calling out to behind her as went, 'Last one at the Three Broomsticks, pays for the drinks.' She heard a deep chuckle, then the sound of running footsteps catching up to her.

The street was not very busy; nobody was lingering to chat, just hurrying towards their directions. Though the mad laughter as Harry and George made their way to the Three Broomsticks made many people look up in their direction. George had tackled her, his arms easily wrapped around her waist, picking her up from behind with ease, he turned her around in the opposite direction. 'Cheat,' Harry called out pushing him playfully out of the way. She glanced back behind her, he had the look of mock offence plastered on his face, 'Look who's talking.' he replied. They must have looked really foolish to those in the village - to be mucking around in the middle of a street, in the dark times they were in. But Harry did not care, for once her thoughts were not on Voldemort nor his Death Eaters or her failing Patronus that she could not conjure, nor were her thoughts on school work and the attempts of trying to fixing a vanishing cabinet - that just did not want to play ball. She was captivated in the sheer bliss she was feeling.

With flushed faces, due to a lot of laughter, they had made it to the Three Broomsticks. Standing just outside the Three Broomsticks, Harry saw two men standing. One she recognised right away as the barman who worked at the other Hogsmeade pub, the Hog's Head. As they drew closer, the barman had started to walk away leaving the shorter man to fumble with something in his arms. The other man Harry too recognised, the squat bandy-legged man with long ginger hair -

'Mundungus!'

The man in question jumped and dropped an old suitcase, which burst open, releasing what looked like the entire contents of a junk shop window.

'Oh 'ello, 'Arry,' Mundungus Fletcher said. 'Well don't let me keep you.'

And he began scrabbling on the ground to retrieve the contents of his suitcase with the appearance of a man eager to be gone.

'Here - let me help you,' Harry went to reach out.

'N-no no 'm fine.' he replied hastily.

'Are you selling all this stuff?' George asked, watching Mundungus grabbing an assortment of grubby-looking objects from the ground.

'Oh, well, gotta scrape a living,' said Mundungus. 'Gimme that!'

George had stooped down and picked up something silver.

'Wait a minute,' Harry said slowly, looking at the goblet in George's hand. 'I know that crest -'

'Thank you!' Mundungus said, snatching the goblet out of George's hand and stuffing it back into the case. 'Well, I'll see you all - OUCH!'

George had pinned Mundungus against the wall of the pub by the throat. Holding him with one hand, he pulled out his wand with his other.

'George!'

'You stole, from Anna,' George snarled. He was almost nose-to-nose with Mundungus. 'That had the Black family crest on it.'

'I - no - what?' Mundungus spluttered, turning slowly purple.

'What did you do, go back the night Sirius died and strip the place?' George snarled. 'He treated you with nothing but kindness and this how you repay him and his heir?'

'I - no-'

'Give it to me!'

'George!' Harry shrieked as Mundungus started to turn blue. There was a bang and George's hand flew off Mundungus's throat. Gasping and spluttering, Mundungus seized his fallen case - George's hand was now fist-shape he aimed right of Mundungus, only - CRACK - Mundungus, Disapparated and George's hand hit the wall of the pub. George swore at the top of his voice.

'COME BACK YOU THIEVING - GOOD FOR NOTHING -'

'George,' Harry pleaded. 'there's no point in shouting - he'll probably be in London by now. There's no point yelling.'

George looked furious, Harry steered him into the Three Broomsticks, paying for their drinks. She joined him moments later at the table he sat down on, George still looked rather angry.

'Let me take a look at your hand,' Harry said sitting down next to him, pulling the hand he hit against the wall towards her. It was grazed, George's knuckles bleeding slightly. 'Can you flex your fingers -'

'Yes - I don't understand why you're not angry!' George said.

'I am,' Harry said, grabbing for her own wand, to begin healing the graze. She looked up after she done so.

'Then why are you not shouting the place down?' George asked. 'Sirius's things - your things - he stole them.'

'I know he was nicking my stuff, it's no wonder he wasn't pleased to see me,' Harry said, then she added softly. 'But there's nothing he can steal that's of any value of worth to me - that's already been taken - besides I've got everything I could possibly need.'

George gave her a pointed look.

'Dobby,' Harry called softly. The elf appeared before her. 'Could you go to Sirius's place in London and round up the rest of his things, put them somewhere safe - and if Mundungus Fletcher turns up could you give him a nasty case of hives?'

The elf blinked at her, gave her a thoughtful look as though he was trying to remember all of the things she asked. 'Of course, Mistress.'

Dobby vanished from sight, Harry was smirking slightly.

'OK, why are you smiling like that?' George asked.

'Because I've seen just what Dobby is capable of when he uses his magic to protect me,' Harry said gleefully, 'let's just say I wouldn't want to be Mundungus right now.'

George cracked a smile, 'I hadn't thought of that - you sure know how to pick your friends Anna.' Harry froze, was George implying what she thought he was. 'You have the strangest friends.'

George's smile faltered. His face grew more serious. 'Anna, what is it? Your crying, what did I say?' Hot tears, rolled down the side of her cheeks. Harry wiped them away hastily. George didn't push for an answer either, he let the matter drop. Which she was grateful for. Once the Butterbeers had been drunk, George walked with her back towards the school.

'He said the same thing once,' Harry said, breaking the silence. George turned his gaze towards her as they walked. 'Sirius,' she choked on his name a little. 'He said that I had the strangest friends.' She took a breath. 'I guess seeing Mundungus trading away the valuables and hearing it being repeated just - got to me.'

'I understand,' George replied softly. 'You're allowed to miss him you know -'

'He shouldn't be dead in the first place,' Harry said. 'If I hadn't had been so stupid - if I had just cast a Patronus -'

'His death was not your fault,' George said firmly. 'Sirius did what he would have always have done - he protected you -'

'But -'

'No buts,' George replied, shaking his head, 'there was a reason why you didn't send a Patronus in the first place, am I right?'

Harry nodded. 'I didn't want to blow anyone's cover.'

'Which means you thought it out,' George said, 'you thought over your options and you did what you thought was best at the time.'

Harry sighed. 'That's the reason I've been struggling with my Patronus - I've been - blaming myself.'

'Stop!'

Harry did, George hadn't meant it as a command, as she could sense nothing approaching, but the single word, made her remember - her dream - after the Dementor attack - Eugene had said he had a message for her - the message being that single word - Stop. It was so simple, but she had not thought about it, in the letter Sirius had left to her, he had said not to blame herself and that if she was to stop. Was it possible - Eugene was definitely dead - she knew that much - she knew that magic couldn't bring back the dead - but then how -

'George, didn't you take Divination?'

'Yeah,' he replied, running a hand through his hair, clearly wondering why she was asking.

'Is it possible for a person to cross between realms - that of our one and a spirit one - in dreams?'

'Dunno,' he shrugged. 'Trelawney mentioned something about the magic behind dreams - but we never paid much attention - Fred and I.'

Harry nodded, 'Thanks anyway I'll ask Lavender.'

George shook his head, lost in bewilderment. Harry lent up swiftly and kissed his cheek. 'Thanks, though, for everything.'

It was a little while later as they walked, that Harry became aware of voices. The voice of her fellow Quidditch player and her friend. The two friends were having an argument about something Katie was holding in her hand.

'It's got nothing to with you Leanne!' Katie shouted.

Her friend Leanne made to grab for the package, Katie was holding; Katie tugged it back and the package fell to the ground. At once, Katie rose into the air, gracefully, her arms outstretched, as though she were about to fly. Yet there was something wrong, something eerie ... her hair was whipped around her by the wind, but her eyes were closed and her face was empty of expression. Six feet above the ground, Katie let out a terrible scream. Her eyes flew open but whatever she could see, or whatever she was feeling, was clearly causing her terrible anguish. She screamed and screamed. George and Harry rushed forward to help Leanne try to tug Katie back to the ground. Katie fell on top of them, George managed to catch her but she was writhing so much George could hardly hold her. Instead, he lowered her to the ground, where she thrashed and screamed, apparently unable to recognise any of them.

Harry looked around; the landscape seemed deserted. The package lay open on the ground, it revealed a greenish glitter. An ornate opal necklace was visible. Harry pulled out her wand, she concentrated hard on her happy memory. She cursed when all she could summon was a whisper of silver mist.

'I'm going to get help - don't touch that necklace,' she told George firmly. 'I've seen it before. It was on display in Borgin and Burkes ages ago. The label said it was cursed.'

'It's why we were arguing.' Leanne said. 'She came out of the bathroom in the Three Broomsticks holding that package. Said it was a surprise for somebody at Hogwarts and she had to deliver it. She looked all fun ... oh no, oh no, I bet she'd been Imperiused, and I didn't realise.'

Harry nodded. 'I'm getting McGonagall and - Snape while I'm at it.'

'Snape?' George repeated.

'As much as I hate to admit this,' Harry said. 'The man sure knows what he's talking about when it comes to the Dark Arts. If anyone can help her - he can.' And with that Harry run off in the direction of the school.


	106. Chapter 106

Katie had been sent to St Mungo's Hospital the following day, by which the news that she had been cursed had spread all over the school, though the details were confused. Harry had filled Ron and Hermione in on everything.

'The real question is,' Hermione said in a hushed voice, 'if Katie wasn't the intended target then who was?'

Harry had been asking herself the very same question.

'It could have been Snape,' Ron said, 'You saw him in Borgin and Burkes - I mean - he could have brought the necklace-'

'Snape didn't buy anything though,' Harry said. 'He wanted something done instead -'

'But you can't remember what?' Hermione said bluntly.

Harry shook her head. 'I've been racking my brain and the only thing I remember was I couldn't see what it was clearly.'

'Besides Ron, Snape's a teacher,' Hermione stated as though it explained everything.

'And -' Ron said. 'He's still a git - a git that knows far too much about the Dark Arts.'

Harry though listening was glancing over towards the Slytherin table, watching the little Death Eaters. 'But his not the only one.' Hermione and Ron turned their heads in the same direction, watching the whispered conversations of Nott, Goyle, Crabbe and Draco.

'You think that one of them, did it?' Ron asked.

'I don't think, I know one of them did it,' Harry said. 'And my money is on Draco.'

'But he was in detention, Harry,' Hermione said. 'It's just not possible. And it's a bit extreme even for Malfoy - don't you think.'

Harry shook her head. 'Not if he was desperate, he told me himself that he had been given a task - warning me to stay away -'

'Yeah, so you wouldn't get hurt.'

'You don't think that maybe -' Ron said, 'that it might - you know - have been you the necklace had been meant for - Malfoy's unwanted task - and warning you to stay away - well if someone else did the cursing as he can't -'

Harry shook her head. 'Still counts as betraying me - if he knows it's going to harm me, he won't be able to do it.'

Ron sighed. Harry knew how he felt.

'Anyway, how's your NEWT project coming along?' Ron said changing the subject.

'Miserable,' Harry said. 'Still have no clue how to fix the thing - I've gone over the Charms - but still, come up with nothing.'

'Repro won't work?' Ron said.

'How I wish it was as simple as that.' Harry sighed. 'Right, round up the DA members, we're going to covering cursed objects - hopefully, we'll stop another attack like the one on Katie - if people know what to look for.'

'You can do that?'

Harry nodded. 'Yeah magic leaves a certain trace or has a certain feel - cursed objects will give off an energy - like a vibe. Most of the time, though, it just comes down to instinct.'

'Like when you know that something is just wrong,' Hermione said wide eyed. 'How do you know all this?'

Harry smiled. 'Sometimes it's not about what's just in a book - it's about what you learn from experiences and using those experiences to your advantage.'

...

Snow was swirling against the windows once more; Christmas was approaching fast. Hagrid had already delivered the Christmas trees for the Great Hall. With Ron and Hermione spending so much time down each-others' throats - something Harry had no wish to see - she had been spending her free time in the library. This time she had been joined by Neville, who seemed a little wary. Harry put up the Prince's copy of _Advanced Potion-Making_ and looked up at him.

'You OK,' she whispered. 'You seem - nervous.'

Neville nodded then suddenly changed his mind, shaking his head and sighed.

'What's the problem?'

'I - I've not asked anyone to Slughorn's party -'

Harry raised an eyebrow. 'But there's someone you want to ask?'

'I - er - yes,' Neville squeaked.

'I hear that she has a fascination for shells and paint,' Harry muttered. Neville blinked at her. 'Just ask her, I'm sure Luna would love to go with you.'

'You think?'

Harry nodded.

'Oh, Harry,' Neville said softly. 'You should know I heard Belby talking to McLaggen -' Harry groaned. 'Yeah well they were talking about trying to win you over - McLaggen suggested a love potion. He seems to have got his hand on Weasleys Wizarding Wheezes merchandise.'

'Really - wait until I tell George ...' Harry muttered rolling her eyes.

'Well I don't know if it's true or not - I mean everyone was searched and so are the owls.'

'Fred and George are sending them disguised as other products. It's part of their Owl Order Service.'

'But the Secrecy Sensors detect jinxes, curses and concealment charms, don't they?' Neville

Harry chuckled. 'Yes, they do but something like love potions won't be detected. They're not considered Dark or dangerous, so it's down to Filch to realise a real "cough" potion from another.'

...

Harry ran down to the Entrance Hall to meet up with George. Slughorn's party though had annoying came around fast, though seeing George totally made up for it. When she arrived, McGonagall was peering down at him. The onlooking students were staring transfixed between the two. George looked a little flushed from the cold.

'But Professor, honestly I'm a plus one.'

'I can vouch for him,' Harry said pushing her way through the crowd. Professor McGonagall looked less than impressed.

'Very well Mr Weasley,' she said pointing him in Harry's direction. 'Do try to not to break anything -'

'Aww Professor, you spoil all my fun.'

Harry snorted and she as intertwined her fingers with his.

'So,' Harry said as led them towards Slughorn's office. 'How long did Filch have you standing out in the cold before he was happy enough that you didn't have anything Dark or Dangerous?'

George shook his head. 'Long enough - thought I'd never get through. Had to send for McGonagall in the end.'

Harry laughed. 'Anyone would think that you have a knack for causing trouble.'

'Oh,' George said with a glint in his eye. 'I do. They didn't find the pranks I managed to smuggle in.'

Harry laughed. 'What did you bring this time?'

'Oh no, wait and see,' George said. 'Just point me in the direction of Bebly and McLaggen.'

Slughorn's office had been draped with emerald, crimson and gold hangings. The room was crowded and stuffy and bathed in the red light cast by an ornate golden lamp dangling from the ceiling of the ceiling.

'Harry, my dear girl!' boomed Slughorn, almost as Harry and George squeezed through the door. 'Come in, come in, so many people I'd like you to meet!'

Slughorn was wearing a tasselled velvet hat to match his smoky jacket. He gripped Harry's arm tightly and led her purposefully into the party; Harry's fingers were still interlocked with George's, so he had no choice but to join her.

'Harry I'd like you to meet Eldred Worple, and old student of mine, author of _Blood Brothers: My Life Amongst the Vampires -_ and of course his friend Sanguini.'

Worple, who was a small, bespectacled man, grabbed Harry's free hand and shook it enthusiastically. 'Lady Potter, I am simply delighted!' said Worple. 'I was saying to Professor Slughorn only the other day, _where is the biography of Harianna Potter for which we have all been waiting?'_

'It wouldn't be as fascinating as people seem to think,' Harry replied embarrassed.

'Just as modest as Horace described!' Worple said. 'But seriously - I would be delighted to write it myself - people are craving to know more about you, dear girl, craving!'

'Then they'll just have to crave a lot longer then, won't they?' George said irritably.

'Excuse me?' Worple said staring at George.

'Oh, you're excused alright,' George sneered. 'Because I do believe my girlfriend was trying to say - before you droned on - was - that she's not interested. She's just too nice and too polite to say any different.'

Worple looked from George to a sheepish looking Harry.

'Ah, Anna, I do believe I spotted Neville with Luna - let's go see them.'

And with that, the left a Worple behind pulling a rather good impression of a goldfish behind and made their way through the crowd. Harry spotted Ron and Hermione nestled under some mistletoe, Harry looked away rather quickly

'Bloody hell - I see what you mean - tongue match or what?' George said.

'Thank you for the lovely mental picture, George,' Harry waved off the information. 'Information overload, thank you very much.'

George chuckled. They made their way over to the other side of the room, where Luna was chatting away to Professor Trelawney and Neville, who looked disinterested.

'Luna, Neville,' Harry called. 'Hello Professor,' she added in greeting, then a sudden thought occurred to her. 'Professor Trelawney what can you tell me about the magic behind dreams.'

'This may take a while,' George said to Luna and Neville. 'Why don't we go find some drinks - and-' he waved is hand in the direction of the crowd, 'if you could point of McLaggen and Belby for Neville, that would be great - I'd like a word with them.'

Harry smiled gratefully, Neville shook his head and led Luna away. Harry repeated her question. After listening to the Professor ramble Harry was no better off than before she asked the question.

'Harianna Potter, my dear girl,' Professor Trelawney said, as though she realised for the first time just who she had been speaking to. 'The rumours! The stories! The Chosen One! Why did you not take up Divination? For you, of all people, the subject is of the utmost importance!'

'Ah, Sybil, we all think our subject's most important!' said Slughorn in a loud voice appearing at Trelawney's other side. 'But I don't think I've ever known such a natural at Potions!' Slughorn said. 'Instinctive, you know - like her mother! I've only ever taught a few with this kind of ability -'

'Ah,' Professor Vector said joining the conversation. 'But you see, you're all wrong it's Arithmancy that Lady Potter truly shines.'

Harry blushed, and shrugged it off. 'Numbers and theories just seem to make sense.'

There was a snort. 'Funny, I never had the impression that I managed to teach Potter anything at all.'

Harry looked up at Snape. Strictly speaking, that wasn't true, she'd learnt the disarming spell from him. He had also taught her a great deal about her Empathy and there was the Occlumency, she'd picked up that, well she had at least been able to keep Snape out of her memories. And her Potion making skill weren't all that bad even without the Prince's help. As for Defence Against the Dark Arts now, Harry's knowledge was a lot wider than that of her peers.

'Severus,' Professor Vector chilled. 'No need for that. Besides if we are going by what we've taught the girl - I'd clearly win -she's taking a NEWT in my subject after all this year.'

'Yes,' Snape sneered. 'And pray tell just how is Potter's NEWT project coming along.'

'She hasn't fixed the Vanishing Cabinet yet. But I have every faith that she will do so and in the given time slot.'

Harry slowly extracted herself from the teachers and went in search of her date. As she went to leave, Draco was being dragged by the ear towards them by Argus Filch.

'Professor Slughorn,' Filch wheezed, 'I discovered this boy lurking in an upstairs corridor. He claims to have been invited to your party and to have been delayed in setting out. Did you issue him an invitation?'

Draco pulled himself free of Filch's grip, looking furious.

'All right I wasn't invited!' he said angrily. 'I was trying to gate-crash, happy?'

'No, I'm not!' said Filch. 'You're in trouble, you are! Didn't the Headmaster say that night-time prowling's out, unless you've got permission, eh?'

'It's all right, Argus,' Slughorn saving waving a hand. 'It's Christmas and it's not a crime to want to come to a party. Just this once, we'll forget any punishment; you may stay Draco.'

Filch left clearly disappointed. Draco composed himself and was thanking Slughorn for his generosity.

'It was nothing, nothing,' Slughorn waved off Draco's thanks. 'I did know your grandfather after all ... and of course, the Head of House of Black is with us. I cannot deny you time with Harry.'

Draco met Harry's gaze for the first time in months. This was the first time since the Hogwarts express she'd seen him close up and Draco looked ill. He had dark shadows under his eyes and a distinctly greyish tinge to his skin.

'I'd like a word Draco,' Snape said suddenly.

'Oh, now, Severus, it's Christmas, don't be too hard -'

'I'm his Head of House, and I shall decide how hard, or otherwise to be,' Snape said curtly. 'Follow me Draco.'

They left Snape, looking - anxious - leading the way throw the crowd, Malfoy looked resentful. Harry, of course, wandered after them. It was so easy to wander out of the party and pull her Indivisibility Cloak out of her little bag - which she had charmed - pull on her Cloak, pull out the Marauders Map and follow the trail - Snape had pulled Draco into a deserted classroom, Harry once more pulled out her Extendable Ears, hesitant to approach any closer - she had yet to learn how to mask her magical presence.

' ... cannot afford mistakes Draco, because if you are expelled -'

'I didn't have anything to do with it, all right?'

'I hope you are telling the truth because it was clumsy and foolish.'

'For the last time, I didn't do it. OK? That Bell girl must've had an enemy no one knows about - don't look at me like that! I know what you're doing. I'm not stupid, but it won't work - I can stop you!'

There was a pause. 'Ah ... Aunt Bellatrix has been teaching you Occlumency, I see. What thoughts are you trying to conceal, Draco?'

'None that concern you!'

'Ah, still protecting the Head Black then?'

'Harry has got nothing to do with this!' Draco snapped. 'I just don't want you butting in!'

'So, that's why you have been avoiding me this term? You feared my interference? You realise that, had anybody else failed to come to my office when I told them repeatedly to be there -'

'So, put me in detention! Report me to Dumbledore!' jeered Malfoy.

'You know perfectly well that I do not wish to do either of those things.'

'You'd better stop telling me to come to your office, then!'

'Listen to me,' said Snape. 'I am trying to help you. I swore to your mother I would protect you. I made the Unbreakable Vow, Draco -'

'I neither want or need your protection so it looks like you're going to have to break it -'

Harry heard footsteps coming towards her.

'Potter cannot protect you Draco - the moment she finds out what the task is that you've been given - and you are aware that he will mark you, he will make you a member -'

'I know very well what his plan is - thank you very much,' Draco said. 'It is you that needs to be careful - Ah you did not realise that I would know.' Draco took a breath. 'I don't not really - I do know you are dead if you fail, so tell me, Professor, just what is your plan?' There was silence. 'See, it's not nice when people want to barge in on your business, now, is it?'

Sensing that Draco was heading her direction Harry, pulled out the Extendable Ears, and crept back towards the Slughorn's party. When she made her way into the room, she saw that Belby and McLaggen seemed to be stuck on the spot. George wrapped his arms around her waist when she joined him.

'OK, Charming what did you?'

'Charmed Mistletoe,' George whispered, indicating to the mistletoe above Belby and McLaggen's head. 'The idea is to corner the person you want to kiss most underneath it - they get stuck in the spot until they are kissed. Well, like the idiot that McLaggen is he went to try to help and got stuck underneath it as well.' he chuckled. 'Fred and I charmed them so that the first person who makes contact with you has to be the person to kiss you.'

Harry grinned, wound her arms around his neck. 'Speaking of kisses, I do seem to recall promising you a full-blown snog as payment.'

'Oh, no Princess that will never do,' George said pulling her closer, his lips brushing near-by her ear. 'One full blown snog is not enough payment now.'

Harry chuckled, leaned in to kiss him fiercely.

...

 _Harry was not surprised to find herself back in the green open field, not after the last time she had been here. Though it begged the question of why was she here? Why did she keep coming back to this place? What did the spirits want from her?_

 _'Nothing,' a deep voice said softly. 'We require nothing ...'_

 _Harry turned, to find the same man as before in her standing before her. How did he know what she was thinking?_

 _'You're speaking aloud, Harry,'_

 _She blinked she had not realised that, 'If you do not require anything from me, then why am I here?'_

 _'To learn,' he replied softly. 'Why else would you need to come here.'_

 _Harry rolled her eyes. 'I know who you are - and I know that we are related, Eugene. I also know that this is some kind of Spirit Plane - I just haven't worked out which.'_

 _The man merely chuckled. 'Very good, as the which Plane, there are many, as many as one needs.'_

 _'How did I get here -?' Harry said turning around. 'Did you guide me here again?'_

 _The man shook his head. 'I can only do so when your life has come into contact with extreme dangers - like almost losing your soul-'_

 _'That's not the first time I could have done so.' Harry pointed out._

 _'No, but it was the first time, your soul wished to be guided somewhere-'_

 _'So, this Plane is Limbo?'_

 _'Yes and no -'_

 _'That makes no sense, how can it be Limbo and not be at the same time?'_

 _'That is not for me to answer, after all, it was your soul that wished-'_

 _'To be guided, you said that already - So my soul is doing what exactly?'_

 _'Calling, you are Soul Calling. You are calling because you want to speak to someone who you cannot speak to, just like the very first time you came to be here.'_

 _'Wait when I was younger - I was seven? That wasn't a dream?'_

 _'No. And if you wish to not come back here,' the man's green eyes searched her own. 'Then I suggest you move on. Grieve for your loss, your soul will not rest until otherwise -'_

 _'You can't mean - Sirius - I have grieved-'_

 _'No, you broke down due to his passing, you have not grieved, you have not mourned. Do so and you might find it will solve more than one problem.'_

 _'What?'_

 _'You just need a little time ... think it over ... at least you have begun to stop blaming yourself, Sirius will be most pleased.'_

Harry jolted awake, she found herself to be in a strange bedroom. Then she remembered that she was in the twins' bedroom at the Burrow. She sighed heavily, it had been a while since she last had a dream like that - was it possible that her soul was calling out to speak to Sirius? _Grieve and you might find it will solve more than one problem -_ just what did that mean? He sure knew a lot of information for someone she assumed to be a Squib. Harry got out of the bed and dressed quickly. She packed up her things ready to move back into Ginny's bedroom for the next couple of days. As they would be needing it back, Christmas at the Burrow so far had given Harry a relaxing break. Hermione had been welcome to join them, but she chose to spend the holidays with her own parents instead, and Harry could not blame her what with things looking darker every day and the attacks the Death Eaters had been pulling on Muggles. Harry pulled her trunk towards Ginny's room, knocked, then slowly entered. Ginny was still asleep and the cot bed had been set up for Harry's use.

Ron joined Harry at the breakfast table. He yawned very sleepily as they ate breakfast. The only good thing about her two best friends getting to together had been Ron's attitude for finishing his homework quickly and correctly. Harry supposed it was so he could spend more time with Hermione. After breakfast, Harry and Ron began peeling potatoes.

'I still can't believe it, Snape offering to help Malfoy - and You Know You wanting to mark him.' Ron said in a soft whisper.

'Umm,' Harry agreed. 'But at least we know for sure know, we know that they both up to something - we just don't know what.'

'But Snape making an Unbreakable Vow -' Ron said looking stunned.

'What happens if you do break an Unbreakable Vow?' Harry said.

'You die,' Ron said simply. 'Fred and George tried to get me to make one when I was about five. I almost did, I was holding hands with Fred and everything when dad found us. He went mental. Only time I've ever seen dad angry as mum.'

'And my left buttock has never been the same since.' Fred said from the doorway. 'Ahh Georgie look at this-' Fred said entering the kitchen. 'They're using knives and everything. Bless them.'

'I'll be seventeen in two and a bit months' time,' Ron said, 'and then I'll be able to do it by magic!'

'But in the meantime,' George said, sitting down at the kitchen table and putting his feet up on it, 'we can enjoy watching you demonstrate the correct use of a - whoops-a-daisy.'

'You made me do that!' Ron said, sucking his thumb he had just cut. 'You wait, when I'm seventeen-'

Harry's head turned towards the doorway. Mrs Weasley came bustling through.

'George, get your feet off the table!' which he quickly did. 'Now Remus is arriving shortly, so I'm sorry but Fred and you will have to share with Bill tonight!'

'No problem,' said George.

'Then as Charlie isn't coming home, Fleur will have to share with you girls-'

'So, Percy's definitely not showing his ugly face, then?' Fred asked.

'No, he's busy, I expect, at the Ministry.'

'What time is Remus arriving exactly?' Harry asked.

'He said he should be with us about lunch time,' Mrs Weasley replied.

...

As soon as the greying man with shabby clothes stepped into the Burrow he found himself caught in a hug.

'Just the man I want to see.' Harry said happily.

'Hello to you too, Anna,' Remus chuckled.

Harry looked up at him, the full moon had been over a week ago, but he still looked tired. 'You OK?'

'As I could be. You?'

Harry understood so she did not push the matter, 'I'm better.'

'Now you've been wanting to speak with me?'

'Yeah,' Harry said looking around. 'Could we go outside? Could you also put up a silencing spell?'

Remus nodded, 'Come on then.'

Harry pulled on her coat, and followed Remus back out through the door, as soon as the necessary spells were up. Harry told him everything about her dreams and the Dementors.

'It's the kind of magic that isn't well known,' Remus said. 'Soul Calling, for those who've experienced it - say that do be able to do so, the mind needs to be in a certain state of conscious - like when your life is being threatened - for you to be able to do so. From what I gather the last time you entered your encounter - it was of your own free will, and I've not heard of that happening before -'

'Could it be stressed related?' Harry said, 'Or have an emotional connection - I mean if I'm really calling out to speak with - well -'

'It was not your fault,' Remus said, 'but I concluded you are right about your problems with your Patronus. Your Patronus has always been fuelled by your emotions instead of just a happy memory.'

'I've tried to cast a Patronus since then - since I learnt the reason - I got nothing, just a wisp like when I was very first learning.'

Remus sighed, 'You're expecting too much of yourself. Your Patronus will come, just give yourself a bit of time-'

The words triggered a part of her memory " _You just need a little time"._ Eugene had said that also, not that she had told Remus that.

'You know,' Harry said softly. 'I'm not the only one that needed to know I wasn't to blame.' she looked Remus directly in the eyes. 'It wasn't your fault either - you know. He wouldn't want you to beat yourself up.'

Harry and Remus turned towards the door as soon as Mrs Weasley's voice called out. 'Lunch is ready, we've got stew, come in and warm yourselves up.'

Remus smiled slightly, and a hand squeezed her shoulder slightly. Given time, maybe he too would stop blaming himself.

...

The next person Harry concerned was Mr Weasley, which had not been until Christmas Eve night, as he had been working long hours at the Ministry. The Weasleys and their guest were sitting in the living room. They were supposed to be listening to a Christmas broadcast by Mrs Weasley's favourite singer.

'How've things been at the Ministry?'

'Very busy,' Mr Weasley said. 'I wouldn't mind if we were getting anywhere, but of the three arrests we've made in the last couple of months, I doubt one of them is a genuine Death Eater -'

'Let me guess, Stan Shunpike. Still holding him, are they?'

'I'm afraid so,' Mr Weasley said. 'I know Dumbledore's tried to help ... but top levels want to look as though they're making progress ...'

Harry rolled her eyes, 'Of course they do because three arrests sound better than three mistaken arrests and releases.' she sighed. 'Anyway, I've been meaning to tell you ...' and she told Mr Weasley what she had overheard between Draco and Snape. Remus turned his head a little towards her, taking in every word.

'Did it occur to you Harry, that Snape was simply pretending to -' Mr Weasley said.

'To help Draco,' Harry nodded, 'Yeah it did, but shouldn't we be worried that he too has been given a task. I mean how do we know we can trust him.'

'Dumbledore trusts Severus,' Remus said unexpectedly, 'and that ought to be good enough for all of us.'

'What - what if he's made a mistake - what if he's wrong about Snape?'

'People have said it many times. It comes down to whether or not you trust Dumbledore's judgement. I do; therefore, I trust Severus.'

Harry sighed. 'It's not that I don't trust Professor Dumbledore - but Snape's attitude has been so hot and cold. I never know who I'm going to see next the man who taught me how to control my Empathy or the man that can't stand the sight of me.'

'He was like that in school,' Remus said, 'Severus - never knowing what he motives were - but I do not forget that he made the Wolfsbane Potion for me every month and he made it perfectly. He could have tampered with the potion wreaking much worse damage upon my health. Even though I never bullied him myself - I still failed to help him. Still, he brewed the potion for me.'

Harry nodded, that much was true, she just couldn't figure Snape out.

'So, what have you been up to? I didn't get a chance to ask you.' Harry said.

'Oh, after the Dementor attack, I went underground,' said Remus. 'Almost literally. That's why I haven't been able to write, Anna; sending letters to you would have been something of a giveaway.'

'You've been with other werewolves?' Harry asked, shocked.

'Yes,' Remus said. 'Nearly all of them are on Voldemort's side. Dumbledore wanted a spy and here I was ... ready-made.' He sounded a little bitter. 'I am not complaining; it is necessary work and who can do it better than I? However, it has been rather difficult gaining their trust. I bear the unmistakable signs of having tried to live among wizards, you see, whereas they have shunned normal society and live on the margins, stealing and sometimes killing to eat.'

'So why are they joining up with Voldemort?'

'They think that, under his rule, they will have a better life,' said Remus. 'And it is hard to argue with Greyback out there ...'

'I've heard his name before ... who is he?'

'Fenrir Greyback is perhaps the most savage werewolf alive today. He regards it as his mission in life to bite and contaminate as many people as possible; so he can create enough werewolves to overcome wizards. Voldemort has promised him prey in return for his services.' Remus said. 'Greyback specialises in children ... bites them young, raises them away from their parents, raises them to hate wizards. Voldemort has threatened to unleash him upon people's sons and daughters; it's a threat that usually produces good results-'

'Great, just another thing to add to my defence list - how to defend yourself against a werewolf,' Harry muttered, she shook her head. ' Wait was it Greyback that bit you?'

Remus nodded, 'My father had offended him. For a long time, I did not know the identity of the werewolf who had attacked me; I felt pity for him, thinking that he had no control, knowing by then how it felt to transform. But Greyback is not like that. At the full moon, he positions himself close to victims, ensuring that he is near enough to strike. He plans it all. And this is the man Voldemort is using to marshal the werewolves. I cannot pretend that my particular brand of reasoned argument is making much headway against Greyback's insistence that we werewolves deserve blood, that we ought to revenge ourselves on normal people.'

'But you are normal!' Harry said. 'It's not your fault you have a little problem.'

Remus chuckled. 'James used to call it my "furry little problem" in company. Many people were under the impression that I owed a badly-behaved rabbit.'

Harry laughed. 'Remus, did you ever hear or ever heard of someone called the Half-Blood Prince?'

'The Half-Blood what?'

'Prince,' Harry repeated.

'There are no wizarding princes,' Remus said. 'Why do you ask?'

'I've got his or her old potions book. They wrote spells all over it, spells that they invented. One of them was _Levicorpus -'_

That one had a great vogue during my time at Hogwarts,' Remus said. 'But spells come and go ... have you checked to see how old the book is?'

'No, I'll do that.' Harry said. 'Maybe it will give me some clue as to when they were at Hogwarts.' she sighed. 'Just another thing to add to my never-ending list.'

Remus chuckled deeply. 'Ah, but I thought you liked being busy - it stopped you from getting bored if I remember correctly.'

Harry smirked at him. 'Keep talking like that and I just might find a way to put that tutu on you again.'

Remus glared at her. 'You wouldn't!'

Harry gave him a mischievous look, Remus groaned already knowing the answer. He shook his head wildly. 'I fear we were a bad influence on you, Lily's never going to forgive us.'

...

Everyone was wearing their new jumpers when they all sat down for Christmas lunch, included a reluctant looking Fleur. Mrs Weasley was sporting a brand-new midnight-blue witch's robes glittering with what looked like tiny star like diamonds, and a spectacular golden necklace.

'Fred and George gave them to me! Aren't they beautiful?' Mrs Weasley said with delight.

'Well, we find we appreciate you more and more, mum, now we're washing our own socks,' George said waving his mothers' words away. His arm brushed Harry's as he put it down. His hand brushed her own, he squeezed it quickly before passing on the bowl on parsnips. Ron knocked the gravy boat over -

'You are as bad as zat Tonks,' Fleur said. 'Always knocking things over.'

'I invited her to join us today,' Mrs Weasley said. 'But she wouldn't come. Have you spoken to her lately, Remus?'

'No, I haven't been in contact with anybody very much,' Remus said, looking slightly awkward. 'But Tonks has got her own family to go to, hasn't she?'

'Oh, she's Tonks now,' Harry whispered into his ear. 'What happened to Dora?'

Remus looked away - then Harry sensed that a magical presence or presences approaching.

'Anna?' George asked when Harry went to stand up her hand pulling out her wand from her pocket.

'Someone's coming - and they're not alone -'

'Arthur!' Mrs Weasley said suddenly as everyone began scrambling, her hand was pressed over her heart and she was staring out of the kitchen window. 'Arthur - it's Percy!'

' _What?'_ Mr Weasley looked out the window, George and Harry looked outside too. Sure enough, Percy Weasley was striding across the snowy yard. There was a second man with him, one Harry had seen in the _Daily Prophet_ during the summer the Minister of Magic.

'What's the Minister doing with him?' George whispered to Harry.

'I think we're about to find out.' Harry muttered. As moments, later the back door opened and there stood Percy looking rather stiffly. There was a moment's painful silence, before -

'Merry Christmas, mother.' Percy said.

'Oh, Percy!' Mrs Weasley said, and she threw herself into his arms. Rufus Scrimgeour paused in the doorway, leaning on his walking stick and smiling as he observed this affecting scene.

'You must forgive this intrusion,' he said when Mrs Weasley looked at him. 'Percy and I were in the vicinity - working, you know - and he couldn't resist dropping in and seeing you all.'

'Yeah right,' Harry breathed into George's ear, for the moment the door had opened he had placed himself in front of Harry, his hand gripping her wrist tightly. Percy showed no sign of wanting to greet the rest of the family. He stood poker-straight and awkward looking, staring over everybody else's heads. Even from this angle, Harry could tell that George was looking at Percy like he was dirt.

'Please, come in, sit down Minister!' Mrs Weasley said. 'Are you hungry - we've got plenty -'

'No, no, my dear Molly,' said Scrimgeour. Harry was certain that he checked upon her name with Percy before they entered the house. Which meant they had planned to come here all along - but why? Unless - 'I don't want to intrude, wouldn't be here at all if Percy hadn't wanted to see you all so badly ... we've only looked in for five minutes, so I'll have a stroll around the yard while you catch up with Percy. No, no, I assure you I don't want to butt in! Well, if anybody cared to show me your charming garden … ah maybe this young lady, why doesn't she take a stroll with me?'

The atmosphere in the room changed. Everybody looked from Scrimgeour's pretence that he did not know Harry's name not very convincing. Harry was not fooled either she had already worked out why he was here - so he could talk to her alone.

'Yeah, all right,' Harry said, pulling her hand free from George's grip. 'It's fine,' she said quietly as Remus took a step forward. 'Fine,' she added, as Mr Weasley opened his mouth to speak. George stared at her wide eyed.

'It's OK, Charming,' Harry said softly, her hand brushing against his cheek. 'I'll be right back.'

'Wonderful!' Scrimgeour said, standing back to let Harry pass through the door ahead of him. 'We'll just take a turn around the garden and then Percy and I'll be off. Carry on, everyone!'

Harry walked across the yard towards the snow-covered garden, Scrimgeour limping slightly at her side. He had, Harry knew been Head of the Auror Office; he looked tough and battle-scarred. Harry began pointing out all the charming things - like where the garden gnomes lived - and Mr Weasley's "tool" shed. Scrimgeour was watching her closely.

'I've wanted to meet you for a very long time,' Scrimgeour interrupted her ramble, as they stopped at the garden fence. 'Did you know that?'

'I'm sorry Minister, but I did not. I thought you wanted a tour of this lovely garden while Percy caught up with his family.' Harry replied coldly.

'Ah, I see. You were onto my motives -'

Harry nodded.

'It is true though, I have been wanting to meet you for a very long time. But Dumbledore has been very protective of you,' said Scrimgeour. And Harry realised, what the argument in the _Daily Prophet_ reported had been about - her. 'Natural of course, natural, after what you've been through ... especially what happened at the Ministry ...'

He waited for Harry to say something, but when it was clear she was not going to, he went on, 'I have been hoping for an occasion to talk to you ever since I gained office, but Dumbledore has - most understandably, as I say - prevented this.'

Harry looked out over the snowy lawn, then up towards the sky. It was not dark enough yet for her to see the stars in the sky.

'The rumours that have flown around!' Scrimgeour said. 'Well, of course, we both know how these stories get distorted ... all these whispers of a prophecy ... of you being the "Chosen One" ...'

Any moment now, Harry thought, though she had a good guess to why he was here, but she wanted Scrimgeour to work for it.

' ... I assume that Dumbledore has discussed these matters with you?'

'We might have done,' Harry said.

'And what has Dumbledore told you?'

Harry snorted, and peered at him. 'Many things, none which concern you.'

'Oh of course, if it's a question of confidences, I wouldn't want you to divulge ... no, no .. and in any case, does it really matter whether you are the Chosen One or not?'

Harry raised her eyebrows at him.

'Well, to you it would matter enormously,' Scrimgeour said quickly. 'But to the wizarding community at large ... it's all perception, isn't it? It is what people believe that's important.' He paused. 'People believe you are the Chosen One, you see. They think you quite the hero - which of course, you are, Harianna, chosen or not! How many times have you faced He Who Must Not Be Named now? Well, anyway, the point is, you are a symbol of hope for many. The idea that there is somebody out there who might be able, who might even be destined, to destroy He Who Must Not Be Named - well naturally it gives people a lift. And I can't help but feel that once you realise this, you might consider it, well almost a duty, to stand alongside the Ministry, and give everyone a boost.'

'What do you want from me, Minister?' Harry replied.

'Oh well, nothing at all onerous, I assure you,' said Scrimgeour. 'If you were to be seen popping in and out of the Ministry from time to time, for instance, that would give the right impression. And of course, while you were there, you could talk to Gawain Robards, my successor as Head of the Auror Office. Dolores Umbridge has told me of your ambition -'

Harry held up her hand to stop him, 'Blackmail, will not work with me, Minister. As for the toad-faced cow, she only informed you of a half-truth - and as for giving the wizarding community the impression that I'm working for the Ministry - I don't think that's going to work Minister.'

Scrimgeour frowned at her.

'If I keep running in and out of the Ministry, it will appear that I approve of what the Ministry is up to. But you see,' Harry said slowly. 'I don't - like locking up Stan Shunpike for instance - don't approve of that at all.'

'I would not expect you to understand,' he said and he was not successful at keeping the anger out of his voice. 'These are dangerous times, and certain measures need to be taken. You are sixteen years old-'

'Age has nothing to do with it,' Harry said hotly, 'You are making Stan a scapegoat, just like you want to make me a mascot.'

'So, you prefer to disassociate yourself from the Ministry.'

'I do not want to be used,' Harry said angrily.

'Some would say it's your duty to be used by the Ministry!'

'And some would say that it's your duty to check people are really Death Eaters before you chuck them in prison,' Harry said. 'You're doing what Barty Crouch did. You never get it right, you people, do you? We've either got Fudge pretending everything is fine, while people are being murdered under his nose or we've got you, chucking the wrong people in jail and trying to pretend you've got the Chosen One working for you!'

'So you're not the Chosen One?'

'I thought you said that it didn't matter, either way, well not to you anyway,' Harry said, she rolled down her sleeve to reveal the Black Family Crest. 'You say that I don't understand - but you forget just who you are talking to! I lost my parents as a baby - then I lost the only man that considered me as his family - where was your precious Ministry then? Where was the Ministry when I tried telling everyone Voldemort was back?'

They stood in silence for a few moments.

'What's Dumbledore up to?' Scrimgeour said suddenly. 'Where does he go when his absent from Hogwarts?'

'No idea,' Harry replied. 'And I wouldn't tell you even if I did know.'

'Well, then, I shall have to see whether I can't find out by other means.'

Harry laughed. 'You've never gone up against someone who has Empathetic Magic, have you?' Harry took the silence as a no. 'I wish you luck Minister, you're going to need it.' Harry turned towards the direction of the house, she looked back. 'I would suggest you leave Dumbledore alone Minister and unless you would like to be on the severe end of a prank I would wait here - next time you wish to see me, make an appointment.'

Scrimgeour called out as she walked. 'It is clear to me that Dumbledore has gone a very good job on you. Dumbledore's through and through.'

'So, what if I am?' Harry called back. 'But I'm glad we managed to straighten that out.'


	107. Chapter 107

Late in the afternoon, a few days after New Year, Harry, Ron and Ginny were stood beside the kitchen fire so they could return to Hogwarts. The Ministry had arranged this one-off connection to the Floo Network to return students quickly and safely to the school. Mrs Weasley and George were the only ones there to say goodbye, as the others were all at work. Mrs Weasley dissolved into tears the moment of parting. She had been crying on and off ever since Percy had stormed from the house looking like a badly decorated Christmas tree.

'Don't cry mum,' Ginny said patting her on the back. 'It's OK ...'

'Yeah don't worry about us,' Ron said, 'or about Percy. He's such a prat, its not really a loss is it?'

Harry chuckle was muffled as her head was pressed against George's shoulder blade. She had only gone to hug him, and now she was very reluctant to let go. She was quite content, standing there wrapped up in his arms and breathing in his familiar musky scent.

'Promise me, you'll look after yourself, Anna,' George breathed, his lips brushing her ear, sending shivers down her spine. 'Stay out of trouble ...'

Harry snorted. 'I always do, George. You know I like a quiet life.'

George snorted. He kissed her cheek swiftly. 'You best go, as much as I don't want you to. Keep me updated, yeah?'

Harry looked up at him, biting her lip, she took a step back and pulled out a package she wrapped up at the last minute. She handed it to him, before she changed her mind. 'It was Sirius's,' she explained when George opened it and frowned at the mirror. 'We used them all the time to speak to one another - it's a lot quicker and more convenient than relying upon an owl.'

'I'll look after it, I promise,' George said. 'How does it work exactly?'

'I know you will,' she said softly. 'Just say my name - or wait for me to call you.'

George pulled her back into a quick hug. 'Go on - go! Before I change my mind.'

Harry gave Mrs Weasley a quick hug. 'Thanks for everything. Don't worry about Percy - he'll come around.'

She gave a watery smile. 'Be good ... all of you ...'

Harry stepped into the emerald fire and shouted, 'Hogwarts!'

Harry waited in Professor McGonagall's office for Ginny and Ron to come through. Harry and Ron went in search for Hermione, while Ginny left to meet up with Dean. Harry and Ron bumped in to Hermione on her way back from Hagrid's and Harry filled her in on everything that had happened.

'Don't you think that he-'

'Was pretending to help Draco so that he could find out what he was doing? Remus and Mr Weasley thought so, too.' Harry said. 'But at least we know for sure that they're up to something-'

'Umm,' Hermione said thoughtfully. 'How is Remus?'

Harry shook her head. 'Not great.' and she told her all about Remus being underground with the other werewolves. 'Have you heard of Fenrir Greyback? His name sounded familiar -'

'Of course, it would,' Hermione said. 'You heard Snape mention his name remember - the day of the Dementor attack.'

'I - I'd forgot about that,' Harry said staring at her. 'How could I forget something like that! It just proves I was right about not trusting Snape!'

'Harry,' Hermione sighed, 'yes, it is suspicious but Snape would know all of Voldemort's contacts - he was a spy - it could have been an empty threat.'

'Empty threat -' Harry said disbelievingly. 'Yeah we'll see ... Oh and I had a row with Rufus Scrimgeour as well ...'

The rest of the evening passed quickly with both of them abusing the Minister for Magic, for Hermione like Ron, thought that after all the Ministry had put Harry through the previous year, they had a great nerve asking her for help now. They did get a pleasant surprise the next morning: a large sign had gone up overnight announcing Apparition lesson for the sixth-years.

Harry frowned, as she looked around the Potions classroom. She had just learned that Voldemort had killed his Muggle relations. This memory was from his time in school, given to Professor Dumbledore by Horace Slughorn. Harry looked around his office, he was joined by half a dozen boys all of which in their mid-teens. Harry recognised Riddle at once. His right hand lay negligently upon the arm of his chair, with a jolt, Harry saw that he was wearing Marvolo's gold and black ring, he had already killed his father.

'Sir, is it true Professor Merrythought is retiring?' Riddle asked.

'Tom, Tom, if I knew I couldn't tell you,' said Slughorn. 'I must say, I'd like to know where your information, boy; more knowledgeable than half the staff, you are. What with you uncanny ability to know things you shouldn't and careful flattery of the people who matter - thank you for the pineapple, by the way, you're quite right it is my favourite -'

Several of the boys tittered, something odd happened. The whole room was suddenly filled with a think white fog, so that Harry could see nothing but Dumbledore's face, who was standing beside her. The fog cleared as suddenly as it came and nobody made any allusion to it, nor did anybody look as though anything unusual had just happened. The clock on Slughorn's desk chimed eleven o'clock.

'Good gracious, is it that time already?' said Slughorn. 'You'd better get going boys, or we'll all be in trouble. Lestrange, I want your essay by tomorrow or it's detention. Same goes for you Avery.'

Slughorn pulled himself out of his chair, as the boys filed out. Riddle, however stayed behind. Harry could tell he had dawdled deliberately, wanting to be the last in the room with Slughorn.

'Look sharp, Tom,' Slughorn said. 'You don't want to be caught out of bed out of hours, and you a prefect ...'

'Sir I wanted to ask you something.'

'Ask away, then, m'boy, ask away ...'

'Sir I wondered what you know about ... about Horcruxes?'

And it happened all over again: the dense fog filled the room so Harry could not see Slughorn or Riddle at all; only Dumbledore smiling beside her. Then Slughorn's voice boomed out.

' _I don't know anything about Horcruxes and I wouldn't tell you if I did! Now get out of here at once and don't let me catch you mentioning them again!'_

'Well, that's it,' Dumbledore said. 'Time to go.'

Harry's feet left the floor, seconds later she was standing back Dumbledore's office.

'That memory was messed with, surely?' Harry said. 'That can't be everything!'

'Indeed, that memory has been tampered with,' Dumbledore replied. 'I believe he is ashamed of what he remembers and tried to rework the memory to show himself in a better light, obliterating those parts which he does not wish me to see.'

'So then how do we get the correct memory?' Harry said. 'Legilimency ... or Veritaserum ...?'

'Professor Slughorn is an extremely able wizard who will be expecting both,' Said Dumbledore. 'He is much more accomplished at Occlumency than poor Morfin Gaunt, and I'd be astonished if he has not carried an antidote to Veritaserum with him ever since I coerced him into giving me this travesty of a recollection. No I think it foolish to attempt to wrest the truth from Professor Slughorn by force, and might do more harm than good; I do not wish to leave Hogwarts.'

'But there must be a weakness!' Harry said. 'Everyone has them - hell even Voldemort has one - stupid git never understood the power or meaning behind love.'

Dumbledore chuckled. 'That he did not. And I believe that is why you are the person who will be able to get through Professor Slughorn's defences. It is most important that we secure the true memory, Harry ... how important, we will only know when we have seen the real thing.'

Harry, of course, had confided in both Ron and Hermione and told them about the task she had been given.

'Slughorn loves you,' Ron said. 'He won't refuse you anything, will he? Just hang back and ask him after class.'

Harry doubted it would be that easy, to make matters worse Hermione had not even heard of Horcruxes. So, she had no clue as into what they were. For the first time, the Hogwarts library failed both Harry and Hermione. There was no one single mention or explanation of what they were. At the beginning of February, they both had given up. Harry had yet to finish her NEWT project, with no clue as into how to fix it.

'I give up,' she told both Hermione and Ron. 'It's actually impossible.'

Ron smirked, 'As impossible, impossible or the normal impossible?'

'Oh, shut up,' Harry groaned, her head hitting the Gryffindor table. 'I must have overlooked something - surely.'

'I'm sure you'll think of something,' Hermione said sympathetically.

'Yeah,' Ron laughed. 'After all, you're the one that always said, that only you knew the odds of defying possibilities.'

'I take it back,' Harry moaned.

'I know something that will cheer you up,' Ron said. 'Apparition lessons start next week.'

Harry groaned once more.

'It can't be that bad,' Hermione said.

'Oh, but it is,' Harry said unhelpfully. 'But it is.'

The hooting noise above them grabbed Harry's attention. The morning post had arrived and the owls had swooped in. Hedwig landed in front of her, as did a small brown owl, it looked like one of the school owls. Each owl had a parcel attached to them wrapped in pink packaging. Harry rolled her eyes, she had forgotten that it was valentines.

'That's a school owl,' Hermione said. 'I wonder who borrowed it, to send you something. Anyone can borrow them.'

Harry opened the package from the school owl first, it was a box of chocolates that contained fire whiskey. 'It's from Belby,' she said reading the note. 'He sent a valentine - the idiot, thought he would have got the hint after having to kiss McLaggen,' she said, 'Proves he doesn't know me either - the only thing I've touched is Butterbeer, and that hardly contains any alcohol in it - I wouldn't dare touch anything stronger.'

'Sweet! Can I have them then?' Ron said.

Harry chuckled, 'Go right ahead.'

Ron grinned. 'Think I might save them for my birthday - wouldn't want you to look ungrateful now, would we?'

Harry laughed and began to open her other package, this time she knew who it was from.

 _Dearest Princess,_ _Happy Valentines, I saw this and thought of you.Hope you like it,Love,Yours truly,Prince Charming._

The package contained, one single sugar quill, which had been placed upon the most detailed silver box she had ever seen. It was patterned on the sides, with emeralds encrusted in it. The lid had a pattern around its edge, her name was simply engraved in the middle - a jewellery box.

'Blimey Harry,' Ron exclaimed. 'That's goblin made.'

Harry smiled. 'It's beautiful.'

'George, you shouldn't have,' Harry scolded him, it would have been much easier properly face to face, but for now, the two-way mirror would have to do. George gave a cheeky grin.

'I'll buy you what I want to,' he replied. 'it's my choice if I want to spoil my girlfriend.'

'And it was lovely,' Harry replied softly. 'But still - it must have been expensive.'

'Sorry what was that,' George said. 'I didn't hear you.'

Harry shook her head. 'Thank you, I've already said it though. I just -'

'Anna, like I said. I'll spoil you if I want to. Besides you deserve nice things.'

'You're so sweet,' Harry said.

'If you tell anyone that,' George warned.

Harry laughed. 'Bit late for that, don't you reckon - they already know.'

George sighed. 'So how did you Apparition lesson go?'

Harry pulled a face. 'I hated it.'

'Oh!' George. 'that bad then.'

'The lesson was OK, I kept forgetting what the three D's were - but I did better than others, I managed to get into my hoop at least - it's just the sensation, how could you stand it, you and Fred were Apparating all the time last summer.'

George looked a bit sheepish. 'That was after we got used to it.'

'Did I tell you about Draco?'

'Yeah, you said you knew he was up to something -'

Harry sighed. 'Yeah, well now Crabbe and Goyle are on his case, I've been watching the Marauder's Map for the last couple of days, and they won't let him out of their sights.'

'Whatever his task is, if he's not talking to you about it, then it can't be good for us.'

'Umm,' Harry agreed. 'Blaise hasn't been able to help much or Daphne - Draco's ignoring them completely.'

'Because he knows that they will talk to you - Daphne didn't hear anything over Christmas break.'

'All she heard was that they were waiting for something to be done - and they are getting a bit impatient, but I think that's connected to Snape more so than Draco -'

'I dunno, Anna,' George sighed. 'It does sound fishy, but Dumbledore-'

'Trusts Snape,' Harry interrupted, feeling a little irritated.

'I, however, trust you, if you think the git is up to something,' George said softly. 'Then he is. Your intuition hasn't been wrong before.'

'Thanks, Charming,' Harry said. 'I'm going to call it a night. Speak to you soon.'

'Night, Princess,' George replied. 'And sweet dreams.'

As February moved towards March, Harry continued having no luck so far with Map watching. Draco wasn't wondering off bounds and Crabbe and Goyle were always in his wake. She began to watch Snape too, though he too was not acting suspiciously. Harry did, however, catch a lucky break in her NEWT project for Arithmancy. Though it wasn't quite fixed yet, Harry was making progress. And general indignation, a sign went up on all common-room notice boards that the next trip into Hogsmeade had been cancelled. Ron was furious.

'It was on my birthday!' he said. 'I was looking forward to that!'

'You weren't the only one!' Harry said grumpily. She was going to arrange to meet up with George again.

'Not a big surprise though, is it?' Hermione said. 'Not after what happened to Katie.'

'But now all I've got to look forward to is stupid Apparition! Big birthday treat ...' Ron said.

So, Harry decided to wake Ron up early, on the first of March - much to the other boys' annoyance. Ron grumbled but hastily made his way down to the common room, bringing his presents with him.

'Happy birthday!' Harry said, throwing a package towards his pile.

'Thanks. Where's Hermione?' he said looking around.

'Library said she'd give you her present later.'

Ron mumbled something sleepily under his breath and started to open his presents.

'Thanks, mate,' Ron said enthusiastically, waving the pair of Quidditch gloves.

'No problem,' Harry said absentmindedly, she had taken out the Marauders Map to search for Snape and Malfoy.

'Seriously good haul this year!' he announced. holding up a gold watch. 'See what mum and got me? Blimey, I think I'll come of age next year too ...'

'Cool,' Harry said, giving the watch a quick glance before peering at the map once more. Snape was in his study ... Malfoy was at breakfast ... this was getting her nowhere ... neither of them were doing anything wrong.

'Want one?' Ron asked, holding out a box of Chocolate Cauldrons.

'No thanks,' Harry said, shaking her head.

'I'll go put these up in my dorm,' Ron gestured to his presents. 'Be back in a second!' He took a second Cauldron out of the box, leaving it behind. 'If you change your mind, help yourself.' he said, nodding a hand at the box. Harry shook her head. Ron reappeared a few moments later, his arms now empty. He looked thoughtfully at the box of Chocolate Cauldrons. then shrugged helping himself to a third. 'Come on, if we don't hurry you'll have to Apparate on an empty stomach ... might make it easier I suppose ...'

Harry laughed, got up and led the way, she was halfway to the portrait hole when she realised that Ron had not moved, he was staring absentmindedly into thin air - a look Luna good pull off rather well, but not Ron.

'Ron? Breakfast.'

'I'm not hungry.'

Harry stared at him, 'But you just said -'

'Well, all right, I'll come down with you,' Ron sighed, 'but I don't want to eat.'

Harry almost laughed. A Weasley - a male Weasley not wanting to eat ... was just unheard of. 'That's because you've just eaten half a box of Chocolate Cauldrons.'

'It's not that,' Ron sighed again. 'You ... you wouldn't understand.'

'Fair enough!' Harry said, baffled.

'Harry!' Ron said suddenly.

'What?'

'Harry, I can't stand it!'

'Stand what?' Harry said, starting to feel alarmed. Ron was rather pale and looked as though he was about to be sick.

'I think ...' he gulped, 'Harry, I think I'm in love.' Ron said.

Harry ruffled her hair, feeling slightly awkward, she did not need to know or hear that her best friend loved her other best friend.

'OK Won, won,' Harry teased.

'I don't think they know I exist,' Ron said.

'Oh, I think they know you exist,' Harry replied. 'You're snogging each other after all.'

Ron blinked. 'Who are you talking about?'

'Who are you talking about?' Harry said, feeling that all reason had dropped out of the conversation.

'Marcus Bebly,'

Harry almost laughed, but Ron's face seemed to illuminate as he said it. Her eyes widened, she looked from the box of Chocolate Cauldrons back to Ron. She realised they must have been the valentines present, Bebly sent her. She ran over a picked up one, breaking it. The gooey mixture, ran along her finger tips, she held it up to her nose - underneath the chocolate smell, there was a hint of treacle tart, fresh air and a musky scent - this time she could place it.

'George!' she whispered. Her heart seemed to be beating faster than usual at this discovery.

'What was that?'

'Nothing,' Harry said, shaking her head. 'Come on lover boy. We're going to see Slughorn.'

'But-'

'Bebly will be there,' Harry added, confidently. 'One of Slughorn's favourites, remember?'

Slughorn answered his office door at the first knock, wearing a green velvet dressing gown.

'Harry,' he mumbled. 'this is very early for a Saturday ... I generally sleep late on a Saturday ...'

'Sorry, Professor,' Harry said, and she gestured to Ron. 'But you see, my friend Ron swallowed a love potion by mistake. You couldn't give him an antidote, could you? I'd take him to Madam Pomfrey, but we're not supposed to have anything from Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes and ... well ... it would lead to some awkward questions ...'

'I would have thought you'd have whipped him up a remedy, Harry, an expert potioneer like you,' Slughorn said.

'Well I've never mixed an antidote before - I wouldn't want to get it wrong,' Harry said, slightly distracted by Ron trying to get passed her. 'And he might have done something serious by the time I get it right -'

'I can't see him, Harry - is he hiding him?'

'He's not here yet,' Harry hissed at him, then she turned back to Slughorn. 'As you can see - I was the intended victim.'

'Was this potion within date?' Slughorn asked, now eyeing Ron. 'They strengthen, you know, the longer they're kept.'

'A few weeks, at least,' Harry said. 'I -valentines gift and well I said Ron could have them, he saved them for his birthday and this was the result!'

'Oh! Come in then, come in,' Slughorn said, opening the door. 'I've got the necessary here in my bag, it's not a difficult antidote ...'

Harry placed, Ron into a seat, Slughorn retreated - he came back fully dressed, and holding out a small crystal bottle.

'When is, he getting here?' Ron said.

'Soon,' Harry said.

'OK,' Ron sighed, 'How do I look?'

'Very handsome,' Slughorn said smoothly, handing Ron a glass of clear liquid. 'Now drink this, it's a tonic for the nerves, keep you calm for when they arrive, you know.'

'Brilliant,' Ron said eagerly, and he gulped the antidote down.

Harry and Slughorn watched him. For a moment, Ron beamed at them. Then, very slowly, his grin vanished, to be replaced by an expression of utmost horror.

'Back to normal,' Harry said. 'Thanks, Professor.'

'Don't mention it, my dear, don't mention it,' Slughorn said. Ron was holding his head between his hands.

'Pick-me-up, that's what he needs,' Slughorn continued, now bustling over a table loaded with drinks. 'I've got Butterbeer, wine, I've got one last bottle of oak-matured mead ... hmm ... meant to give that to Dumbledore for Christmas ... ah well,' he shrugged, ' ... he can't miss what he's never had! Why don't we open it now and celebrate Mr Weasley's birthday?'

Ron looked up. 'Sounds great Professor.' he turned to Harry. 'Mention this to any one -'

'And you'll do what?' Harry said, grinning.

'I'm never going to live this down,' Ron said taking a glass from Slughorn. 'Am I?'

'Nope,' Harry replied, and a glass was thrust into her own hand. Before she could say anything Slughorn said.

'Happy birthday, Ralph -'

'-Ron-' Harry corrected.

But Ron did not appear to be listening to the toast, he had already thrown down the mead and swallowed it. There was one second, hardly more than a heartbeat, in which Harry knew there was something terribly wrong and Slughorn it seemed, did not.

'-and may you have many more -'

' _Ron!'_

Ron had dropped his glass; he half rose from the chair and then crumpled, his body jerking uncontrollably. Foam was dribbling from his mouth and his eyes were bulging in their sockets.

'Professor!' Harry bellowed. 'Do something!'

But Slughorn seemed paralysed by shock. Ron twitched and chocked his skin was turning blue. Harry's own glass had dropped to the floor, her hands were now in her hair, she was thinking frantically - trying to remember all she could about antidotes from their lesson - but she too had understood the theory just like the prince had - there had been no additional notes - the Prince had only added a comment to the list of ingredients - _just shove a bezoar down their throats._ Wasting no time trying to look for one, Harry raised her wand.

' _Accio bezoar!'_ A shrivelled kidney-like stone zoomed towards her, she caught it with one hand. She wrenched Ron's jaw open and thrust the bezoar into his mouth. Ron gave a great shudder, a rattling gasp and his body became limp and still.

'So, all in all, not one of Ron's better birthdays,' Fred said, gloomily, looking at the hospital bed Ron was in. It was now evening. Harry, Hermione and Ginny had spent the day waiting outside the doors, trying to find out what was going on. Madam Pomfrey had let them enter at eight o'clock. Fred and George had arrived at ten past eight.

'This isn't how we imagined handing over our present,' George said grimly, putting down a large wrapped gift on Ron's bedside cabinet, sitting down beside Harry. He hands cupped her face, he brushed away her tears with his thumbs.

'Yeah, when we pictured the scene, he was conscious,' Fred said.

'There we were in Hogsmeade - waiting for you lot to arrive -' George said.

'We were thinking of buying Zonko's,' Fred said. 'A Hogsmeade branch, you know, but not a lot of good it'll do us if you lot aren't allowed out at weekends to buy our stuff anymore ...'

'Sorry,' Harry mumbled. 'I couldn't get hold of you, to tell you.'

'It doesn't matter,' George shook his head.

Fred drew a chair up beside Ginny. 'So how did it happen exactly?'

Harry retold the story, she had already recounted to Dumbledore, McGonagall, Madam Pomfrey, Hermione and Ginny.

'... and then I shoved the bezoar down his throat and his breathing eased up a bit, Slughorn ran for help, McGonagall and Madam Pomfrey turned up, and they brought Ron up here. They reckon he'll be all right. Madam Pomfrey says he'll have to stay here a week or so ...'

'Blimey it was lucky you thought of a bezoar,' George said.

'Lucky that there was one in the room,' Harry sniffed, fresh tears rolled down her cheeks.

'Hey,' George whispered. 'it's OK, don't cry. There was one, and that's all that matters. Don't think on the what ifs, alright.'

'Do mum and dad know?' Fred asked Ginny.

She nodded, 'They've already been to see him, they arrived an hour ago - they're in Dumbledore's office now, but they'll be back soon ...'

'So, the poison was in the drink?' said Fred quietly.

'Yeah,' Harry said. 'Slughorn poured it out -'

'Would he have been able to slip something into Ron's glass without you seeing?'

'Probably,' Harry mumbled, 'but that makes no sense, why poison Ron?'

'Could have mixed up the glasses,' Fred shrugged. 'Meaning to get to you instead.'

'Slughorn likes Harry, why would he want to poison her?' Ginny said.

'OK, OK,' Fred conceded. 'So, going after the "Chosen One" was a bad idea.'

Harry thought the events over. 'I think the poison was in the bottle - Slughorn said he was meant to give Dumbledore the bottle of mead for Christmas.'

'Which means, the poisoner didn't know Slughorn very well,' Hermione said. 'Anyone who knew Slughorn would have known there was a good chance he'd keep something that tasty for himself.'

The doors flew open, making them all jump. Hagrid came striding towards them, his hair looked wet, leaving a trail of muddy footprints all over the floor.

'Been in the Forest all day!' he panted. 'Aragog's worse - didn't get up to dinner till just now and then Professor Sprout told me about Ron! How is he?'

'Not bad,' Harry said. 'They say he'll be OK.'

'No more than six visitors at a time!' Madam Pomfrey said, hurrying out of her office.

'Hagrid makes six,' George pointed out.

'Oh ... yes...' Madam Pomfrey said, who seemed to have been counting Hagrid as several people rather than one. To cover her confusion, she hurried off to clear up his muddy footprints.

'I don't believe this,' Hagrid said hoarsely, looking down at Ron. 'Just don't believe it ... look at him lying there ... who'd want to hurt him, eh?'

'That's what we were discussing,' Harry said. 'We don't know.'

'Someone couldn't have a grudge against the Gryffindor Quidditch Team, could they?' Hagrid said. 'First Katie, now Ron. ..'

'I can't see anyone trying to bump off a Quidditch team,' said George.

'Wood might've done the Slytherins if he could've got away with it,' Fred said.

'I don't think it's Quidditch, but there is a connection between the attacks,' Harry said.

'Oh ... how?' Fred asked.

'Well, for one the attacks should have been fatal but weren't. And for another neither the poison or necklace seems to have reached the person who was supposed to be killed.' Harry said.

'Then that makes the person behind this even more dangerous because they don't seem to care how many people they finish off before they reach their victim.' Hermione added.

'Dangerous,' Harry agreed, 'or desperate.'

And Harry had two names come to mind, both of which she knew were up to something, though as yet had been able to prove it.

Harry was feeling very eager to hex McLaggen. With Ron in the hospital wing, she had grudgingly agreed to him on Quidditch team and was regretting doing so. She had been spending most of her time hiding in the room of requirement - just so that she wouldn't have to talk to him. McLaggen was annoying her with interfering with her Quidditch strategies and practices. At least when hiding in the room of requirement she could map watch in peace - it was then she noticed something odd, the room itself did not appear on the map.

On the morning of the Quidditch match against Hufflepuff, she went to visit Ron, in the hope that he was going to miraculously discharged.

'McLaggen getting to you?' Ron said.

'I'm this close, this close,' Harry said angrily, holding her hand her up, a small gap between thumb and a finger, to indicate just how much, 'to hexing him if I hadn't needed him for the match. I would have done so by now. Idiot seems to think he's better than everybody else and that he should play every position. I can't wait to be shot of him.'

Ron chuckled. 'you could always hex him afterwards.'

'Oh ... that sounds good,' Harry said grinning, 'Bebly too.'

Ron shrugged. 'If you like - you could even add Smith to the list, after our last Quidditch match.'

'I was hoping to thrash them today would put him in his place,' Harry said, picking up her Firebolt. 'But I'll think about it.'

'Good luck, Harry.'

'See you after the match, mate.'

She hurried down the deserted corridors; the whole school was outside.

'Where have you been?' Ginny said as Harry sprinted into the changing room.

'With Ron,' Harry said, looking around at her team. Like Harry they had already changed. 'Right let's go! Weathers nice and sunny, so make sure you fly out of the sun - we've got little wind -'

McLaggen walked into the changing room, interrupting Harry. 'Tricky conditions! Cootes, Peakes, you'll want to fly out of the sun, so they don't see you coming -'

'Mclaggen!' Harry snapped. 'I'm the Captain, when I need your help I'll ask for it. Until then - shut up!' she sighed. 'OK guys - the game's about to start.'

They walked out on to the pitch to deafening cheers and boos. She shook hands with the Hufflepuff Captain, and on Madam Hooch's whistle, kicked off, rising into the air. She had every intention of using her back up plan for this game, wanting to end the game as quickly as possible ...

'And that's Smith of Hufflepuff with the Quaffle,' said a dreamy voice. 'He did the commentary last time, of course - oh he's lost the Quaffle Ginny Weasley took it from him -'

Harry stared down at the commentator's podium. Luna Lovegood was commentating this time, besides Luna, Professor McGonagall was looking slightly uncomfortable.

'But now Cadwallader got the Quaffle -'

Harry went back to looking for the Snitch; there was no sign of it. Moments later Cadwallader scored. McLaggen had been shouting criticism at Ginny for allowing the Quaffle out of her possession, the result being he had not noticed the large red ball soaring past his right ear.

'McLaggen, pay attention to what you are supposed to be doing and leave everyone else alone!' Harry shouted, wheeling around to face her Keeper.

'You're not setting a great example!' McLaggen shouted back, red-faced and furious.

'But I'm the damn Captain - not you.'

'And Harry is now having an argument with her Keeper,' Luna said serenely. 'I wouldn't want to be in his shoes right now - her knowledge is very versatile especially when it comes to hexes.'

Harry could hear laughter in the crowd, well Luna was not wrong. But shouting at McLaggen would not help her find the Snitch. Swearing, she spun around and set off around the pitch. Ginny and Demelza scored a goal apiece. Then Cadwallader scored again, making things level. But it seemed Luna had not noticed, she was paying attention to the oddly shaped clouds and the possibility that Zacharias Smith, who had so far failed to maintain possession of the Quaffle for longer than a minute, was suffering from something called 'Loser Lurgy'.

'Seventy-forty to Hufflepuff!' Professor McGonagall barked into the megaphone.

'Is it, already?' Luna said vaguely. 'Oh, look! The Gryffindor Keeper's got hold of one of the Beater's bats.'

Harry spun round in mid-air. Sure enough, McLaggen, for reason best known to himself had pulled Peakes's bat from him and appeared to be demonstrating how to hit a Bludger towards an oncoming Cadwallader.

' _Will you give him back his bat and get back to the goalpost!'_ Harry roared, pelting towards McLadden just as he took a ferocious swipe at the Bludger and miss-hit it.

A blinding, sickening pain ... a flash of light ... distant screams ... and the sensation of falling down a long tunnel … And the next thing Harry knew, she was lying in a remarkably warm and comfortable bed. She looked around, she, of course, was in the hospital wing. On her left was Ron.

'Nice of you to drop in,' he said grinning.

'What happened?'

'Cracked skull,' Madam Pomfrey said, bustling along and pushing her back against the pillows. 'Nothing to worry about, I mended it at once, but I'm keeping you in overnight.'

'But I don't want to do that,' Harry muttered angrily. 'No I want to find McLaggen and hex the living daylights out of him!'

'You will stay here until I discharge you, Potter or I shall call the Headmaster.' She bustled back into her office.

'Do you how much we lost by?' she asked Ron.

'Yeah, the final score was three hundred and twenty to sixty.'

'Brilliant,' Harry said frustrated. 'When I get hold of McLaggen -'

Ron chuckled. 'The team weren't happy with him either - they asked for one thing - when you do get hold of him, could you hex him and humiliate him in a public place?' and he added rather gleefully. 'Could you wait until I get out, so I could see it too?'

'Sure, no problem ...' Harry replied, already scheming.


	108. Chapter 108

The next Saturday after the match had taken place, was when Harry decided to act. She needed a laugh after the week she had. Dumbledore was a bit disappointed that she hadn't completed her task of getting Slughorn's memory. And after learning that Voldemort had jinxed the Defence Against the Dark Art's job and leaving a house-elf to be accused of poisoning her mistress.

Harry had taken a bit out of her toast when the hall had erupted into fits of laughter. She looked up at the shouting.

'Ah, what the heck -' McLaggen said peering down at himself. He was red-faced and dressed in a sparkling, frilly, purple dress. His face covered with makeup and glitter.

'Nice dress McLaggen,' someone shouted. 'Give us a twirl.'

'Trying to tell us something?' came another shout.

In a rage McLaggen, waved his wand at himself. ' _Finite Iincantatem!'_ For a moment, his usual clothes appeared - and then out of the blew they changed again, this time the dress was lacy and white and accompanied by wings. The hall burst into laughter once more. Harry glanced at her Quidditch team, each one of them were flushed in the face tears from laughter. Ginny was wiping her eyes frantically. Ron's head was against the table, his arm pounding the table besides him.

Demezla shouted out. 'Hay darling - fancy a date or do you just save yourself so you can snog Belby?'

If it was possible the hall laughed even louder and harder. The hysterics continued. The comments got ruder as McLaggen tried and failed to change back into his normal clothes, each time he tried the outfit that replaced the one before got more embarrassing. On McLaggen's last attempt to change his clothes, he actually banished his clothing, leaving him standing in the hall in nothing but his boxers. This caused a few giggles amongst the girls - after McLaggen hastily summoned some clothes and changed, his new clothing changed - this time he was dressed in a pink leotard complete with a frilly tutu. McLaggen stormed out of the hall, in a complete rage.

'That was bloody brilliant,' Ron said roaring with laughter.

'It was slightly evil, Harry,' Hermione said, clearly amused, but she was biting her lip in hesitation.

'Evil,' Harry said innocently. 'I think not. It was ingenious!'

Ginny laughed. 'The twins would be so proud.'

...

Harry may have earned a detention for her prank on McLaggen, though she was scrubbing cauldrons it had been so worth it. Over the next week, she had racket her brains over how to persuade Slughorn to hand over the true memory, nothing came to mind. And the Prince was of no help either - impressive he may be when it came to brewing, he was of no help otherwise. Even his spells were not helpful - though she had found one called Sectumsempra with the words 'For Enemies', written above it. The signs of summer approaching did not lift Harry's mood. With the end of the school year fast approaching, she had been busy with the DA practices but there had been one improvement.

'Whoop,' Harry shouted, hurrying towards the Gryffindor table at lunch time. Ron and Hermione had been out, taking extra Apparition lessons. 'How did it go?' she asked excitedly.

'I did it - well kind of!' Ron said. 'I was supposed to be Apparating to outside Madam Puddifoot's teashop and I overshot it, ended up near Scrivenshaft's, but at least I moved!'

'Nice,' Harry said. 'What about you Hermione?'

'She was perfect obviously,' Ron said, before Hermione should speak.

'What about you,' Hermione said. 'Have you been map watching all this time?'

'Nope,' Harry said.

Hermione looked astonished, by this information.

'Then what have you been doing?' Ron said, puzzled by Harry's good mood.

Harry beamed at them both, 'I did it - finally! I fixed that damn Vanishing Cabinet.'

Ron's jaw dropped. Hermione smiled back at her.

'How - how did you do that?' Ron said. 'Last we heard you had given up.'

'Oh, I had,' Harry said. 'I took the whole thing apart, striped it down. Turns out that's what it needed rebuilding from the beginning.'

'But the enchantment?'

Harry shrugged. 'Some enchantments can't be stripped down - so it's original use was always intact. Once I had the pieces in place again - well it's no longer broken. Just need to do the written part of the exam and I'm all set.'

'When do you take your NEWT?'

'Beginning of June.'

'Good for you, doing something productive,' Hermione said.

'Yep, now I don't have the Vanishing Cabinet to worry about - I've got more time to watch the map.'

Hermione groaned.

...

 _Dear Harry, Ron and Hermione,_

 _Aragog died last night. Harry and Ron, you met him, and you_

 _know how special he was. Hermione I know you'd have liked him._

 _It would mean a lot to me if you'd nip down for the burial later this evening._

 _I'm planning on doing it round dusk, that was his favourite time of day._

 _I know you're not supposed to be out late, but you can use the Cloak._

 _Wouldn't ask but I can't face it alone._

 _Hagrid._

Harry reread the blotchy note, and passed it to Hermione. They had been given the note, not long after returning to the Gryffindor common-room.

'Oh, for heaven's sake,' she said scanning it quickly, passing the note to Ron.

'He's mental!' Ron said. 'That thing told its mates to eat us! Told them to help themselves! We barely got out of there!'

'It's not just that,' Hermione said. 'He's asking us to leave the castle at night and he knows the security is tighter and how much trouble we'd get into!'

'I wouldn't go anyway,' Ron said.

'You're not thinking of going, are you?' Hermione said, looking at Harry questionably.

'If it was a question of saving Hagrid - I'd do it in a heartbeat -' Harry sighed. 'I know we've been down to see him at night time before - but I dunno. I know we did with Buckbeak but we were so lucky not to get caught.'

'Mate ... we tend to have a lot of luck if you think about it,' Ron said running a hand through his hair.

'That's it,' Harry said suddenly. 'That's the answer.'

Ron and Hermione exchanged looks.

Ron sighed. 'Clue us in mate.'

'Sorry,' Harry said. 'My Slughorn problem - I need to get that memory - right well, what if I use a bit of luck.'

'But how can you use - wait your bottle.'

'Oh, why didn't I think of that,' Hermione said, sounding stunned.

'Neither had I,' Harry said. 'I just sort of stowed it away ...'

'Well Potions will be almost empty this afternoon, with most of us doing our Apparition tests ... you could use it then!' Hermione suggested.

'But what if it interferes with my getting the memory - Slughorn said you'd be lucky in all that you do. If I take it before Potions even with the few students around, he's not likely to hand over the memory, now is he?'

'Umm, good point.'

'Tonight then,' Harry said, getting up. 'Good luck both of you. You'll be fine.'

There was only three of them in Potions that afternoon: Harry, Ernie and Draco.

'All too young to Apparate just yet?' Slughorn said. 'Not turned seventeen yet?'

'Ah well,' he said cheerily, 'as we're so few we'll do something fun. I want you all to brew me something amusing!'

'That sounds good sir,' Ernie said, flicking through his copy of his potions book. Draco, on the other hand, did not crack a smile.

'What do you mean, something "amusing"?' he said.

'Oh, surprise me,' Slughorn replied airily.

Draco opened his own book. Now that the room was emptier, Harry could tell that Draco looked paler, his skin still had that greyish tinge. He lacked all his air of smugness and superiority. Harry caught him wincing a few times as he moved his left arm ... she wondered if Voldemort had got to him ... or had been cursed by Crabbe and Goyle? Harry skimmed through her copy of the potions textbook and found a Prince's version of An Elixir to Induce Euphoria, which seemed not to only to meet Slughorn's instructions, but which might put him in such a good mood that he might be prepared to hand over that memory Harry so desperately needed ... without having to use Felix.

'Well this looks absolutely wonderful,' Slughorn said, an hour and a half later, as he stared down into the sunshine-yellow contents of Harry's cauldron. 'Euphoria, I take it? And what's that I smell? Mmmm ... you've added just a spring of peppermint, haven't you? Unorthodox, but what a stroke of inspiration, Harry. Of course, that would tend to counterbalance the occasional side-effects of excessive singing and nose-tweaking ...'

Ernie looked grumpy. Draco was already packing up, sour-faced. The bell rang and both Ernie and Draco left at once.

'Sir,' Harry began, but she found the room empty. Now she thought about Slughorn had not held one of his parties in a while - not since Ron's poisoning at least, and he had been disappearing quickly after class had ended. If Harry didn't know better, she would have thought he was avoiding her - unless he was, which would mean, he knew that she was after the memory ... Harry left the dungeon and walked back upstairs to the common room.

Ron and Hermione returned late afternoon.

'Harry!' Hermione cried. 'We passed!'

Harry beamed from Hermione to Ron. 'See I told you.'

'How was Potions?' Hermione asked.

Harry told them what happened.

'So, it's imperative that you get that memory,' Hermione said. 'Especially if he's hiding from you.'

'But how would he know, that you know?' Ron asked.

Harry shrugged. 'All I can figure is that he believes Dumbledore's told me ... oh Trelawney, she saw me in Dumbledore's office, she was complaining about Firenze - she could have mentioned it - and Slughorn put two and two together.'

'So, it looks like you're taking the potion then,' Ron said.

'Yep,' Harry said, rummaging around in her bag, and she pulled out the little bottle. 'Well here goes - a sip should do, I only need a couple hours of luck after all.' she raised the bottle and took a small gulp.

'Well ...' Hermione said.

Harry did not say anything for a moment. 'I think I'll go to Hagrid's,' she said thoughtfully.

'But Slughorn -' Ron said.

'No ... I'm going to Hagrid's. I've just got a good feeling,' she pulled out her Invisibility Cloak. 'Trust me, that's the place to be. And if you can't trust me - trust Felix.'

Harry walked out the common room and in the deserted corridor, she pulled the Cloak over her. And she strode off through the castle. Not a soul was in sight, and this did not alarm Harry in the slightest; for this evening, she was the luckiest person at Hogwarts. When she reached the Entrance Hall she saw Filch had forgotten to lock the front door. Harry threw it open and stepped outside. It was though the potion was illuminating a few steps of a path at a time, she knew she was going the right way into getting the memory but she could not see how. When she reached the bottom step that lead from the doors, it occurred to her how pleasant it would be to pass the vegetable patch on her walk to Hagrid's. It was there she found Slughorn in conversation with Professor Sprout.

'... I do thank you for taking the time, Pomona,' Slughorn said. 'Most authorities agree that they are most efficacious if picked at twilight.'

'Oh, I quite agree,' Professor Sprout said warmly. 'That enough for you?'

'Plenty, plenty,' said Slughorn. 'This should allow for a few leaves each of my third-years, and some spare if anybody over-stews them ... well good evening to you, and many thanks again!'

Professor Sprout headed off towards the direction of her greenhouses and Slughorn directed his steps towards the spot where Harry stood, invisible. Seized with an immediate desire to reveal herself, Harry pulled off the Cloak.

'Good evening, Professor.'

'Merlin's beard, Harry, you made me jump,' Slughorn said stopping dead in his tracks and looking wary. 'How did you get out of the castle?'

'I think Filch must've forgotten to lock the doors,' Harry said.

'I'll be reporting that man, he's more concerned about litter than proper security if you ask me ... but why are you out here, Harry?'

'Oh,' Harry said and she lowered her voice. 'You see, it's Hagrid ... he's pretty upset ... you won't tell anyone, Professor ... I don't want trouble for him ...'

Slughorn's curiosity it seemed peaked. 'Well, I can't promise that,' he said. 'But I know that Dumbledore Trusts Hagrid to the hilt, so I'm sure he can't be up to anything dreadful ...'

'Well, it's his Acromantula; Aragog - you know the one I was telling you about in the summer when we first met - well it died last night. Hagrid's devastated, he wants company while he buries it and I'd said I'd go.'

'Touching, touching,' Slughorn replied, his eyes were fixed upon the distant lights of Hagrid's cabin. 'But Ancromantula venom is very valuable ... if the beast has only just died it might not have dried out ... of course, I wouldn't want to do anything insensitive if Hagrid is upset ... but if there was some way to procure some ... I mean, it's almost impossible to get venom from an alive Acromantula ...'

'Well,' Harry said, 'if you wanted to come I'm sure Hagrid wouldn't mind ... it will give Argog a better send off, you know ...'

'Yes of course,' said Slughorn, his eyes gleaming with enthusiasm. 'I'll tell you what, Harry, I'll meet you down there with a bottle or two ... we'll send off the poor beast in style. And I'll change my tie, this one's a little exuberant for the occasion.'

He bustled back to the castle, and Harry sped off to Hagrid's delighted.

'You came,' Hagrid croaked.

'Yeah, Ron and Hermione couldn't make it though,' Harry said. 'They're really sorry.'

'Don't - don't matter ... he'd been touched you're here, though.'

'Where are we burying him?' she asked. 'The Forest?'

'No,' Hagrid said with a sob. 'The other spiders won't let me any won't let me anywhere near their webs now Aragog's gone. Turns out it was only on his orders they didn't eat me.'

Harry said nothing, already knowing this.

'Never been an area of the Forest I couldn't go before!' Hagrid said, shaking his head. 'It wasn't easy getting Aragog's body out of there, I can tell you - they usually eat their dead see ... but I wanted to give him a nice burial ... a proper send-off ...'

He broke into sobs and Harry patted him on the arm. 'Professor Slughorn met me coming down here.' she told him honestly, according to the potion it was the right thing to do.

'Not in trouble, are you?' Hagrid said, alarmed. 'You shouldn't be outta the castle in the evening, I know it, it's my fault -'

'No, no, when he heard what I was doing he said he'd like to come and pay his respects to Aragog too,' Harry explained. 'He's gone to change into something more suitable, I think ... and he said he'd bring some bottles so we can drink to Aragog's memory ...'

'Did he?' Hagrid said. 'That's right nice of him, that is, and not turning you in, either. I've never really had a lot to do with Horace Slughorn before ... coming to see old Aragog off, though, eh? Well, he'd like that, Aragog would ...'

'So, are we going to bury him in your garden, Hagrid?'

'Just beyond the pumpkin patch, I thought,' said Hagrid. 'I've already dug the grave. Just thought we'd say a few nice things over him - happy memories, you know.' His voice quivered as he spoke. There was a knock at the door and he turned to answer it. Slughorn hurried over the threshold, several bottles in his arms, and wearing a sombre black cravat.

'Hagrid,' he greeted in a deep, grave voice... 'So very sorry to hear of your loss.'

'That's very nice of you,' Hagrid said. 'Thanks a lot. And thanks for not giving Harry a detention, either ...'

'Wouldn't have dreamed of it,' Slughorn said. 'Sad night, sad night ... where is the poor creature.'

'Out here,' Hagrid said. 'Shall we - shall we do it then?'

The three of them stepped out into the back garden. Aragog's body was lying on the edge of a massive pit.

'Magnificent,' Slughorn said, approaching the spider's head. Harry thought she heard the tinkle of bottles as Slughorn bent over the pincers, apparently examining the enormous head.

'Not everyone appreciates how beautiful they are,' Hagrid said, tears leaking from the corners of his crinkled eyes. 'I didn't know you were interested in creatures like Aragog, Horace.'

'Interested? My dear Hagrid, I revere them,' said Slughorn, stepping back from the body. Harry saw the glint of a bottle disappear beneath his cloak. 'Now ... shall we proceed to the burial?'

Hagrid nodded and moved forwards. He heaved Aragog's body into his arms and rolled it into the dark pit. When it hit the bottom, Hagrid started to cry again.

'Of course, it's difficult for you, who knew him best. Why don't I say a few words?' Slughorn said, taking a step towards the edge of the pit. Farewell Aragog, king of the arachnids, whose long and faithful friendship those who knew you won't forget! Though your body will decay, your spirit lingers on in the quiet, web-spun places of your Forest home. May your many-eyed descendants ever flourish and your human friends find solace for the loss they have sustained.'

'That was ... beautiful,' Hagrid howled. Harry flicked her wand so that the huge pile of dirt beside the pit, rose up and then fell on to the dead spider. 'Thanks ... thanks, Harry.'

'Let's get inside and have a drink.' Slughorn said. They made their way into Hagrid's hut. Hagrid sat in a chair at the table. Fang who had been sulking in his basket, came over and put his head into Harry's lap. Slughorn uncorked one of the bottles of wine he had brought. He poured most of the first bottle into one of Hagrid's bucket-sized mugs and handed it to Hagrid.

'I have had it all tested for poison,' he said assuredly. 'Had a house-elf taste every bottle after what happened to your poor friend... one for you, Harry,' he said, dividing a second bottle between two mugs, '... and one of me. Well,' he raised his mug high, 'to Aragog.'

'Aragog,' Harry and Hagrid said together.

Harry watched both Slughorn and Hagrid drink deeply. Harry, however, pretended to take a gulp, she did not need Felix to tell her, that she shouldn't drink.

'I had him from an egg, you know,' Hagrid said morosely. 'Tiny little thing he was when he hatched. About the size of a Pekinese.'

'Sweet,' said Slughorn.

'Used to keep him in a cupboard up at the school until ... well ...'

Hagrid's face darkened and Harry knew why: Voldemort or Tom Riddle as he had been known as in his time at school. Slughorn, however, did not seem to be listening, he was looking up at the ceiling, from a number of brass pots hung, and also a long, silky skein of bright white hair.

'That's not unicorn hair, Hagrid?'

'Oh yeah,' said Hagrid. 'Gets pulled out of their tails, they catch it on branches and stuff in the Forest you know ...'

'But my dear chap, do you know how much that's worth?'

'I use it for binding on bandages and stuff if a creature gets injured,' Hagrid said. 'It's dead useful ... very strong, see...'

Slughorn took another swig from his mug, his eyes moving carefully around the cabin now. He then refilled Hagrid's mug and his own and questioned him about the creatures that lived in the Forest these days. Hagrid becoming expansive under the influence of the drink and Slughorn's flattering interest stopped mopping his eyes and entered happily into a long explanation of Bowtruckle husbandry. A few times while they spoke Felix gave Harry a little nudge to refill the supply of drink non-verbally. After an hour or so, Hagrid and Slughorn began making extravagant toasts: to Hogwarts, to Dumbledore, to elf-made wine and to -

'Harianna Potter!' Hagrid bellowed.

'Yes indeed,' Slughorn cried. 'Parry Otter, the Chosen girl Who - well - something of that sort.'

Not long after this, Hagrid became tearful again and pressed the whole unicorn tail upon Slughorn who made cries of, 'To friendship! To generosity! To ten Galleons a hair!'

And for a while after that Hagrid, and Slughorn were sitting side by side arms around each other singing a slow sad song about a dying wizard.

'Aaargh, the good die young,' Hagrid muttered, slumping low on the table. 'Me dad was no age to go ... nor were your mum and dad, Harry ...'

Tears rolled out of the corners of Hagrid's crinkled eyes. Felix had long worn off, so Harry patted his arm. '... best wiz and witchard of their age I ever knew ... terrible thing ...'

Slughorn was still singing.

' ... terrible,' Hagrid grunted and his great shaggy head rolled sideways on his arms and he fell asleep.

'Sorry,' Slughorn said with a hiccough. 'Can't carry a tune to save my life.'

'Hagrid wasn't talking about your singing, Professor,' Harry said. 'He was talking about my parents dying.'

'Oh,' said Slughorn. 'Oh dear. Yes, that was - was terrible indeed. Terrible ... terrible ...'

He looked quite at a loss for what to say and retorted to refilling his mug. 'I don't - don't suppose you remember it, Harry?' he asked awkwardly.

'No, I was only one when they died,' Harry said. 'But I've found out pretty much what happened ... my dad died first. Did you know that?'

'I- I didn't,' Slughorn replied.

'Yeah ... Voldemort murdered him and stepped over his body towards my mum. He told her to get out of the way. He told me she needn't have died. He only wanted me. She could have run.'

'Oh dear,' Slughorn breathed. 'She could have ... she needn't ... that's awful ...'

'It is, isn't it?' Harry said. 'But she didn't move. She tried to plead with Voldemort ... but he just laughed ...'

'That's enough!' Slughorn said suddenly. 'Really my dear girl, enough ... I'm an old man ... I don't need to hear ... I don't want to hear ...'

'Perhaps you should,' Harry said.

Slughorn shook his head. 'No - your mother was a remarkable woman - I don't imagine anyone who met her that wouldn't have liked her ... very brave ... very funny ... it was the most horrible thing ... please, don't it's not fair ...'

'Not fair ...' Harry repeated. 'Do you think it's fair that the only reason I know how my parents died is because I could their voices - every time - every damn time a Dementor got near me - Voldemort killed them, Professor,' she said. 'Killed them because they protected me ...'

'You helped him once,' Harry said after a moment's pause. 'I've seen the fake memory.'

'I - I don't know what you are talking about,' Slughorn replied.

'Oh please,' Harry replied. 'You're a smart man, you know I've been speaking with Dumbledore - is that why you've been avoiding me?'

Slughorn said nothing, but he looked terrified.

'You're worried he'll find out you helped me?' Harry said. 'I get that - I do. But I need that memory, I need to know.'

'Why - why could you possibly need to know?' Slughorn asked.

Harry knew Slughorn would be too drunk to remembering anything in the morning. 'It's true - what they printed in the _Daily Prophet._ I'm the Chosen One - and only I can put an end to Voldemort's reign of terror.'

'My dear girl ... you're asking a great deal ... asking me to aid you in your attempt to destroy -' Slughorn raised a pudgy hand and pressed his fingers to his mouth. 'I knew ... I knew it would be only a matter of time before you asked me ... I am not proud ...' he whispered, 'I am ashamed of what - of what that memory shows ... I think I may have done a great damage that day ...'

'You'd cancel out anything you did by giving me that memory,' Harry said. 'It would be a very brave and noble thing to do.'

Harry stared at Slughorn, waiting in silence. Very slowly Slughorn put his hand in his pocket and pulled out his wand. He put his other hand inside his cloak and took out a small empty bottle. He touched the tip of his wand to his temple and withdrew it, so long, silver thread of memory came away too, clinging to the wand tip. Longer and longer the memory stretched until it broke from the wand. Slughorn lowered it into the bottle, he corked the bottled and passed it with a trembling hand across the table to Harry.

'Thank you, Professor.'

'You're just like her ... you look like your father ... but you have more of your mother in you ... and you've got her eyes,' Slughorn said. 'Just don't think too badly of me once you've seen it ...'

And he too put his head on his arms, gave a deep sigh and fell asleep.

...

Harry had once again entered the memory of Horace Slughorn. Dumbledore landed to her just as Riddle asked, 'Sir, is it true that Professor Merrythought is retiring?'

'Tom, Tom, if I knew I couldn't tell you,' said Slughorn. 'I must say I'd like to know where you get your information, boy; more knowledgeable than half the staff, you are. What with your uncanny ability to know things you shouldn't, and your careful flattery - thank you for the pineapple, by the way, you're quite right, it is my favourite -I confidently expect you to rise to Minister for Magic within twenty years. Fifteen, if you keep sending me pineapple. I have excellent contacts at the Ministry.'

Tom Riddle merely smiled as the other boys laughed. Harry saw that he was by no means the eldest of them, but they all seemed to look at him as their leader.

'I don't know if politics would suit me, sir,' he said when the laughter died away. 'I don't have the right kind of background, for one thing.'

A couple of the boys around him smirked at each other. Harry was sure they were enjoying a private joke: undoubtedly about what they knew or suspected, regarding their gang leader's famous ancestor.

'Nonsense,' said Slughorn, 'couldn't be plainer you come from decent wizarding stock, abilities like yours. No, you'll go far Tom, I've never been wrong about a student yet.'

The clock upon Slughorn's desk chimed eleven o'clock behind him and he looked around.

'Good gracious, is it that time already? You'd better get going boys, or we'll all be in trouble. Lestrange, I want your essay by tomorrow or it's detention. Same goes for you Avery.'

One by one the boys filed out of the room. Slughorn stood up from his chair. A movement from behind him made him look around; Riddle was standing there.

'Look sharp, Tom, you don't want to be caught out of bed out of hours, and you a perfect ...'

'Sir I wanted to ask you something.'

'Ask away, then, m'boy, ask away ...'

'Sir, I wondered what you know about ... about Horcruxes?'

Slughorn stared at him, and asked, 'Project for Defence the Dark Arts, is it?' But Harry could tell Slughorn knew perfectly well that this was not school work.

'Not exactly, sir,' said Riddle. 'I came across the term while reading and I didn't fully understand it.'

'No ... well ... you'd be hard-pushed to find a book at Hogwarts that'll give you details on Horcruxes, Tom. That's very Dark stuff, very Dark indeed,' Slughorn said.

'But you obviously know all about them? I mean a wizard like you - sorry, I mean, if you can't tell me, obviously - I just knew if anyone could tell me, you could - so I just thought I'd ask -'

Riddle had practice getting the information he wanted out of people.

'Well,' Slughorn said. 'It couldn't hurt to give you an overview, of course. Just so you understand the term. A Horcrux is the word used for an object in which a person has concealed part of their soul.'

'I don't quite understand how it works, though, sir,' said Riddle.

'Well, you spilt your soul, you see, and hide part of it in an object outside the body. Then even if one's body is attacked or destroyed, one cannot die, for part of the soul remains earthbound and undamaged. But, of course, existence in such a form ...'

Slughorn's face crumpled. '... few would want it, Tom, very few. Death would be preferable.'

'How do you split your soul?'

'Well,' Slughorn said uncomfortably, 'you must understand that the soul is supposed to remain intact and whole. Splitting it is an act of violation, it is against nature.'

'But how do you do it?'

'By an act of evil - supreme evil. By committing murder. Killing rips the soul apart. The wizard intent upon creating a Horcrux would use the damage to his advantage: he would encase the torn portion -'

'Encase? But how -?'

'There is a spell, do not ask me, I don't know!' Slughorn said, shaking his head. 'Do I look as though I have tried it - do I look like a killer?'

'No, sir, of course not,' Riddle said quickly. 'I'm sorry ... I didn't mean to offend ...'

'Not at all, not at all, not offended,' Slughorn said gruffly. 'It's natural to feel some curiosity about these things ... wizards of a certain calibre have always been drawn to that aspect of magic ...'

'Yes, sir,' said Riddle. 'What I don't understand though - just out of curiosity - I mean, would one Horcrux be much use? Can you only spilt your soul once? Wouldn't it be better, make you stronger to have your soul in more pieces? I mean, for instance, isn't the powerfully magical number -'

'Seven?' Harry said aloud without thinking. She was beginning to put the pieces together. 'Sorry Professor.'

'Merlin's beard, Tom!' Slughorn yelped. 'Seven! isn't it bad enough to think of killing one person? And in any case ... bad enough to divide the soul ... but to rip it into seven pieces ...' Slughorn looked deeply troubled now: he was gazing at Riddle as though he had never seen him plainly before. 'Of course, this is all hypothetical, what we're discussing isn't it? All academic …'

'Academic, my arse,' Harry muttered.

'Yes, sir, of course,' Riddle said quickly.

'But all the same Tom ... keep it quiet, what I've told - that's to say, what we've discussed. People wouldn't like to think we've been chatting about Horcruxes. It's banned subject, you know ... Dumbledore particularly fierce about it ...'

'I won't say a word, sir,' said Riddle and he left.

When they landed back in Dumbledore's office, Harry began pacing.

'That's why he never died ...' Harry wheeled around facing Dumbledore. 'He succeeded in making a Horcrux ...'

'Oh no, Harry,' Dumbledore said. 'You heard Voldemort: what he partially wanted from Horace was an opinion on what happen to the wizard who created more than one Horcrux, what would happen to the wizard so determined to evade death that he would be prepared to murder many times, rip his soul repeatedly, so as to store it in many, separately concealed Horcruxes. No book would have given him that information. As far as I know - as far, I am sure, as Voldemort knew - no wizard had ever done more than tear his soul in two.' Dumbledore paused for a moment. 'Four years ago, I received what I considered certain proof that Voldemort had spilt his soul.'

'You did?'

'Yes, you handed it to me, Harry,' Dumbledore said.

'The diary!'

'Yes, and though I did not see the Riddle who came out of the diary, what you described to me was a phenomenon I had never witnessed. A mere memory starting to act and think for itself? A mere memory, sapping the life out of the girl into whose hands it had fallen? No something much more sinister had lived inside that book ... a fragment of soul, I was almost sure of it. The diary had been a Horcrux.'

'But he used it as a weapon - that diary was meant to fall into someone's hands, he wanted to finish his hard work. He wanted people to know that he was the heir of Slytherin because he couldn't take credit at the time.'

'Quite correct, the careless way in which Voldemort regarded this Horcrux seemed ominous to me. It suggested that he must have made - or been planning to make - more so that the loss of his first would not be so detrimental I did not wish to believe it, but nothing else seemed to make sense. Then you told me two years later, that on the night that Voldemort returned to his body, he made a most illuminating and alarming statement to his Death Eaters.'

'" _I, who have gone further than anybody along the path that leads to immortality".'_ Harry said, 'I remembered the words as Voldemort was speaking to Slughorn. The most magical number, seven - he made seven -' Harry sighed, shaking her head. 'So, he's made himself impossible to kill by murdering other people.'

'I'm glad to see you appreciate the magnitude of the problem,' Dumbledore said calmly. 'But firstly, no, Harry, not seven Horcruxes: six. The seventh part is his soul, however, maimed, resides inside his regenerated body. That was the part of him that lived a spectral existence for so many years during his exile; without that, he has no self at all. That seventh piece of soul will be the last that anybody wishing to kill Voldemort must attack - the piece that lives in his body.'

'OK, six Horcruxes,' Harry said. 'How are we meant to find them?'

'You are forgetting ... you have already destroyed one of them. And I destroyed another.'

'You have?'

'Yes indeed,' said Dumbledore, and he raised his blackened hand. 'The ring, Harry. Marvolo's ring. And a terrible curse there was upon it too.'

Harry thought this over and recalled the memories Dumbledore had shown her. 'That's why you showed me those memories - those objects - the locket, the cup - of course - you suspect -?'

'Yes, I do suspect that they became Horcruxes three and four. The remaining two, assuming again that he created a total of six, are more of a problem, but I will hazard a guess that having secured objects from Hufflepuff and Slytherin, he set out to track down objects owned by Gryffindor and Ravenclaw. Four objects from the four founders. I cannot answer for whether he found anything of Ravenclaw's. I am confident, however, that the only known relic of Gryffindor remains safe.'

'So, that leaves us with the possible sixth,' Harry said.

'Yes, and I think I know what it is. I wonder what you will say when I confess that I have been curious for a while about the behaviour of the snake, Nagini?'

'You can use animals?'

'Well, it is inadvisable to do so,' said Dumbledore, 'because to confide a part of your soul to something that can think and move itself is obviously a risky business. However, if my calculations are correct Voldemort was still one Horcrux short of his goal when he entered your parents' house with the intention of killing you. I think he believed in doing so he was making himself invincible. As we know he failed. After an interval of some years, however, he used Nagini to kill an old Muggle man, and it might then have occurred to him to turn her into his last Horcrux. She underlines the Slytherin connection, which enhances Lord Voldemort's mystique. I think he is perhaps as fond of her as he can be of anything; he certainly likes to keep her close and he seems to have an unusual amount of control over her, even for a Parselmouth.'

'I see ... is this what you've been doing when you've been away from the school?' Harry said. 'Searching for the Horcruxes?'

'Yes,' Dumbledore said. 'I have been looking for a very long time. I think ... perhaps ... I may be close to finding another one. There are hopeful signs. And I would like you to accompany me.'

'Really?' Harry said.

'I think you've earned that right.'

'So, with all the Horcruxes gone - Voldemort could be killed.'

'Without his Horcruxes, Voldemort will be a mortal man. And mortal men can indeed die, do not forget, that while his soul may be destroyed beyond repair, his brain and his magical power remain intact. It will take uncommon skill and power to kill a wizard like Voldemort, even without his Horcruxes.'

'When something is important enough, you do it even if the odds are not in your favour.' Harry replied. 'Never forget, never give up, never give in. I'll keep fighting because it's the right thing to do - no matter what the odds may be.'


	109. Chapter 109

Harry told Ron and Hermione everything that happened the very next day. They were both impressed that not only had Harry wheedled the memory from Slughorn, but had also learned what Horcruxes were and just how important they were to Voldemort.

'Seven ... wow ... no wonder he's messed up,' Ron said. 'And Dumbledore said you could actually go with him ... and try and destroy another ... wow.'

Harry looked at Hermione, who appeared to be thinking hard.

'So, when the prophecy spoke of the power that he didn't know of -' she said. 'it just means love?'

Harry nodded. 'Dumbledore said I'm protected by my ability to love - after everything I've seen from Voldemort's mind - I've never been seduced by the Dark Arts -'

'Well of course not - but I just thought - given your wandless magic-'

'Which I can only pull off when I'm in enough of an emotional state,' Harry replied. 'But Dumbledore reckons that its love ... and it took me a while but I understand now. You see there's a difference between being dragged into the arena to face a battle to the death and walking into the arena with your head held high.'

Hermione blinked at her.

'It's the choice - the decision - and that's what makes all the difference in the world.'

'I hadn't thought of it like that before ...' Hermione murmured.

After their first lesson, they had a joint free period, so they walked back to the common room together. Upon reaching the common room a group of seventh years were clustered together. Katie Bell was looking completely healthy and surrounded by her friends.

'Katie! your back! Are you OK?'

'I'm well, Harry,' she laughed. 'They let me out of St Mungo's Monday, I had a couple of days at home with mum and dad, before coming back here this morning. Leanne was just telling me about McLaggen and the last match ...'

'Yeah, I'm sorry to inform you, you missed my revenge,' Harry replied, Katie, smiled. 'But now your back and Ron's fit, we'll have a decent chance of thrashing Ravenclaw, which means we could still be in the running for the Cup. Listen, Katie ... that necklace ... can you remember who gave it to you?'

'No,' Katie said, shaking her head. 'Everyone's been asking, but all I remember is walking into the ladies in the Three Broomsticks. I know I pushed the door open, so I supposed who ever Imperiused me was standing just behind it. After that my memory is blank until about two weeks ago.'

'OK, thanks.' Harry replied softly. 'I'm glad your back, though.'

Katie nodded. 'I've got to go, I wouldn't put it past McGonagall to give me lines even if it's my first day back.'

Katie collected her things and hurried out of the common room. Harry, Ron and Hermione sat down at a table.

'So, it must have been a girl or a woman who gave Katie that necklace,' said Hermione, 'to be in the ladies' bathroom.'

'Or someone who looked like a girl,' Harry said. 'You forget ... there's more than one way to disguise yourself.'

'But anyone in the DA could disguise themselves, you covered Glamour spells last year and went over it more in-depth this year.'

Harry nodded. 'And therein lies the problem.'

Over the following fortnight, Harry saw the best Quidditch practices she had known as Captain. Her team was so pleased to shot of McLaggen and so glad to have Katie back, at last, they were flying extremely well. As May drew closer the upcoming match against Ravenclaw seemed to be approaching at an alarming rate. If Harry wasn't going over tactics, she was found in the library, standing hard for her examination that she was to take. She wasn't sure what was making her more nervous losing the Cup and no one letting her forget that she had been Captain at the time or taking her Arithmancy NEWT.

A few days before the match against Ravenclaw, Harry found herself walking down to dinner alone. Which was not an uncommon occurrence due to Ron and Hermione spending together. She was passing a bathroom on the sixth floor, she could sense waves of emotional upset, just like Mrs Weasley had been crying when she faced the Boggart last year. Harry pressed her ear against the door but could not hear anything. On a whim, she pushed it open slightly.

Draco was standing with his back to the door, his hands clutching either side of the sink, his white-blonde head bowed. And wasn't alone - Moaning Myrtle was with him.

'Don't,' Myrtle crooned. 'Don't ... tell me what's wrong ... I can help you ...'

'No one can help me,' Draco said. His whole body shaking. 'I can't do it ... I can't ... and he says if I don't ... he'll kill me ...'

Harry realised, that Draco was crying. Crying into the basin. She stepped into the bathroom, a hand went to reach out. Draco gasped and gulped and then, he looked up into the mirror and saw Harry standing behind him. Draco wheeled around. Harry dropped her hand.

'That's not true, you know,' she said softly. 'I could help you if you let me ...'

'I thought I told you to stay away from me, Potter?' Draco hissed.

'Never been one for doing as I'm told,' Harry shrugged. 'And it's been a while since you called me that.'

'Don't try to be my friend,' Draco said. 'You can't help me.'

'Draco please - I'm more than your friend,' Harry said, pulling at her sleeve to reveal the tattoo upon her wrist once more. 'I'm family - I care -'

'You care? No, you're just honour- bound,' Draco snapped, shaking his head. 'Leave me alone Potter, or I won't be sorry about what actions I take.'

'Please,' Harry said. 'We both know you can't hex me, you accepted me as Head of the House of Black. You cannot harm me, you cannot betray me.'

Draco pulled out his wand and aimed it right at her. 'I will do what it takes - stay out of my way.'

'Let me help you -'

'It's too late -' Draco said, his eyes falling to his left wrist. 'Don't you see - don't you understand? You think I can't betray you - but I already have - I warned you Potter - don't make me do something I'll regret.'

Harry took a step closer, not believing him for a second. She could see it, Draco did not want to harm her. But Draco cursed her before she reached him.

'SECTUMSEMPRA!'

Harry doubled over, blood pouring from her chest. She thought she could hear someone screaming, the sounds of someone running - all she knew was immense pain, her vision blurred fading until it went black ...

 _Harry stepped out onto the green grass. She was back in the Spirit Plane, for that much she was certain._

 _'Hello, Harry.'_

 _Harry sighed, she too was familiar with who that voice belonged to now, without the need of turning around. 'I didn't know I was in danger. I didn't mean to come back.'_

 _'No, you believed that your friend would not hurt you-'_

 _Harry turned to face the man. 'So, you've been watching me, how thoughtful of you Eugene.'_

 _'How else I'm a meant to know if you are OK if I do not watch over you.'_

 _There was a moments pause. 'Am I - am I -' Harry began, she was not sure how to voice the question._

 _'No, your soul is merely resting.'_

 _Harry shook her head. 'I might be back sooner than you think - George is going to kill me - being so stupid.'_

 _'Believing in the better of someone is not stupid, Harry,' Eugene replied. 'We have all made mistakes - it is a part of being human.'_

 _'Even you?'_

 _'My mistakes are what lead me to be here in the first place ...' Eugene said softly. 'Though I am no longer part of the living - I did not want to go on either - so I came to here instead ...'_

 _'You're caught between?' Harry asked, Eugene merely nodded. 'Why? What could have you have done that was so bad?'_

 _Eugene sighed. 'It all started when I fell in love. She was a unique_ _sorceress, remarkable in every sense of the word. I was enchanted from the moment I met her. Beauty she had, but her kindness - it knew no bounds. I began to court her - and while my world could not be brighter ... my duty got darker ...'_

 _'I was an adviser to a powerful court - my friend's in fact. He knew of my magic and his kingdom was on the verge of war - and the battle could not be won by stealth alone, he needed my help - against my better judgement I went along with his plan ... another wizard, who we did not realise at the time - was after my friend's kingdom, but he could not take it, with myself or my friend in the way. This wizard suggested we make a weapon, made purely of magic and that no one would be able to stop - so I created that weapon -'_

 _'The woman I loved advised me, that such a weapon was too powerful to held in one person's hand - so I made an adjustment - I made it so the weapon could be won - and I gave to the King, that night the wizard betrayed us, he took the wand and cast a spell you happen to be very familiar with - he killed my friend, and took his place -'_

 _'The wizard declared a war upon magic - and so began my next mistake - I created another object - this time so the woman I loved and I could hide within plain sight - we staged an act, the wizard was to believe I was led to trapped - in the cover of darkness she came for me, freed me and we hid - I even went back to using my name instead of the one I preferred ... but I could not live with the knowledge of knowing the wizard had such a powerful weapon within his hands ... which led me to another mistake ... I made another object so I speak with that of my dead friend ... he told me to steal the weapon back - so I did ...'_

 _'I was seen, however, stealing from the King and using magic to do so - though I did not. They searched the whole kingdom, village by village ... and although the items by then were long gone, given to three people I trusted the most, another mistake - so I spent the time the wizard spent searching for me, planning my last days ... I wrote down everything in a book and sealed my knowledge using blood magic to do so - the woman I loved had by then became my wife - she was expecting our first child when the soldiers finally knocked upon our door - from there I was sentenced -'_

 _'You were trailed for having magic?'_

 _'Yes - I chose to die - I did not want them to get their hands on my family -' Eugene shook his head. 'No, it was better to pretend to be something I was not, then have my family suffer also.'_

 _'Why did tell me?' Harry said. 'I did wonder why you led everyone to believe you were a Muggle.'_

 _Eugene laughed lightly. 'Because mistakes are what make the person ... not the other way around ..'_

 _Harry sighed. 'I would have forgiven him anyhow - even though Voldemort's marked him - by my reckoning, I don't think he would have had much of a choice.'_

 _Eugene smiled. 'It's time for you to go ...'_

 _'I'll try to not make it so soon ... next time ...' Harry said. 'There are a few things I've got to do before I die.'_

 _'I wish you luck ... Harianna.'_

Harry groaned as her eyes fluttered open, the light blinded her vision.

'Oh, Anna.' A voice said hoarsely, though it was filled with the sound a relief.

'G-george?' Harry replied weakly, as her vision swam back. She was in the hospital wing - again. George Weasley was sitting beside her, in a chair, looking rather tired, he even had a bit of stubble growing. 'How long have I been out?'

'Couple of days,' George muttered, he took one of her hands in his own and squeezed it, 'You had everyone really worried - you lost a fair amount of blood - Malfoy's lucky I'm too exhausted right now to kill him. I didn't want to leave you - I couldn't leave you.'

Harry sighed. 'He didn't mean to hex me -'

'Didn't mean to? Didn't mean to - if it hadn't had been for Snape, you would have been a lot worse -'

'Snape?'

'Yeah - he sealed the wounds - used dittany to stop you scarring, though you may have a certain amount - so I'm rather fucked off and Malfoy is on my hit list. No one messes with my girl -'

'George,' Harry said slowly. 'Draco can't harm me - the only reason that spell could have worked was because he didn't know what it did.'

George scrunched up his face. 'I know - I -' his voice broke. 'I thought I'd be better at this by now ... it's not like I haven't seen it before - hell even my Boggart ... but ... every time something like this happens ... it just gets harder -'

Harry opened her mouth to speak, slightly confused as into what George was going on about - sure she had been in a few accidents and landed up in the hospital wing.

George shook his head and sighed deeply. His speckled eyes search her own. 'I don't want to lose you ... I can't ... I don't think I could handle it ... a Boggart's different - it's not real, I know it's fake - but the reality has always been the same Anna ... you just had to bewitch me, Miss Potter, didn't you ... and I fell, and now I'm trapped ...'

Harry thought over his words, and with a sudden realisation, she understood what he was talking about ... she had seen his Boggart - Fred had explained that it was a dead body of a girl, he had not said who, but George had changed the Boggart pretending to be her dead body into a firework. And his Patronus ... the small bird, that looked oddly familiar ... for though she had not seen herself in her Animagus form, she knew what she looked like.

' ... I love you ... I have been in love with you for quite some time -' his eyes, were laid with emotion. 'I can't lose you ... please ...' his voice begged. '.. don't make me go through that.'

Harry rolled onto her side, her hand reach up to cup the side of his face. Before her was a man who had stood by her, who loved her, and she in return, loved him. It was the first thing he had ever truly asked of her. 'I can't make any promises ... there's a war going on after all - but I try to make sure I don't get hexed again ... so that I don't land up here again. I can't sit on the side lines and do nothing - you know that - '

'Yeah, I know ...' George muttered, 'I guess I just wanted to be a bit selfish.'

'That doesn't make you a bad person,' Harry said. 'I would like for you to remain unharmed - but I know with a war going on, that's not going to bloody likely.' she added. 'Does that make me a bad person?'

'No, just realistic.' he said softly. 'You know, even with all that blood loss, you're still able to make a lot of sense -'

'I'm hurt,' Harry mocked. 'that you think otherwise.'

'So, what are you going to do about Malfoy?'

'I dunno,' Harry said. 'He's caught in the middle, and he thinks that there's no way out. I guess I'm going to have to wait it out - let him make the choice on his own.'

'But what if he makes the wrong one.'

'Mistakes are what make the person, George,' Harry replied. 'Not the other way around - he'll learn from it, and he will grow. If it helps matters I have faith that next time, he'll choose the right path.'

George smiled slightly. 'Just one of the other reasons, I love you ... your countless faith in things.'

Harry smiled. 'So, can you tell me if I missed out on anything?'

'Well, you missed the Quidditch game,' George replied.

'Oh!' Harry said. 'Did you hear the commentary?' George nodded. 'Just how bad was it.'

'Oh, you'll see,' he glanced down at his watch, 'They should be up any minute ... now.'

As George said the word now, the doors burst open, and Harry's Quidditch team came bustling through into the hospital wing. The whole team, looked placid, which made Harry cornered. But when they looked at her and saw that she was awake, one by one grins etched onto their faces. Amongst the crowd, Ron revealed himself - Hermione followed him. Both of them beaming at her, and within Ron's hands was a silver cup.

'Harry, you're awake!' Ginny said, excitedly. 'How are you feeling?'

'I'm fine,' Harry said, to which, George snorted.

'Well we won!' Ron said beaming. 'Four hundred and fifty to a hundred and forty!'

'We did it for you, Harry,' Katie said.

'Thanks, guys,' Harry replied, she too was beaming at them.

Harry was released several days later, and upon her entry into the Great Hall, she was swarmed by a mass of people, her fellow Gryffindor class mates, the DA members, all asking her what it was like being involved in horrific scenes of Dark Magic. The DA members mainly wanted to know how to avoid such curses. 'My advice ... dodge, if you can ...' had been Harry's only reply. She actually did two whole sessions worth of DA meetings upon avoiding curses. She, of course, had told Ron and Hermione everything, including about where she had seen the spell Draco used against her.

'I wanted to talk to you,' Hermione said.

'What about?' Harry said, looking up from her Arithmancy revision. That had been one drawback to returning, as happy as people were to see her, it hadn't stopped June arriving. And Harry's test was right around the corner.

'The so-called Half-Blood Prince.'

'OK, let's hear it.'

'Well,' Hermione said softly. 'I've been trying to find out a bit about who might make a hobby of inventing Dark spells -'

'And who says that he made a hobby of it -'

'He, he - who says it's a he?' Hermione said, pulling out a very old piece of newsprint out of her pocket. 'Look at that! Look at the picture!'

Harry, took the piece of paper and stared at the moving photograph. The picture showed a skinny girl around fifteen. She was not pretty, she looked cross and sullen, with heavy eyebrows, and a long, pallid face. Underneath the photo was the captain: _Eileen Prince, Captain of the Hogwarts Gobstones Team._

'So, you think that she is the Half-Blood Prince,' Harry said looking up.

'Well, why not? Harry, there aren't any real princes in the wizarding world! It's either a nickname, a made-up title somebody's given themselves, or it could be their actual name, couldn't it? If say her father was a wizard whose surname was "Prince", and her mother was a Muggle, then that would make her a "half-blood Prince"!'

'I just have one problem with your theory, Hermione,' Harry said quietly.

'Oh, and what's that?'

'The Prince doesn't write like a girl -' Harry said. 'I can tell by the way the handwriting is, this Prince was a bloke.'

'Well, I'm going to look into it, anyway,' Hermione said. 'See what other things I can find out this Eileen Prince. And the first place I'll look is records of old Potions awards!' She got up and walked out of the portrait hole.

'She's just never got over you outperforming her in Potions,' Ron said quietly. 'You're keeping the book, right?'

'Oh, course I am,' Harry said. 'Dark this Prince may have possibly been - he sure knows how to brew, and being able to brew potions as cleverly as that ... well, we might need his knowledge, one day.'

The first-time Harry ran into Draco Malfoy, had actually been in their Potions class. From what she had heard, Draco had been assigned detention and his free time was to be spent in the presence of a teacher. McGonagall had spoken to Harry about exclusion - but that would only lead Draco into that of the path of Voldemort. The longer he was away from Voldemort the better in Harry's opinion - and she did not want to help Voldemort in acting out his threat upon Draco's life. Draco's expressions, revealed everything she already knew ... he looked completely lost, words seem to fail him - when Slughorn opened the door, he made sure to seat Draco as far as possible from Harry. Draco hung his head as he walked, he spoke to no one and held no one's gaze. In Harry's opinion, he looked defeated. The next DA meeting she cornered Blaise Zabini and Daphne Greengrass, speaking to them about Draco.

'Look out for him, OK.'

'After what he did to you,' Blaise argued. Daphne too was sending Harry a glare.

'I know you feel honour-bound,' she said, 'but he betrayed you, you no longer have to treat him like family.'

'Please,' Harry pleaded. 'You've got to understand - he didn't mean to - I know Draco, you know Draco - he is no Death Eater. Voldemort isn't giving him a choice and if he doesn't do as he is told Voldemort is going to kill him.'

'I dunno, Harry,' Blaise replied. 'You're my friend also ... it's a lot to ask for.'

'Then could you at least give him a message?'

'Sure,' Daphne said softly.

'Tell him,' Harry said. 'Tell him - that I know - that I understand - and should he need it, he has my help - tell him I forgive him and I'm reserving the right to prank him -'

'I'll make sure he gets it,' Daphne said. 'But it's going to take a little more than that, for us to forgive him.'

'It's OK, I understand -' Harry said because she did. The DA was no longer about just surviving, in the time they had spent together no matter how many new comers there were - it was like an extended family - each of the member looked out for each other.

And it was that family that wish her good luck, that tried to get her to eat, the morning she was due to sit her Arithmancy NEWT. Her classes had been cancelled for the whole day, and she was taking the exam in two parts the written exam and they giving a presentation on her project - the Vanishing Cabinet, which was sitting in the Arithmancy class room. The morning exam had gone as well, as Harry expected it too, though the nervous had not stopped. There was a knot in her stomach as she paced along the seventh-floor corridor outside her classroom. She was mere moments away, all she had to do was explain how she did it. That was all. It was quite simple really. Well, it sounded more simple in her head, then it actually felt. She waited, and waited, for what seemed like forever until Professor Vector, opened the classroom door and said, 'You may enter now.' Harry gulped, and slowly entered the classroom.

She took a deep breath as she let the classroom door closed behind her.

'How did it go?' Ron said, looking at her questionably.

'Do you actually want to know or are you asking to be polite?'

'Being polite,' Ron shrugged.

'Then it went rather well,' Harry said. 'I might even just pass.' Ron laughed. 'Why are you here anyway? I doubt you came here just to meet me.'

Ron pulled out a scroll of parchment and handed it to her. 'Jimmy Peakes gave it to me when he couldn't find you anywhere - he forgot you were in an exam.'

'Oh right,' Harry said, unrolling the parchment and scanning it. 'It's from Dumbledore ... he wants me to go to his office as quick as I can!'

'Blimey,' Ron whispered. 'You don't reckon ... he hasn't found ...?'

'Better go and see, hadn't I?' Harry said. 'Tell Hermione for me, see you later.'

She hurried along the seventh floor as fast as she could. As she went around the corner, she almost collided with Professor Trelawney. Harry blinked at her, then took a note of where they were standing: there on the right was the tapestry of dancing trolls, and on the left, that smoothly impenetrable stretch of stone wall that concealed -

'Professor, did you just come out of the - Room of Requirement?'

'I - well - I didn't know students knew about -'

'Yeah, quite a few in fact,' Harry mumbled, thinking of the DA members in particular.

'Well, yes - I did use the Room - to deposit personal items -'

Harry blinked at her she wondered how often Professor Trelawney used the room to stash "sherry". Come to think of it, it was this very corridor she had bumped into Trelawney before - where Harry had heard her first prophecy.

'Well I best go,' Harry said. 'I need to see the Headmaster-'

'I wouldn't do that if I was you,' Professor Trelawney said. 'Dumbledore chooses to ignore the warnings the cards show - he has made it very clear he would prefer fewer visits from me.' she said coldly. 'Again, and again, no matter how I lay them out - the lightning-struck tower, calamity, disaster. Coming nearer all the time ...'

'But will he listen, no ... and I'm afraid the nag - I'm sorry, the centaur - knows nothing of cartomancy. I asked him - one Seer, to another - had he not, too, sensed the distant vibrations of coming catastrophe? But he seemed to find me almost comical. Yes, comical.'

Harry smiled at her, losing her patience, and slowly losing the will to live.

'Perhaps he heard people say that I have not inherited my great-grandmother's gift. Those rumours have been bandied about by the jealous for years. You know what I say to such people? Would Dumbledore have let me teach at this great school, put so much trust in me all these years, had I not proved myself to him!'

'I well remember my first interview with Dumbledore,' Trelawney said. 'He was deeply impressed, of course, deeply impressed ... I was staying at the Hog's Head, which I do not advise. Dumbledore did me the courtesy of calling upon me in my room at the Inn. He questioned me ... I must confess that, at first, I thought he seemed ill-disposed towards Divination ... and I remember starting to feel a little odd, I had not eaten much that day ...but then ...'

Harry knew perfectly well what happened next: Professor Trelawney had made the prophecy that had altered the course of her whole life, the prophecy about her and Voldemort.

'... but then we were rudely interrupted by Severus Snape!'

'What?'

'Yes, there was a commotion outside the door and it flew open, and there was that rather uncouth barman standing with Snape, who was waffling about having come the wrong way up the stairs, although I'm afraid that I myself rather thought he had been apprehended eavesdropping on my interview - you, see, he himself was seeking a job, and no doubt was picking up tips! Well, after that Dumbledore seemed more disposed to give me a job, and I could not help thinking, that it was because he appreciated the stark contrast between my own unassuming manners and quiet talent, compared to the pushing, thrusting young man who was prepared to listen at keyholes - '

She stopped speaking, perhaps her face was white, to make her look concerned and frightened. Dumbledore had kept this part of the information from her ... it had been Snape who had overheard the prophecy. It had been Snape who had carried the news of it to Voldemort. Snape and Peter Pettigrew together had sent Voldemort hunting after Lily and James and their daughter ... nothing else mattered to her just now. She could hear Trelawney calling out after her, as Harry speed down the corridor, asking her if she was all right. As soon as Harry reached the stone gargoyle, she shouted the password at it, took the moving spiral staircase three steps at a time, and hammered upon Dumbledore's door; where the calm voice from inside answered 'Entered' after Harry had already let herself into the room.

Dumbledore was standing at the window looking out at the grounds, a long, travelling cloak in his arms.

'Well, Harry, I promised that you could come with me.'

For a moment or two, Harry did not understand, the conversation with Trelawney had driven everything else from her brain.

'Oh ... yes ... you found a Horcrux then?'

'I believe so.'

'Do you know which one it is? Where is it?'

'No, I am not sure - though we can rule out the snake - but I believe it to be hidden in cave on the coast many miles from here, a cave I have been trying to locate for a very long time: the cave in which Tom Riddle once terrorised two children from his orphanage on their annual trip; you remember?'

'Yes, I remember,' Harry said. 'How is it protected?'

'I do not know; I have my suspicions that may be entirely wrong.' Dumbledore said. 'I promised you that you come along with me, and I stand by that promise, but it would be very wrong of me not to warn you this will be exceedingly dangerous.'

'I've faced, a troll, a giant snake, a dragon, almost drowning - not to mention all the other times I've taken on Voldemort.' Harry said. 'I'm going with you.'

'Harry, what has upset you?'

'Nothing!'

'Harry, please?'

'I'm not upset.'

'Harry, you were never good at realising when you were projecting your emotions -'

'Snape!' Harry said loudly. 'Snape's what happened! He told Voldemort about the prophecy, it was him, he listened outside the door, Trelawney told me!'

'When did you find out about this?'

'Just now!' Harry said, on the verge of destroying something. 'AND YOU LET HIM TEACH HERE AND HE TOLD VOLDEMORT TO GO AFTER MY MUM AND DAD!'

'Harry, please listen to me,' Dumbledore said quietly. 'Professor Snape made a terrible -'

'Don't tell me it was a mistake, sir, he was listening at the door!'

'Please let me finish.' Dumbledore waited until Harry had nodded. 'Professor Snape made a terrible mistake. He was still in Lord Voldemort's employ on the night he heard half the prophecy. Naturally, he hastened to tell his master for it concerned him most deeply.'

'He hated my dad like how he hated Sirius! Haven't you noticed that the people Snape hates tend to end up dead?'

'You have no idea of the remorse Professor Snape felt when he realised how Lord Voldemort interpreted the prophecy. I believe it to be the greatest regret of his life and the reason he returned -'

'But he's very good Occlumens,' Harry pointed out. 'How we know for sure which side he's on?'

'I trust Severus Snape completely -'

'Well, I don't!'

'And there we have a difference in opinion.' Dumbledore said quietly. 'And I have no reason to not trust Professor Snape. Shall we move on - or well do you wish to continue this pointless debate?'

Harry, nodded, reluctantly.

'Good, now if you wish to accompany me, you may do so, on one condition: that you obey any command I might give you at once, and without question. Be sure to understand me, Harry. I mean you must as "run", "hide" or "go back". Do I have your word?'

'Yes, I understand, you have my word.'

'Even if I tell you to leave me, and save yourself, you will do so as I tell you?'

'I-'

'Harry?'

They looked at each other for a moment.

'Yes, sir.'

'Very good. Then I wish for you to fetch your Cloak and meet me in the Entrance Hall in five minutes' time.'

Harry ran all the way to the common room, she didn't care if Dumbledore trusted Snape - with them out of the castle, anything could happen - and the two people she wanted to see happened to be sitting together in the common room.

'So how did it go?' Hermione said at once. 'Harry, are you ok?'

'I'm fine,' Harry said, rushing past, dashing up the stairs, where she opened up her trunk and pulled out the Marauder's Map and what remained of Felix Felicis and her Cloak. She sped back down the stairs, stopping in front of Ron and Hermione.

'No time to explain everything,' Harry said. 'So, listen closely - I'm going with Dumbledore - he thinks he's found another one -' Hermione opened her mouth to speak. 'No seriously listen to me, with Dumbledore out of the castle - anything could happen -' she pushed the Map into Hermione's hands. 'You've got to watch Snape - Draco too, if they're up to something, tonight would be a good night to strike. Rustle up those from the DA, that you can - take the potion, share out between yourselves and Ginny -'

'No!' Hermione said. 'We don't want it, you take it, who knows what you'll be facing?'

'I'll be fine, I'll be with Dumbledore,' Harry said. 'I need to know that you lot are OK though - OK, call me selfish but I do ... I've got to go ... see you later ... hopefully, you won't even need to use it.'

Dumbledore was waiting for her, Harry threw on her Cloak.

'Very well, let's be on our way.' Dumbledore said quietly, leading the way.

'What will people think when they see you leaving, Professor?'

'That I am off into Hogsmeade for a drink. I sometimes offer Rosmerta my custom, or else visit the Hog's Head ... or I appear to. It is a good way of disguising one's true destination.'

They made their way out of the castle, and across the grounds.

'How will we be getting there? Apparition?'

'Yes,' said Dumbledore. 'I believe you can do it now.'

'Yes ... but I've not passed the test to get my licence.'

'No matter ... I can assist you again.'

They walked out of the gates and followed the path that led them into Hogsmeade. Darkness descended fast as they walked and by the time they reached the High-Street night was falling. As they neared the Three Broomsticks they heard raucous shouting.

'-and stay out!' shouted Madam Rosmerta, forcibly ejecting a grubby-looking wizard. 'Oh, hello, Albus ... you're out late ...'

'Good evening, Rosmerta, good evening ... forgive me, I'm off to the Hog's Head ... no offence, but I feel like a quieter atmosphere tonight ...'

A minute later they turned the corner into the side street where the Hog's Head sign creaked a little.

'It will not be necessary for us to enter,' Dumbledore muttered, glancing around. 'As long as nobody sees us go ... now you would take hold of my arm, Harry ... on the count of three - one ... two ... three ...'

Harry hated the sensation of Apparating when she was finally able to breathe, she could smell the salty air.


	110. Chapter 110

**_A.N. sorry chapter much like the original ..._**

* * *

As well as the salty air, Harry could hear the sounds of rushing waves. She was standing upon a high outcrop of dark rock, water foaming and churning below her. A towering cliff stood behind her, and a few large chunks of rock, such as the one which Harry and Dumbledore were standing on, looked as though they had broken away from the cliff face.

'What do you think?' Dumbledore asked.

'I'm wondering why they would bring kids from the orphanage here,' Harry said.

'Well, not here, precisely,' Dumbledore said. 'There is a village of sorts about halfway along the cliffs behind us. I believe the orphans were taken there for a littler sea air and a view of the waves. No I think it was only Tom Riddle and his youthful victims who visited this spot. No Muggle could reach this rock unless they were good mountaineers, and boats cannot reach the cliffs; the waters around them are too dangerous. I imagine that Riddle climbed down; magic, serving better than ropes, and he brought two small children with him. Probably for the pleasure of terrorising them. I think the journey alone would have done it, don't you? But his final destination - and ours - lies little further on. Come.'

Dumbledore beckoned Harry to the very edge of the rock, where a series of jagged niches that made footholds led down to boulders that lay half-submerged in water and closer to the cliff. It was a tricky descent; the lower rocks were slippery due to the sea water.

' _Lumos Maxima!'_ Dumbledore said, as he reached the boulder closest to the cliff face. 'You see?' he said holding his wand up. And Harry saw a fissure in the cliff into which water was swirling. 'You're going to need to take off your Cloak now Harry - we're going to have to swim across.'

Harry gritted her teeth, while she pulled off her Cloak. She was not impressed at all, the first and last time she had swam properly had been when she "rescued" Sirius from the Black Lake. The water was icy, and Harry followed Dumbledore, deeper into the cliff. The fissure soon opened into a dark tunnel that would be filled with water at high tide. The slimy walls were barely three feet apart and glimmered like wet tar. She continued to follow Dumbledore as they moved deeper and deeper until she saw Dumbledore rising out of the water ahead. When Harry reached the spot she found steps that led into a large cave. She clambered up them. Dumbledore was standing in the middle of the cave, his wand held high, examining the walls. Harry shivered, it was not due to her feeling cold but the mere waves of magical presence she could sense.

'Magic, I can sense it,' Harry said, waving her wand, to dry out her clothes.

'Yes, this is merely the ante-chamber, the entrance hall,' Dumbledore said. 'We need to penetrate the inner place ... now it is Lord Voldemort's obstacles that stand in our way, rather than those nature made ... can you pinpoint exactly where you feel the presence of magic from?'

'I think so,' Harry said stepping forward. 'It's feels ... strange ... like magic is in the presence in all the surrounding walls ...'

'Very good, I sensed that, also.' Dumbledore said. 'I believe that, Voldemort did so on purpose.'

'... but I think ...' Harry said, closing her eyes, she took a step forward, touching the wall of the cave, until she reached a spot, where the magical energy serge. 'I think ... the entrance is concealed here -'

'Very good, if you don't mind, Harry,' Dumbledore said, stepping forward, he pointed his wand at the rock. For a moment, an arched outline appeared there, blazing white as there was a powerful light behind the crack. Dumbledore stared at the wall, as though something interesting was written on it.

'Professor?' Harry said.

'Payment is required,' Dumbledore said. 'for us to pass - blood if I am not much mistaken.'

'How crude.'

'Indeed,' Dumbledore said, he sounded disappointed, like Voldemort had fallen short of the standards Dumbledore expected. 'The idea, as I am sure you will have gathered, is that your enemy must weaken themselves to enter. Once again, Lord Voldemort fails to grasp that there are much more terrible things than physical injury.'

'Sounds like something he would pull,' Harry said. 'Just for his enjoyment - he likes inflicting pain upon his victims. Is there a way to avoid it?'

'Somethings, are unavoidable ...' Dumbledore said, taking out a knife from his robes, and he exposed the forearm of his injured hand.

'Professor!' Harry said, hurrying forwards. 'I'll do it -'

Dumbledore merely smiled at her. There was a flash of silver, and a spurt of scarlet; the rock face was peppered with dark, glistening drops.

'You are very kind Harry,' Dumbledore said, healing the wound upon his arm. 'But your blood is worth more than mine. Ah that seems to have done the trick, does it?'

The blazing silver outline of an arch had appeared in the wall once more did not fade away this time: the blood-spattered rock within it simply vanished, leaving an opening into what seemed total darkness. Dumbledore stepped through the archway first, Harry illuminated her out own wand, followed him closely. An eerie sight met their eyes: they were standing on the edge of a vast black lake, so much so, Harry could not make out the distant banks, the ceiling, too was out of sight. A misty greenish light shone far away from the middle of the lake. Dumbledore set off around the edge of the lake, on and on thy walked, but the view did not vary.

'Professor?' Harry said, looking around, 'Are you sure the Horcrux is here?'

'Oh yes,' said Dumbledore. 'Yes I'm sure it is. The question is how do we get to it?'

'Do you think Voldemort guarded his Horcrux against an obvious attempt to get his Horcrux?'

'Why whatever do you mean, Harry?'

'Sometimes ... the simplest ways of doing things are often overlooked - so I was wondering if Voldemort would have thought of us using those; take the summoning charm as an example.'

'Yes I do think, Voldemort would have thought of that ...'

'Damn!' Harry said. 'So where do you think the Horcrux is?'

Dumbledore pointed towards the misty green light in the centre of the lake. They continued to walk until Harry almost walked into him, due to Dumbledore stopping abruptly. This time he extended his hands out, running them through thin air, until his hand closed in mid-air. Dumbledore raised his wand with the other and tapped his fist with the point. Immediately a thick coppery green chain appeared out of thin air, extending from the depths of the water into Dumbledore's clenched hand. Dumbledore tapped the chain, which began to slide through his fist, pulling something from the depths of the black water. A tiny boat broke the surface, glowing as green as the chain, it floated towards the place where Harry and Dumbledore stood.

'Be careful not to touch the water, Harry,' Dumbledore said, as the boat hit the bank. 'I fear it is not as calm as it appears to be.'

'You think something is in the water?'

'I believe so ... and at some point, they'll realise we are not Lord Voldemort. Thus, far however we've been allowed to raise the boat.'

'But if something is in the water ... why would they let us raise the boat?'

'Voldemort would have been reasonably confident that none but a very good wizard would have been able to find the boat,' said Dumbledore. 'I think he would have been prepared to risk what it was, to his mind, the most unlikely possibility that someone else would find it, knowing that he had set other obstacles ahead that only he would be able to penetrate.'

Harry looked down at the boat, it was very small, it did not look like it was built for two people, in fact -

'It's not very well built, is it? Do you reckon it will hold both of us?'

'Voldemort would not have cared about the weight, but about the amount of magical power that crossed his lake. I think an enchantment has been placed upon this boat so that only one wizard at a time would be able to use it.'

'But then-?'

'I do not think you will count Harry: you are underage and unqualified. Voldemort would never have expected a sixteen-year-old to reach this place. One of his many mistakes ... age is foolish and forgetful when it underestimates the youth ... you first this time ...'

Harry climbed in, Dumbledore stepped in, too, coiling the chain onto the floor. They were crammed together. The boat began to move, there was no sound other than the silken rustle of the boat's prow cleaving the water; it moved without their help towards the light in the centre of the lake. Harry glanced at the black water, which reflected the light of her wand ... and Harry thought she saw -

'Professor,' Harry murmured. 'I think the lake has got dead bodies in it.'

'Yes, but we do not need to worry about them at the moment.'

'So, you think they're going to attack us at some point?'

'There is nothing to be feared from a body, Harry, any more than there is anything to feared from darkness. Lord Voldemort, who of course secretly fears both, disagrees. But once again he reveals his own lack of wisdom. But I am sure once we take the Horcrux the bodies will not be as peaceful as they are now. However, like many creatures that dwell in cold and darkness, they fear light and warmth, which we shall, therefore, call to our aid should the need arise.'

'Fire,' Harry said in understanding.

'Nearly there,' Dumbledore said cheerfully.

Sure enough, the greenish light seemed to be growing larger, and within minutes, the boat had come to a halt, they had reached a small island of smooth rock in the centre of the lake. Harry climbed out first. The island was no larger than Dumbledore's office. The source of the green light was coming from a stone basin, which was set on top of a pedestal. Dumbledore approached the basin and Harry followed. The basin was full of an emerald liquid emitting that phosphorescent glow.

'What is it?'

'I am not sure,' said Dumbledore. 'Something more worrisome than blood and bodies, however.'

Dumbledore, stretched out the tips of his burned hand, his fingers reaching for the surface of the potion.

'I don't think we should touch it,' Harry said.

'It seems that I cannot touch it,' Dumbledore said. 'See? I cannot approach any nearer than this. You try.'

Harry put her hand out into the basin and attempted to touch the potion. She met an invisible barrier that prevented her coming within an inch of it.

'If I may, Harry,' Dumbledore said. He raised his wand and made complicated movements over the surface of the potion. Nothing happened, after a while, Dumbledore withdrew his wand.

'So, the Horcrux is in there?'

'Oh yes,' Dumbledore said. 'But how to reach it? This potion cannot be penetrated by hand, Vanished, parted, scooped up or siphoned away, nor can it be Transfigured, Charmed or otherwise made to chance its nature.'

'Which means ... one is meant to drink it,' Harry said slowly.

'Yes, only by drinking, will the basin empty to see what lies in its depths.'

'But - what if it's meant to kill-'

'Oh, I doubt that,' Dumbledore said. 'Lord Voldemort would not want to kill the person who reached this island. He would want to keep them alive long enough to find out how they managed to penetrate so far through his defences and, most importantly, why they were so intent upon emptying the basin, for only Lord Voldemort believes he alone knows about his Horcruxes.'

'Undoubtedly,' Dumbledore said string down at the basin, 'this potion must act in a way that will prevent me taking the Horcrux. It might paralyse me, cause me to forget what I am here for, create so much pain I am distracted. This being the case, it will be your job Harry to make sure I continue to keep drinking, even if you have to force me. Do you understand?'

'But I-?'

'Harry, remember you gave me your word -'

Harry bit her lip, she did not like this at all, 'Fine.'

Before she was allowed or could change her mind, Dumbledore seized an empty crystal goblet and lowered it into the potion. The goblet sank into the surface and when the glass was full to the brim, Dumbledore lifted it to his mouth, draining the contents. Then he repeated the process. Halfway through the fourth goblet, Dumbledore staggered and fell forwards against the basin. His eyes closed, his breathing heavy.

'Professor?' Harry asked. That one-word question voiced many things; can you hear me? Are you OK? Do you need my help?

Dumbledore panted and spoke in a voice Harry did not recognise, for she had never heard Dumbledore sound frightened like.

'I don't want ... don't make me ...'

Harry didn't know what she should do, caught between her own emotions of wanting to help the man before her and that very man's wish that she obeyed his orders ... but deep down she knew that she would not betray him ...

'... don't like ... want to stop ...' Dumbledore moaned.

'You can't ... you've got to keep drinking ... so we can get the Horcrux,' Harry said softly, hating herself, she picked up the goblet and placed it towards Dumbledore's mouth and tipped it.

She kept repeating the process as her Professor continued to ramble, his words making no sense at all, but it was the emotions she could feel him projecting ... sorrow ... guilt ... blame so much blame. By the time, she was scraping up the last of the potion, Dumbledore was screaming.

'I want to die! I want to die! Make it stop, I want to die!'

But he drunk from the goblet Harry pressed to his lips, when he finished, he yelled, 'KILL ME!'

Harry pressed the goblet to his mouth again, Dumbledore drained every last drop and then, with a great gasp, rolled over on to his face.

'NO!' Harry shouted, dropping the goblet, she flung herself towards Dumbledore and heaved him over onto his back; his glasses were askew, his mouth agape, his eyes closed. 'No, no, no,' Harry said shaking his body. 'You can't be dead, you said it wasn't poison, wake up, wake - _Rennervate!'_ There was a flash of red light but nothing happened. ' _Rennervate -_ come on -'

Dumbledore's eyelids flickered.

'Sir are you -?'

'Water,' Dumbledore croaked.

'Oh, of course,' Harry said, leaping to her feet, seizing the goblet she dropped and went to the basin. A golden locket lay curled at the bottom. She scooped it up and placed it into one of her pockets.

' _Aguamenti!'_ she shouted, jabbing the basin with her wand. It filled with water, but when she went to collect some in the goblet, the water vanished. 'But I - _Aguamenti!'_ Harry said trying again, it filled once more but then the basin emptied, leaving no trace of evidence that water had been there. Harry looked around, there was only one way left to get water because Voldemort had planned - had planned for this. Harry went over to the edge of the rock and plunged the goblet into the lake, bringing it up full to the brim of icy water that did not vanish.

'Sir - here!' Harry yelled, and lunged forwards she tipped the water clumsily over Dumbledore's face. It was the best she could do, for the icy feeling on her other arm was not the lingering chill of the water. A slimy white hand had gripped her wrist, and the creature to whom it belonged was pulling her towards the water. The surface of the lake was no longer still, it was churning and everywhere Harry looked, white heads and hands were emerging, men, women and children with sunken, sightless eyes were moving towards the rock - Inferi.

' _Incendio!'_ Harry yelled, pointing her wand at the Inferius that had her arm: it released her, the burning hand fell back into the water with a splash. Harry scrambled to her feet, wand held tightly in her hand. This was the only spell she had been taught that emitted fire - and she doubted it would be strong enough to hold the Inferi off. Inferi were already climbing on to the rock - Harry turned herself around, in a circle, casting as she went, but more Inferi were enclosing in on her. She was gripped from behind, her feet left the ground, and the Inferi began to carry her, slowly back to the water, she could not release herself from the death-like grip. She was going to drown, to become one more dead guardian of a fragment of Voldemort's shattered soul.

But then, fire erupted: crimson and gold, a ring of fire that surrounded the rock so that the Inferi holding Harry, stumbled and faltered. This incantation was a lot fiercer than her own. The Inferi did not dare pass through the flames to get to the water. They dropped Harry; she hit the ground, slipped on the rock and fell, grazing her arms, she scrambled back up, raising her wand and staring around. Dumbledore was on his feet, pale as the Inferi, his wand was raised like a torched and from its tip emanated flames, like a vast lasso, encircling them all with warmth.

The Inferi bumped into each other, attempting, blindly to escape the fire, Harry unafraid of the flames, ran towards Dumbledore, Harry gestured to the boat frantically, mouthing, "I've got it,". Distracted by the flames, the Inferi seemed unaware that their quarry was leaving, as Dumbledore led Harry towards the boat, the ring of fire moving with them, the bewildered Inferi accompanying them to the water's edge, where they slipped back into their dark waters. Harry helped Dumbledore into the boat, then climbed in herself. The boat began to move once more across the water, away from the rock, still encircled by that ring of fire, and it seemed that the Inferi below them did not dare resurface.

'Sorry, sir,' Harry said. 'My - well -'

'It's quite understandable,' Dumbledore murmured, faintly. They reached the bank with a bump and Harry leapt out, then turned quickly to help Dumbledore. The moment that Dumbledore stood on the bank he let his wand hand fall; the ring of fire vanished, but the Inferi did not emerge again. The little boat sank into the water once more; clanking and tinkling, it's chain slithered back into the lake, too. Dumbledore gave a sigh and leaned against the cavern wall.

'I am weak ...' he said

'Don't worry,' Harry replied. 'I'll get us back ... lean on me ...'

And pulling Dumbledore's uninjured arm around her shoulders, she guided him back around the lake.

'The protection was ... after all ... well designed,' Dumbledore said. 'One alone could not have done it ... you did well, Harry ...'

'Save your energy ... we need to get out of here first ...'

'The archway will have sealed again ... my knife ...'

'No need, I got cut on the rock,' Harry said.

Once Harry found the right place, she wiped her grazed forearm upon the stone wall, the archway reopened instantly. They crossed the outer cave, Harry helped Dumbledore into the icy sea that filled the crevice in the cliff.

'Don't worry, Sir,' Harry said. 'We're nearly there ... I can Apparate us both back.'

...

Once back under the starry sky, Harry gripped Dumbledore's arm tightly, she concentrated harder than she had ever done upon her destination: Hogsmeade. The next moment, both Harry and Dumbledore were standing in the middle of the dark High Street in Hogsmeade. Harry cast a drying charm upon them, instantly the stopped shivering. Dumbledore, however, looked ever so pale and he staggered.

'Sir are you all right?'

'I've been better,' Dumbledore said. 'That potion was no health drink ...'

And to Harry's horror, Dumbledore sank on to the ground. She knew she needed to get him back towards the school, and into the hospital wing, but how to do so quickly.

'We need to get you to the school ... Madam Pomfrey ...'

'No,' Dumbledore said at once. 'It is ... Professor Snape whom I need ... but I do not think ... I can walk very far just yet ...'

'I gathered that ... I just don't know how -' Harry turned her head, someone was approaching them. She heard the sound of running footsteps - Madam Rosmerta was scurrying down the street towards them, in a silk dressing-gown.

'I saw you Apparate as I was pulling my bedroom curtains! Thank goodness, thank goodness, I couldn't think what to - but what's wrong with Albus?'

'He's hurt,' Harry said. 'I need to get to the school - I need to bring back help for him - do you think you could help me with him. I can't leave him alone -'

'But you can't go to the school alone! Don't you realise - haven't you seen -?'

Harry confused for a moment turned towards the direction of Hogwarts. In the sky hanging above the school: the blazing green skull with a serpent tongue ... dread flooded Harry ... this Mark was the mark Death Eaters left behind whenever they had entered a building ... wherever they had murdered ...

'When did it appear?' Dumbledore asked, he too, was looking up at the mark, struggling to get to his feet.

'Must have been minutes ago, it wasn't there when I put the cat out, but when I got upstairs -'

'We need to return to the castle at once,' Dumbledore said, 'we shall need transport - brooms -'

'I've got a couple behind the bar,' she said, 'shall I run and fetch -?'

'No need, I can do it,' Harry said. ' _Accio Rosmerta's brooms.'_

A second later they heard a loud bang as the front door of the pub burst open; two brooms had shot out into the street when they reached Harry's side, they stopped dead, quivering slightly at waist height.

'Rosmerta, please send a message to the Ministry,' Dumbledore said, mounting the nearest broom. 'It might be that nobody within Hogwarts has realised anything is wrong .. Harry -'

'I'm on it,' Harry said, pulling out her Cloak from her pocket. She threw it over herself before mounting; Madam Rosmerta was already heading back towards her pub, as Harry and Dumbledore kicked off. Harry's mind was whirling ... she wondered how long they had been - what had happened - if Ron and Hermione were ok - who had died.

The Dark Mark was glittering above the Astronomy Tower, the highest of the castle. Did that mean the death had occurred there? Dumbledore had already crossed the crenellated ramparts and was dismounting; Harry landed next to him. It was deserted, the door to the spiral staircase that led back into the castle was closed. There was no sign of a struggle, of a fight to the death, of a dead body.

'It's too quiet,' Harry said. 'What do you think has gone on?' She faced Dumbledore who was clutching at his chest.

'Go and wake Severus,' Dumbledore said. 'Tell him what happened and bring him to me. Do nothing else, speak to nobody else and do not remove your Cloak. I shall wait here.'

'But-'

'You gave me your word, Harry - go!'

Harry hurried over to the door leading to the spiral staircase, but as she touched the door, she could sense as well as hear someone approaching, she retreated, drawing her wand as she did so. The door burst open and somebody erupted through it and shouted: _'Expelliarmus!'_ Harry's body became instantly rigid and immobile, she was unable to move or speak - Expelliarmus was not a Freezing Charm - then she saw Dumbledore's wand flying in an air ... Dumbledore had wordlessly immobilised Harry, and that second, he take taken to perform the spell had cost him the chance of defending himself. And Harry doubted, given his current state, that he'd be able to perform wandless magic. But he showed no signs of panic or distress.

'Good evening, Draco.'

Draco stepped forwards, glancing around to check that he and Dumbledore were alone.

'Who else is here?'

'I could ask you the same question.'

'There are others here tonight,' Draco said. 'Though, I do not know how they got in -'

'And they are where now? You seem unsupported.'

'They met some of your guard and members of the DA. They're having a fight down below. They shouldn't be too long ... I came ahead ... for I don't need them. I've got a job to do.'

'Well, then, you must get on with it,' Dumbledore said softly.

There was silence. Harry stood frozen to the spot, staring at the two of them. Draco did nothing but stare at Dumbledore who, incredibly, smiled.

'Draco, you are not a killer.'

'How do you know?' Draco said at once. 'You don't know what I am capable of, you don't know what I've done!'

'Oh, yes I do,' Dumbledore said. 'You almost killed Katie Bell and Ronald Weasley. You even attacked, Haria-'

'Don't you say her name,' Draco said, his voice sounded close to breaking, 'Don't you dare.'

'But Draco do you not see ... your feeble attempts in trying to kill me ... almost cost you a person that is very dear to you ... and that is why you cannot kill me -'

'If I can attack Harry, I sure as well can kill you,' Draco said.

'Ah, but you did not mean to cause Harry harm,' Dumbledore said. 'But if my conclusion is wrong, do by all means prove me wrong - perhaps you ought to get on with the job alone,' he suggested, 'What if the other Death Eaters have been thwarted by my guard? Or by your fellow members of the DA? After all, you don't really need the help ... I have no wand ... I cannot defend myself.'

Draco stared at him.

'I see, you are afraid to act until they join you.'

'I'm not afraid!' Draco said. 'It is you who should be scared!'

'But why? I don't think you will kill me, Draco. Just like how you couldn't stand to see Harianna hurt -'

Draco for a moment, looked like he was going to lower his wand. He closed his eyes. 'She's my friend - my only friend, but even she,' he reopened his eyes, 'could not help me - he marked me at Christmas - he doomed me - I could not accept her help - I didn't mean to hurt her. I didn't even know what the curse did.'

'And you think that Harianna is unaware of that?'

'Yes - no - I don't know!' Draco shouted. 'But I do know that if I do not kill you like I was tasked to, he will kill me. You should have stopped me if you realised what my task was.'

'I tried. Professor Snape has been keeping watch over you on my orders -'

'He hasn't been doing your orders, he promised my mother -'

'Of course, that is what he would tell you, but -'

'He's a double-agent, you stupid old man if you want to know how the other Death Eaters got into your precious school - ask him, after all - I found out tonight, that had been his task. To find a way in -'

'We must agree to differ. I trust Professor Snape -'

'Well you're losing your grip, then!' Draco sneered. 'He's been offering me plenty of help - but I didn't tell him how I did those things-'

'And how did you ... you must have had an accomplice, all the same ... someone in Hogsmeade, who was able to slip Katie the - aaahhh ... Rosmerta. How long has she been under the Imperius Curse?'

'Got there, at last, have you?' Draco taunted. There was a loud yell from below. Draco looked nervously over his shoulder, then to Dumbledore, who went on.

'So Rosmerta was forced to lurk in her own bathroom and pass that necklace to any Hogwarts student who entered the room unaccompanied - but how did you curse her, when you were in detention with Professor McGonagall -?'

'Switching Charm - Harry taught me how to perform it last year when I was spying on Umbridge for the DA.'

'Ah, of course ... and Filch would not have thought to check a bottle of Rosmerta's wine, which she able to, quite easily poison for you ... so just how have you been communicating with her? All the communication in and out of the school is being monitored.'

'Enchanted coins,' Draco said. 'Another idea I got from the DA -' he took a breath, 'I got the idea of poisoning the mead from Harry, I heard her talking in the library about Filch not recognising potions ...'

'Now about tonight,' Dumbledore said, '... aah Rosmerta, saw me leaving, and she tipped you off ...'

'That's right,' Draco said. 'She said you were going for a drink and you'd be back ...'

'Well I certainly did have a drink ... and I came back ... after a fashion, and you decided to spring a trap for me?'

'Yes,' Draco said. 'But that was a stupid idea, the moment I put the Dark Mark into the sky, the other Death Eaters were summoned here ... I thought you would see the Mark and hurry back to see who'd been killed.'

'I am to take it then, that nobody has been murdered?'

'Someone's dead,' Draco said. 'One of your people ... I don't know who, it was dark ... I stepped over the body ... I only stepped out to see what all the commotion was - I didn't realise the other Death Eaters had entered the castle you see.'

'You are far from being a Death Eater, Draco ... you are not loyal to Voldemort - are you?'

There was a loud bang and footsteps were thundering up the stairs and a second later Malfoy was buffeted out of the way as four people in black robes burst through the door. Harry gazed in terror at the four strangers: it seemed the Death Eaters had won the battle below.

A lumpy-looking man with an odd lopsided leer gave a wheezy giggle.

'Dumbledore cornered!' he said. he turned to a woman who looked as though she could be his sister, who was grinning. 'Dumbledore wandless, Dumbledore alone! Well done, Draco well done!'

'Good evening, Amycus,' Dumbledore said calmly. 'And you've brought Alecto too ... charming ...'

The woman gave an angry little twitter. 'Think your little jokes'll help you on your death bed, then?'

'Jokes? No, no, these are manners,' Dumbledore replied.

'Do it,' said the stranger standing nearest to Harry, a big rangy man with matted grey hair and whiskers.

'Is that you Fenrir?' Dumbledore asked.

'That's right,' he rasped. 'Pleased to see me?'

'I can't say that I am ...'

'But you know how much I like kids Dumbledore ...'

'Am I to take it you are attacking even without the full moon now? That is most unusual ... you seemed to have developed a taste for human flesh that cannot be satisfied once a month.'

'That's right,' said Greyback. 'Shocks you, that, does it, Dumbledore? Frightens you?'

'Well, I cannot pretend it does not disgust me a little.' Dumbledore said.

'Draco - come on,' the fourth Death Eater said sharply. 'Do it, and quickly.'

Draco was showing less resolution than ever. He looked terrified as he stared at Dumbledore. And at that moment there were renewed sounds of scuffling room below and a voice shouted, _'They've blocked the stairs -'_

Harry's heart leapt, these four had only created a barrier behind them, they had not eliminated the opposition.

'Now Draco, quickly!' repeated the fourth Death Eater.

Draco stared at Dumbledore, who simply said, 'You always have the choice, even if I am unable to help - there is one, who can do so. Kill me now and you lose everything you hold so dear. The choice, however, is yours.'

Draco shut his eyes, and his wand lowered.

'Draco - what are you doing?' the women said, 'Kill him, kill him now!'

'Draco, do it or stand aside so one of us -' the woman screeched, but at that precise moment the door burst open and there stood Snape, his wand clutched in his hand, his eyes swept the scene.

'We've got a problem, Snape,' Amycus said. 'The boy doesn't seem able -'

But somebody else had spoken Snape's name, quite softly.

'Severus ... please ...' Dumbledore begged. Snape said nothing, but he walked forwards. Snape gazed at Dumbledore. ' before you kill me ... tell me how ... how did you get them into the castle?'

'I didn't,' Snape sneered. 'Your precious Potter did ... the Vanishing Cabinet, old man.' Harry had never seen Snape's face so full of hatred. 'It was a pair ... The other is in Borgin and Burkes ... they make a passage between them. Montague told me that when he was stuck in the Hogwarts one, he could hear what was going on at the school, and sometimes what was going on in the shop. I realised what his story meant, I realised there was a way into the castle if the broken one was fixed ... Borgin said it was impossible ... and I knew then, just the person for the job. I Confunded Septima ... and got Harianna Potter to do all the hard work for me ... the Death Eaters are not the only problem Hogwarts has been faced with tonight, no Dementors now roam these ground ... and I myself ... I've just been waiting, waiting for this moment ...'

'Severus please ...'

Snape raised his wand, pointing it directly at Dumbledore. ' _Avada Kedavra!'_ A green light shot from the end of his wand and hit Dumbledore squarely in the chest. Dumbledore was blasted into the air, and he fell slowly backwards out of the Tower and out of sight.


	111. Chapter 111

'Out of here, quickly,' said Snape. His hand reached for Draco. 'Come.'

Draco turned, his face was set, now full of determination. 'No! I will not betray her - I am not going with you -'

Harry watched, as Draco stunned the two closest Death Eaters, he ducked to dodge an oncoming spell, raised his wand to the third - only to see his wand flying through the air - Snape had disarmed Draco. He then seized Draco pulling him through the door. As they vanished Harry realised she could move again, what had held her in place had not been magic, for the caster of the Freezing Charm - Dumbledore - was dead. No, it was horror and shock that had frozen her. She could hear Draco shouts, and what sounded like a struggle - Harry had to get to him, for he had just been a pawn, just like she had been, both of them used by Voldemort, so he could get what he wanted.

She pulled off the Cloak, stuffed it into her pocket as she ran down the staircase. She needed to get to the Arithmancy classroom and quickly - for that had been where the Vanishing Cabinet had been placed. She was not sure what was going on in the castle - she hoped that the Order had been able to seal the classroom off. The corridor was dimly lit and full of dust; half the ceiling seemed to have fallen in and a battle was raging before her, but she could not make out who was fighting who, she heard Snape's voice shout, ' _It's over, time to go!'_ and saw him disappearing around the corner at the far end of the corridor; he made his way through the battle unscratched. As Harry plunged after them, one of the fighters detached themselves from the fray and flew at her; it was Greyback. But he stood no chance, with Harry being in the emotional state she was, he flew backwards before he had even reached her, his head hitting against that of the corridor wall - Harry tore past him, not caring if he was knocked out or not.

Ginny was locked in combat with the lumpy Death Eater, Amycus, who was throwing the Cruciatus curse at her, while she dodged them. Harry Stunned him, as she ran past. Behind him she caught sight of Ron, Professor McGonagall and Lupin each battling a separate Death Eater; beyond them, Tonks was fighting an enormous blonde wizard. She could hear Ginny call out after her, but Harry had no time to stop. Professor McGonagall was battling against the female Death Eater, Alecto, she was sprinting away down the corridor with her arms over her head, Harry launched after them, but she almost tripped over someone's legs; looking around she saw Neville face flat against the floor.

''M'all right,' he muttered. 'Harry ... Snape 'n' Malfoy ... ran past ...'

'I'm on it!' Harry said, aiming a hex at the enormous blonde Death Eater who was causing most of the damage. He staggered, wheeled around and then pounded away after the Alecto.

The Death Eaters were not heading for the Vanishing Cabinet, Snape was leading them down the flight of stairs that had the moving staircases. As Harry reached them, the staircases nearest to her were already beginning to change, she ran harder, jumped the gap that was forming, reaching the staircase she needed - she slid a little on her landing but regained her balance quickly enough. Harry heard shouts and screams from within the castle, other people seemed to have awoken ...

She pelted towards a shortcut, hoping that she would catch up to Snape and Draco before they got to the grounds, she burst through a tapestry at the bottom and out into a corridor where a number of bewildered and pyjama-clad Hufflepuffs stood.

'Harry! We heard a noise and someone said something about the Dark Mark -' Ernie Macmillion began.

'Get everyone to their common-rooms NOW!' Harry shouted. 'Death Eaters are in the school - '

'What? How?'

'NOW, Ernie!' Harry said brushing past.

He didn't think twice, as he swept the students back, Harry heard him shout, 'Alright, you lot, you heard the lady, back to the common room.' Maybe Harry had been projecting her emotions, for him not to question her again. Whatever it had been she was grateful for she did not have the time to stop and chat. She needed to get hold of Draco - as stupid as he had been, he was still not willing to betray Harry - he had lowered his wand, he had tried to do the right thing - Harry was now on a rescue mission. She sprinted towards the landing and down the remainder of the marble staircase. The oak front doors had been blasted open; there were smears of blood on the flagstones and several terrified students huddled against the walls ... Harry ran across the Entrance Hall and out into the dark grounds: she could just make out three figures racing across the lawn, heading for the gates, beyond which they could Disapparate.

Hagrid had emerged from his hut and was trying to stop the Death Eaters escaping, Harry now breathing heavily, ran towards his cabin, despite the stitch that was forming in her chest. Something caught Harry hard in the small of the back and she fell forwards, her face smacking the ground, she had a bloody nose: she knew as she righted herself, that some Death Eaters who had been in the castle were behind her. It was the brother and sister. Harry sensed the hex, that had been aiming for her -

' _Impedimenta!'_ she yelled, her jinx hit one of them, who stumbled and fell, tripping up the other; Harry leapt to her feet and sprinted on. The huge blond Death Eater was aiming curse after curse at Hagrid, but Hagrid's immense strength, and toughed skin he inherited from his giantess mother, seemed to be protecting him; Snape was still running, dragging a reluctant Draco with him. The blond Death Eater had now set Hagrid's cabin alight. Which Hagrid was feebly trying to put out.

More hexes shot at her, as she reached Hagrid, she heard Snape shout.

'Leave her! Have you forgotten our orders? Potter belongs to the Dark Lord - we are to leave her! Go! Go! Before the Ministry turns up!'

Harry was caught between helping Hagrid and chasing after the Death Eaters, but upon hearing Fang bark, her feet steered her towards Hagrid's cabin. ' _Aguamenti!'_ A jet of water flew out, Harry watched as the water poured over the flames until they were out - an icy cold chill filled the air - and there was a shout -

'HARRY!'

Draco had screamed her name, it was filled with panic, not one for himself, no, it had been for her. She looked up the Death Eaters had reached the school gates and that icy cold feeling was pressing even closer - Dementors were roaming the grounds, hundreds of them, making their way towards the hut and the school - Harry with her wand trembling in her hand - she froze - she could not breathe - she was surrounded - and so alone -

 _'You're not alone, you know,' his voice said in a serious tone._

 _Harry laughed and turned her head to face him. They had been laying on their backs staring up at the night sky, having moments ago, returned to sky gazing. Feeling rather accomplished with themselves for successfully giving Harry a marauder nickname she actually liked. Harry had brought up her parents, had brought up how she lonely she felt._

 _'The ones that love us, never truly leave us, you can always find them,' he said, he too was now facing Harry, his hand reached out and pointed at her heart, 'in here.'_

 _A smile graced her face, reluctantly._

 _'So, you're not alone,' his grey eyes searched her own. 'I know it can feel lonely, sometimes ... but you are never alone - besides kiddo, you've got great friends, however strange they may be. They've stuck by you, helped you,' he sighed and chuckled slightly, 'and you've got me ... I'm not going anywhere - I'll be with you, always - there's no getting rid of me.' he winked at her. 'So, whenever you're lonely ... you remember that - you remember that you are not alone.'_

It was she could hear Sirius speaking to her, even now. Like he had been right beside her. Harry blinked as the Dementors drew nearer, from the light in the castle, she could she Patronuses flickering and dying out. The Dementors were upon her now, the cold feeling - that unhappy feeling eating away at her. She was on her knees, though she could not remember how she got there - her wand was still in her hand - a Dementor was right above her now - all she could feel was cold - unhappy - loneliness -

But she was not alone. She was never alone.

Summoning every happy memory that she could, she remembered her friends and the pleasant times that had together. Ron groaning as Harry, Hermione and Ginny teased him. Hermione blushing under pressure as she admitted to Ginny and Harry her feeling towards Ron. Ginny and herself having a pillow fight in Ginny's bedroom at two in the morning, and Mrs Weasley coming in to tell them off, telling them to go to bed, causing them both to fall into fits of laughter after she had left. Remus and Sirius sharing stories of their time at Hogwarts. Telling her stories about her parents. Remus singing Opera out of tune, due to Sirius pranking him. Of Sirius screaming Runewald down as he ran around with his hair on fire, due to Remus's retaliation, and not being able to stop it. She thought of her parents ... of how much she missed them ... how much they meant to her - which caused her to think of George. The man, who had been the boy who had stood by her, had made her laugh - she thought of the way he would smile; cocky, mischievous, satisfied and that smile that always reached his eyes when he looked at her ... she thought of how she felt about him ... and she let those thoughts fill her mind ... every single last one of them ...

She heard movement from behind her, and Harry opened her eyes for them to fall upon to scene in front of her ... a Patronus was steering the Dementors away ... it was small ... and agile ... swiftly moving ... swooping at the Dementors from different directions - clearing them from the grounds, making the Dementors retreat from the castle ... once the grounds were clear ... it flew back to her ... swooping around in front of her ... her own Animagus form flying above her head ... her Patronus had changed ... it now reflected George's ... and it was much stronger than it had been before ... and she watched it fly above her head, until it disappeared.

Harry turned her attention to that of the school gates, her Patronus was not that only thing to have vanished; the Death Eaters were gone, taking Draco along with him. Hagrid clapped a hand upon her shoulder.

'You did it,' he said. 'And wordlessly too.' He sounded breathless. 'I thought we were goners - and then - you sent a Patronus at them - well it was just - cloud-like, at first - I thought your Patronus was a stag though?'

Harry was only just listening. She felt slightly numb, which was not due to the form her Patronus had taken, but from the events that had happened. She looked at Hagrid's cabin, not sure how to say the words she needed to. 'Patronuses can change ... Hagrid listen ...'

'Oh, that'll explain it,' Hagrid said. 'Oh, don't worry about me cabin ... nothing Dumbledore won't be able to put right.'

'Hagrid ...'

'I was binding up a couple of Bowtruckle legs when I heard 'em coming,' Hagrid said.

'Hagrid!' Harry said more forcefully.

'What happened Harry? I just saw them Death Eaters running down from the castle, but why the ruddy hell was Snape with them -'

'Because he's one of them,' Harry said, close to tears. 'Snape's one of them -'

'But Dumbledore-'

'Is dead - and Snape was the one that did it!'

'Don't say that,' Hagrid said roughly. 'Snape, kill Dumbledore - don't be stupid, Harry. What's made you say that?'

'I saw it happen.'

'You couldn't have.'

'I saw it Hagrid.'

But Hagrid shook his head. 'What must have happened was, Dumbledore must have told Snape to go with them Death Eaters,' he said. 'I supposed he's got to keep his cover. Look let's get you back up to the school. Come on Harry ...'

Harry did not attempt to argue or explain. Hagrid would believe her soon enough, all too soon ... they walked back towards the castle, Harry saw many of the windows were lit now. The oak doors stood open ahead of them, light flooding out on to the lawn. Slowly, dressing-gowned people were creeping down the steps, looking for some sign of the Death Eaters and the Dementors that had fled into the night. Harry's eyes were fixed upon the ground at the foot of the tallest tower. She could see a mass lying in the grass there, she knew who's body it would be...

'What're they all looking at?' Hagrid said as they approached the castle front. 'What's that lying on the grass?' he added, heading now towards the foot of the Astronomy Tower, where a small crowd was congregating. 'See it, Harry? Right at the foot of the Tower? Under the Mark ... blimey ... you don't think someone got thrown -?'

Hagrid fell silent as they reached the crowd, Harry looked up, his face was now full of shock, as he stared down at the body. Harry looked over, Dumbledore's eyes were closed, his arms and legs were lying at an odd angle. The crowd was murmuring ... all of them seemed as shocked as she was ... Harry reached into her pocket, pulling out the locket, they had taken just hours before - Dumbledore never got a chance to tell her how to destroy it. But as she looked at the locket, she noticed something ... something was wrong ... this locket was not as large as the one she'd seen in the Pensieve, nor were there any markings upon it, no sign of the ornate S that was supposed to be Slytherin's mark. Harry opened it, easily, inside was a scrap of folded parchment wedge tightly in the place where a portrait should have been. She unfolded it parchment and read it by the light of many wands that had now been light behind her.

 _To the Dark Lord,_

 _I know I will be dead long before you read this_

 _but I want you to know that it was I who discovered your secret._

 _I have stolen the real Horcrux and intend to destroy it as soon as I can._

 _I face death in the hope that when you meet your match,_

 _you will be mortal once more._

 _R.A.B._

Harry, let her feet led her automatically into the hospital wing. Having been told by McGonagall that was where everyone now was. As soon as she walked in she was pulled roughly into an embrace.

'Harry, oh thank Merlin.'

Harry blinked at Ginny, and said slowly, 'Who? The Dark Mark - Draco said he stepped over someone -'

'He stepped over Bill, but it's all right, he's alive -' her voice trembled a little, she added in a whisper, 'He's a bit of a mess. Greyback attacked him. Madam Pomfrey says he won't - won't look the same anymore ... we don't really know what the after-effects will be - I mean, Greyback being a werewolf, but not transformed at the time.'

'The others ...'

'Neville's going to make a full recovery, Professor Flitwick was knocked out, but he's all right. A Death Eater's dead got hit by a Killing Curse the huge blond was firing off everywhere -'

Harry walked up along the beds, Neville was asleep. Ron, Hermione, Luna, Tonks and Remus were gathered around another bed at the far end of the ward. Remus stood up to greet her, he looked anxious.

'Anna.'

He said her name so simply, but she knew the hidden message behind it. His voice made it clear that he was asking her, how she was.

'Fine ... I'm fine - Bill?'

It was Madam Pomfrey who answered. She was dabbing at Bill's wounds; his face was so badly slashed and ripped that he looked grotesque. 'He's alive ... but I'm afraid there is no cure for werewolf bites.'

'But he wasn't bitten at the full moon,' Ron said, he too was staring down at Bill. 'Greyback hadn't transformed, so surely Bill won't be a - a real -?' He looked at Remus uncertainly.

'No, I don't think that Bill will be a true werewolf,' Remus said. 'but that does not mean that there won't be some contamination. Those are cursed wounds. They are unlikely ever to heal fully, and - he might have some wolfish characteristics from now on.'

'Dumbledore might know something that'd work, though,' Ron said. 'Where is he anyway? Bill fought those maniacs on Dumbledore's orders, Dumbledore owes him -'

'Ron - Dumbledore's -' Harry swallowed. 'Dumbledore is dead.'

'No!' Remus said, but when Harry did not contradict herself, he collapsed into a chair, both of his hands over his face.

'How - how did he die?' Tonks whispered.

'Snape!' Harry spat out his name. 'I was there - I saw it. We arrived back on the Astronomy Tower because of the Mark ... Dumbledore was ill, he was weak, but he realised it was a trap when we heard footsteps. He cast the Freezing Charm upon me, I couldn't do anything, I was under the Indivisibility Cloak - and then Draco came through the door and Disarmed him - more Death Eaters arrived - and then Snape - Snape did it. The Avada Kedavra.' Harry couldn't go on.

Somewhere out in the darkness, a phoenix was signing in a way Harry had never heard before: a stricken lament of terrible beauty. The door opened again and Professor McGonagall entered the ward. Like everyone else, she bore marks f the recent battle.

'Molly and Arthur are on their way,' she said, and the signing died. She turned her attention to Harry. 'Harianna, what happened? According to Hagrid, you were with Dumbledore when he - when it happened. He says Professor Snape was involved in some -'

So, Harry, repeated herself and told her what happened, from the moment that they entered the Astronomy Tower. McGonagall stared at her once she had finished, she too collapsed into a chair.

'Snape ...' she repeated faintly. 'We all wondered ... but he trusted ... always ... I can't believe it ... and the Death Eaters ... he let them in ..'

'I'll think you'll find I was the person who let them in,' Harry said. 'I fixed the Vanishing Cabinet after all ...'

'No, you didn't, Snape did ...' Remus corrected. 'You are not to blame.'

'Dumbledore swore that Snape was on our side!' Tonks whispered. 'I always thought Dumbledore must know something about Snape that we didn't ...'

'He always hinted that he had an iron-clad reason for trusting Snape,' McGonagall muttered. 'I mean with ... Snape's history ... of course people were bound to wonder ... but Dumbledore told me explicitly that Snape's repentance was genuine ... wouldn't hear a word against him!'

'Snape was a highly accomplished Occlumens,' Remus said, 'We always knew that!'

'I'd love to know what Snape told him to convince him,' Tonks said.

'Snape,' Harry began, they all turned to stare at her, 'passed Voldemort the information that made Voldemort hunt down my parents and me ... then he told Dumbledore he hadn't realised what he was doing, that he was sorry he'd done it, sorry that they were dead.'

'You found this out, how?' Remus said.

'Trelawney and Dumbledore - earlier when I made my way to his office -'

Remus looked at her disbelievingly, 'And Dumbledore believe that? Dumbledore believe Snape was sorry James was dead? Snape _hated_ James ...'

Harry shrugged, 'He didn't think my mother was worth a damn either because she was Muggle-born ... "Mudblood", he called her ...'

No one asked her how she knew this. All of them seemed lost in shock, trying to digest the monstrous truth of what happened. Harry looked up at Ron and Hermione.

'What happened?'

'Well we watched the Map like you asked us to,' Ron said.

'Everything looked normal - and calm and the next moment -' Hermione said, looking devastated. 'Names were appearing in the Arithmancy classroom and we had no idea why or how.'

'We didn't know about the Vanishing Cabinets at the time,' Ron explained. 'So we grabbed everyone we could - I could only wake Neville though and I didn't want to waste time waking anyone else - we had already lost time as it was -'

'I went to wake Ginny and sent a Patronus to Luna -' Hermione added.

'We headed straight for the Arithmancy classroom - but when we got there,' Ginny said, 'the corridor was in complete darkness - we think it might have been Peruvian Instant Darkness Power -'

'I'm going to have word with Fred and George about who they let buy their products,' Ron said bitterly.

'The Death Eaters know about Switching Charms, they could have easily hidden their identities,' Harry said.

'Anyway, we tried everything - _Lumos, Incendio_ ,' Ginny said, 'Nothing would penetrate the darkness -'

'Luckily, Ron, Ginny and Neville ran into us and told us what happened. We found the Death Eaters minutes later, heading in the direction of Astronomy Tower. A fight broke out - one of them, Gibbon was hit by a Killing Curse -'

'I don't understand how the Death Eaters knew how to come though?' Ron said.

'Draco!' Harry said, 'Draco, had set off the Dark Mark and in doing so alerted the other Death Eaters. His Mark isn't just a way of terrifying people, it's meant to summon them to his side - I think - I think they can even summon each other through it as well.'

Hermione sniffed. 'Plausible ...' she shook her head. 'There were so many of them, and students were beginning to stir - so Luna and I went to direct people back into their common-rooms, steering them away from the fight - Snape came running, right past us ...'

'And up the stairs ... to where everyone was fighting ...'

'We were in trouble, we were losing,' Tonks said. 'Gibbon was down, but the rest of the Death Eaters seemed ready to fight. Neville had been hurt, Bill had been attacked by Greyback ... curses were flying everywhere, the Death Eaters were heading towards the Tower ... one of them blocked the stairs behind them with some kind of curse ... Neville ran at it and thrown into the air -'

'None of us could break through,' said, 'and that massive Death Eater was still firing off jinxes all over the place, they were bouncing off the walls and barely missing us ...'

'And then Snape was there,' said Tonks, 'and then he wasn't -'

'I saw him run straight through the cursed barrier as though it wasn't there,' said Remus. 'I tried to follow but was thrown back just like Neville ...'

'He must have known a spell we didn't,' McGonagall whispered.

'Or had a Mark you didn't,' Harry said. 'And if I'm correct, that barrier they put up would allow those with the Dark Mark through it - what happened when he came back down?'

'Well the big Death Eater had just fired off a hex that caused the ceiling to fall in, and broke the curse blocking the stairs,' said Remus, 'We all ran forwards - and then Snape and Draco emerged out of the dust - obviously, none of us attacked them -'

'We just let them pass,' Tonks said in a hollow voice, 'we thought they were being chased by the Death Eaters - and next thing, the other Death Eaters were back and Greyback and we were fighting again - I thought I heard Snape shouting something, but I don't know what -'

'He shouted "It's over", he'd done what he'd meant to do.' Harry said.

'We were still losing though,' Ginny said, 'and then, you came out of nowhere and suddenly, it was like we stood a chance - we tried to follow you once you hexed the Death Eaters near us but only Luna and I reached the Entrance Hall and then - Oh, Harry, we couldn't follow you - by the time we got to the Hall - Dementors were crossing the grounds -'

'We both sent Patronuses,' Luna muttered, 'there were so many and there were only two of us -'

'I passed out -' Ginny said, looking distraught. 'When I came to, the Dementors had gone -'

'I told Ginny, that it was a Patronus,' Luna said. 'A really strong Patronus, but I did not know who it belonged to, I'd not seen it before.'

'It was mine,' Harry gulped, 'the Dementors were on the grounds because Draco was meant to have done two things - spy on me and - well you know - Dumbledore - but Draco had stayed away from me all year, and the only thing they had on me, was my biggest fear and - weakness.'

'But Harry,' Luna said dreamily. 'Your Patronus is a stag. The one that saved us was a bird.'

Harry shook her head. 'It's not a stag, anymore.'

Remus looked at her. 'It changed?'

Harry nodded. 'It's a Bali Myna.' Remus, placed a hand upon her shoulder, squeezing it. She was grateful, that he did not say anything, only a few people knew of her Animagus form. 'I didn't think I was going to be able to do anything- the Dementors were closing in and I felt so alone,' she could feel tears running down her cheeks. 'I don't know why or how, but a memory of Sirius, came to me - I could hear him clearly, reminding me that I was not alone - and somehow, that helped,' she felt her face grow hot. 'It helped me, clear my mind and well, I found a memory powerful enough it seems.'

The doors of the hospital wing burst open; Mr and Mrs Weasley were striding up the ward, Fleur just behind them, she looked terrified.

'Molly - Arthur -' McGonagall said, getting to her feet. 'I am so sorry-'

'Bill,' Mrs Weasley whispered, darting past Professor McGonagall as she caught sight of Bill's mangled face. 'Oh, Bill!'

Remus and Tonks got up hastily so Mr and Mrs Weasley could get nearer to the bed.

'You said Greyback attacked him?' Mr Weasley asked. 'But he hadn't transformed? So what does that mean? What will happen to Bill?'

'We don't yet know,' McGonagall said, looking helplessly at Remus.

'There will probably be some contamination, Arthur. It's an odd case, possibly unique ... we don't know what his behaviour might be like when he wakes up ...'

'And Dumbledore ...' Mrs Weasley said. 'Minerva is it true ... is he ...?'

Professor McGonagall nodded.

'Dumbledore gone,' Mr Weasley whispered, but Mrs Weasley had eyes only for her eldest son; she began to sob.

'Of course, it doesn't matter how he looks ... it's not r-really important ... but he was a very handsome little boy ... always very handsome ... and he was going to be married!'

'And what do you mean by zat?' Fleur said loudly. 'What do you mean, 'e was going to be married?'

Mrs Weasley turned her tear-stained face, looking startled. 'Well -only that -'

'You theenk Bill will not wish to marry me anymore?' Fleur demanded. 'You theenk, because of these bites, he will not love me?'

'No, that's not what I -'

'Because 'e will!' Fleur said. 'It would take more zan a werewolf to stop Bill loving me!'

'Well, yes, I'm sure,' said Mrs Weasley. 'but I thought perhaps - given how - how he -'

'You thought I would not weesh to marry him? or per'aps, you 'oped?' Fleur said, looking at her sceptically, 'What do I care how 'e looks? I am good-looking enough for both of us, I theenk! All these scars show zat my husband is brave!'

Mrs Weasley was watching Fleur with a most curious expression on her face. Nobody said anything, no one moved. Everyone was waiting for an expulsion.

'Our Great Auntie Muriel,' Mrs Weasley said after a long pause, 'has a very beautiful tiara - goblin-made - which I am sure I could persuade her to lend you for the wedding. She is very fond of Bill, you know, and it would look lovely with your hair.'

'Thank you,' Fleur said stiffly. 'I am sure zat will be lovely.'

And then - Harry did not quite know how it happened - but both of them were crying and hugging each other. Harry smiled slightly.

'You see!' said a strained voice. Tonks was glaring at Remus. 'She still wants to marry him, even though he's been bitten! She doesn't care!'

'It's different,' Remus said, looking tense. 'Bill will not be a full werewolf. The cases are completely -'

'But I don't care either, I don't care!' Tonks said, 'I've told you a million times ...'

'And I've told you a million times,' Remus said, refusing to meet her eyes, 'that I am too old for you ... too poor ... too dangerous ... you deserve someone young and whole -'

SLAP

The sound of the slap echoed around the room. Remus rubbed at his jaw. Everyone was staring horror-struck watching, as Harry stood there trembling all over.

'Stop being ridiculous!' she said, 'If I had known - I would have hit you around the head a lot sooner - but Sirius never said, why, just said you'd know what it was for.' she pointed her finger at him. 'Too old huh? Too poor? Too DANGEROUS!'

'Anna, you don't understand!'

'Don't you dare tell me I don't understand,' Harry said. 'Not after everything - you're being stupid and failing to see what is right in front of you - when everyone else can see you for the person you are, and here's someone,' Harry pointed at Tonks, 'who loves you for that - but you are too scared - and I wonder what you are frightened of - because it sounds to me you are making a bunch of lame excuses - love knows no bounds, Remus and life is too short. Don't you think love is worth the risks?'

Remus's eyes met hers, and he said in a small voice. 'I suppose I have been slightly foolish.' Harry rolled her eyes.

The hospital doors opened once more and Hagrid walked in, he was shaking with tears.

'I've ... I've done it, Professor,' he choked. 'M-moved him. Professor Sprout's got the kids back in bed. Professor Flitwick's lying down but he says he'll be all right and Professor Slughorn says the Ministry has been informed.'

'Thank you, Hagrid,' Professor McGonagall said standing up. 'I shall see the Ministry when they get here. Hagrid, please tell the Heads of House - Slughorn can represent Slytherin - that I want to see them in my office. I would like you to join us, too.' As Hagrid nodded, turned and walked out of the room again, she looked down at Harry.

'Before I meet them I would like a quick word with you, Harianna. If you come with me ...'

...

Harry did not like the meeting that occurred in the Head's office, which now belonged to McGonagall. Though it looked the same. But she did not inform McGonagall of her whereabouts before she had returned to the school. A funeral was to take place on the grounds. All lessons were suspended, the rest of the examinations were postponed. Some students were hurried away from Hogwarts by their parents. Harry had informed Ron and Hermione of the fake locket and the message that had been left inside it. Harry had taken to searching through the library for any signs of who it could have possibly have been. But she couldn't find any evidence of who it could have been.

Hermione placed a copy of an old Prophet, on the desk, in front of her. Harry looked up at her hopefully.

'R.A.B?'

'No,' she said sadly. 'it's about Snape actually.'

'What about him?'

'Well you see I was right about Eileen Prince once owning the book. You see ... she was Snape's mother!'

Harry read the clipping of a tiny announcement about Eileen Prince marrying a man called Tobias Snape bit her lip. 'I'd already figured out who the Half-Blood Prince was.'

'You had?'

Harry nodded. 'After Draco cursed me, and Snape managed to heal me - I wondered how he knew - after all the Prince, seemed to have invented the spells - so how would he know what to do? And I didn't think it had anything to do with what he knew about the Dark Arts, which left one possible conclusion - Snape was the Half-Blood Prince. And the more I thought about it, the more it made sense - he was excellent Potions, Master, after all.'

...

Harry rose early the next day, she had a few spells to sort out before she could pack. Ever since Dumbledore's death, she had been planning her next move. And she knew that she would not be returning to the castle next year. Dumbledore had told her about the Horcruxes for a reason - Harry was going to go in search for them. She put her things into piles, things that she would be needing were going to placed into a bag she had bewitched - things she didn't need would be going to Runewald via Dobby and her trunk was to be left with the Dursleys. She had no doubts that when the Charm Dumbledore had placed upon her broke, that the Death Eaters would go knocking - and her trunk would be ready for when they did. The Hogwarts Express was due to leave an hour after the funeral. Down in the Great Hall, Harry found everyone in subdued moods and wearing dress robes. Professor McGonagall had left the throne-like chair in the middle of the staff table empty. Rufus Scrimgeour had attended; his eyes seemed to be scanning the hall, Harry had a feeling he was looking for her. Percy Weasley was part of Scrimgeour's entourage.

Harry looked over at the Slytherin table Crabbe and Goyle were muttering together. Draco, of course, was missing, Harry wondered what was happening to him now. Was Voldemort going to kill him for failing in his task? She hoped not. But she wondered if Voldemort did spare him, what he would make Draco do under his threat of killing him?

Professor McGonagall had risen to her feet, the tables in the Great Hall followed their Heads of House out into the grounds. They were heading towards the lake. It was a warm, sunny day. They followed Professor McGonagall in silence to the place where hundreds of chairs had been set in rows. An extraordinary assortment of people had already settled into half of the chairs. Most Harry did not recognise, though she spotted members of the Order quite easily: Kingsley Shacklebolt, Mad-Eye Moody, Tonks, Remus sat beside her, they appeared to be holding hands. Mr and Mrs Weasley, Bill and Fleur followed by Fred and Harry's heart leapt at the sight of him; George. Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny wasted no time in joining them. Harry settled herself into the empty chair next to George, she took one of his hands in her own and placed her head upon his shoulder - he shifted slightly, so that an arm to draw her closer, his hand resting upon her waist. Madame Maxime was also there, Tom the landlord of the Leaky Cauldron, Arabella Figg, Harry's Squib neighbour - which Harry had been so shocked to find out. She spotted the barman from the Hog's Head, the witch who pushed the trolley on the Hogwarts express, Ernie Prang, the driver of the Knight Bus, Madam Malkin, of the robe shop in Diagon Alley. The ghosts of the castle were present too, barely visible in the bright sunlight.

Cornelius Fudge walked past them towards the front rows, Harry recognised Rita Skeeter, who had a notebook clutched in her hand, with a jolt of fury she saw Dolores Umbridge with an unconvincing expression of grief upon her toad-like face. Firenze the centaur was standing near the water's edge. The staff seated themselves last along the front row. Harry saw the Minister was too, sitting in the front row. The merpeople began to sing in a strange language she could not understand, and then she watched as Hagrid walked slowly up the aisle, carrying in his arms, Dumbledore's body which was wrapped in a purple velvet blanket spangled with golden stars.

She could not see what was happening in front clearly. Though Hagrid seemed to have placed the body carefully upon the table. He retreated down the aisle to the back row. His half-brother Grawp was waiting for him there. Then the music stopped. A little tufty-haired man in plain black robes had got to his feet in front of Dumbledore's body. Harry could not hear what he was saying, there was a splashing to the left and she saw that the merpeople had broken the surface to listen to. As she turned her head back, she spotted in the distance amongst the trees that the centaurs had come to pay their respects. They did not move into the open but there were standing still, with their bows hanging at their sides.

Everything had changed from when she first arrived at Hogwarts - Harry glanced quickly at George, he squeezed her hand in reply - he too must have been thinking the same thing. What would they all do now Dumbledore was gone ... he always spoke about fighting, to keep fighting, for only then evil could be kept at bay ... it made her think of Sirius had he known the same thing, heard the same words? Is that why he told her to never give up ... she glanced down at her wrist, the tattoo visible as her dress robes did not cover her wrist. She traced it lightly - Toujours Pur. She hoped Sirius would forgive her because she doubted she could remain pure of heart now - after all she had a man to hunt down and eventually kill and killing ripped the soul apart. She wondered how she was going to do it ... she couldn't bring herself to harm Pettigrew - would she be able to bring herself to actually kill Voldemort.

The little man had stopped talking and resumed his seat. Harry waited for someone else to get to their feet but nobody moved. Then several people screamed. Bright, white flames had erupted around Dumbledore's body and the table upon which he lay: higher and higher they rose. White smoke spiralled into the air and made strange shapes and the next second the fire vanished. In its place was a white marble tomb, encasing Dumbledore's body and the table on which he had rested. A shower of arrows soared through the air, Harry knew this centaurs' tribute: she saw them turn and disappear back into the trees. Likewise, the merpeople sank slowly back into the water.

Harry did not return with the other students, she instead walked to the water's edge, taking in her glimpse of Hogwarts. She heard George sigh from beside her.

'You're not going to return, are you?'

Harry shook her head. 'There's something I've got to do. I can't tell you what or why. I just need you to trust me.'

A hand cupped her face. 'I do trust you.'

'Thank you,' Harry said. 'Do you think you could keep my secret for just a bit longer.'

'Of course, I can,' George winked. 'Besides only three people knew - your secret is safe with me - they are always safe with me.' he kissed her lips lightly. 'Just do me a favour and keep your death defying stunts to a minimum and that if you need me or any reason at all - I won't ask questions - but you'll send for me.'

'You've got it Charming,' Harry said, embracing him. 'After all, that's Prince Charming's' job.' George smiled. 'Same goes for you - try to not do anything stupid.'

'I don't do stupid things, Anna,' George replied, 'I do ingenious things.'

Harry looked around, Ron and Hermione were standing together too. Rufus Scrimgeour was limping rapidly towards her. Harry groaned.

'I'll be right back, I'm pretty sure I know what this about.'

Harry met him half way.

'Harianna! I was hoping to have a word ... do you mind if I walk with you?' he said.

'No.'

'Harianna, this was a dreadful tragedy,' Scrimgeour said quietly, 'I cannot tell you how appalled I was to hear of it. Dumbledore was a very great wizard. We had our disagreements, as you know, but no one knows better than I-'

'What do you want?'

Scrimgeour looked annoyed but modified his expression to one of sorrowful understanding.

'You are of course, devastated,' he said. 'I know that you were close to Dumbledore. I think you may have been his favourite ever pupil. The bond between the two of you -'

'What do you want?' Harry repeated.

'The word is that you were with him when he left the school the night he died.'

'Whose word?'

'Somebody Stupefied a Death Eater on top of the Tower after Dumbledore died. There were also two broomsticks up there. The Ministry can add two and two.'

'Well that's not hard,' Harry said, 'most five-year-olds know how to do to that.' she took a breath, 'but where I went with Dumbledore is none of your business.'

'Such loyalty is admirable of course,' Scrimgeour said, 'but Dumbledore is gone, Harianna. He's gone.'

'He will only be gone from this school when none here are loyal to him,' Harry said. 'Something you will fail to understand.'

Scrimgeour hesitated, then said, 'The Ministry can offer you all sorts of protection, you know, Harianna. I would be delighted to place a couple of my Aurors at your service -'

'I neither want or need your protection Minister,' Harry said. 'I'm an Empath, I can handle myself just fine.'

'I see, so the request I made of you at Christmas -'

'Released Stan Shunpike yet?' Harry said Scrimgeour turned purple. 'Thought not.' Harry turned on her heel and walked back to the George, who was standing beside his parents and some of the Orders members. Ron and Hermione were waiting for her.

'What did he want?' Ron asked.

'Same thing, he wanted at Christmas.'

'Git.'

'So, what's the plan now?' Hermione asked. 'What's our next move?'

'Tracking down the rest of those Horcruxes,' Harry said. 'Something of Ravenclaw's, the cup, the real locket, the snake. That's why Dumbledore told me about them. Then I've got to go after the seventh bit of Voldemort's soul, the bit that's still in his body. I'm going to have to kill him. And Severus Snape, if I meet him along the way - he won't know what's come for him.' Harry sighed. 'I've got to go to the Dursleys first though - personal request from Dumbledore. Then I might go back to Godric's Hollow so I can visit my parents' graves, I'd like that.'

'Well wherever you're going, we'll be with you mate,' Ron said. 'But you're going to have to come around mine first.'

'Why?'

'Bill and Fleur's wedding!'

'Oh, yeah we can't miss that,' Harry said, she glanced at her best friends in a serious manner. 'Are you sure that you want to come with me? It will be dangerous.'

'We've faced danger alongside you before,' Hermione said. 'you said to us before, that there was time to turn back if we wanted to. We've had time, haven't we?'

'We're with you whatever happens,' Ron said, 'Besides George would kill me if I'd let you go alone. I reckon I'm better off with you, then facing that.'

Harry laughed. Even Hermione grinned a little. They looked up at the castle, the three of them taking in their last sights of Hogwarts. Harry smiled, Sirius had been right, she was not alone. Whatever was to come, they would face it together.

...

 ** _A.N. So that's it for book six, hope you've enjoyed it. I will be back with the last book as soon as I've sorted out my last twists and I have plans for my own extra chapter - if all goes well._**


	112. Chapter 112

_The sun was setting, men, lots of them, all dressed in armour, were surrounding a cabin._

 _'They're here,' an anxious female voice said._

 _'We knew they would come,' a male voice replied, calmly._

 _'I do not like what you are about to do,' the woman said. 'There must be another way.'_

 _The man was young in age, his hair was dark brown, he had a beard and deep emerald green eyes. He turned to face to woman, his wife, she too was young in age, her hair was long waves blond curls, her eyes that of a sea blue, a bump graced her form. He reached out and took her face in between his hands._

 _'I wish there was,' he replied. 'But I cannot let you or or unborn child suffer.'_

 _Tears leaked from the corners of the woman's face. 'I don't want you to go.'_

 _'I have to, or they will just keep coming after us,' the man said. 'We will have no life and our child, think of our child.'_

 _The woman sniffed. 'Euginia, I was thinking of naming her Euginia.'_

 _'Her?' the man said, sounding slightly surprised._

 _'Just a feeling I have,' the woman shrugged._

 _'Don't name the poor thing after me,' he told her. 'Give her a name that has a connection with that of flowers.'_

 _'Because of their association to that of Ancient Magic?'_

 _The man chuckled. 'No Nimue, because I just happen to like flowers.' he kissed her. 'There'll be here any moment now - remember when I'm gone, you're to act as though you're a Muggle.'_

 _'But the child?'_

 _'I have a plan, don't worry.' he said. 'Trust me.'_

 _'I do trust you.'_

 _The man looked out of the cabin. 'Time is upon us - stay safe and keep that book hidden.' he took off a chain around his neck, a five-pointed star encased in circle and placed it over his wife's head. 'Know that I love you, both of you. Know that I do this for you. Live a happy life.'_

 _'Eugene -' Nimue whispered. 'Please tell me what do you plan to do?'_

 _He smiled slightly. 'I plan to do nothing, Nimue. I'm going to let them kill me - it's the only way.'_

 _'You must do, you must have a plan, but how will you know if it has worked?' she asked. 'How will I know?'_

 _'I'll return to you,' he said simply. 'When the one, has the ability to lead and resurrect.'_

 _The woman sighed heavily, shaking her head. 'You never were one for explaining yourself - though I take it, that is the meaning of someone's name - I just hope this all goes well. I love you.'_

 _'And I you.'_

 _The door burst open. The man was tackled heavily to the ground. The heaved up and led away held in heavy chains. The woman ran out after them._

 _'Iris - I shall name our child Iris.'_

 _The man did not reply, and she watched helplessly as he was dragged away._

...

Harry was pacing. She was four days away from being able to perform magic without the Ministry detecting her - being Lady Potter had its advantages but it did not stop her from having a Trace. Days ago, she cleaned out her bedroom, all of her unwanted things had been taken with Dobby to Runewald. The reason for her current pacing was the plain piece of parchment that lay on her desk - well almost plain - it had so far three lines upon it and the Black family crest. Harry sighed, running a hand through her hair, and sat down at the desk. No matter what she could not keep putting this off - she had to write one; a will, just in case Voldemort got the better of her. She knew who the money in her vaults would be split between and she knew who would be getting her mothers' book and necklace. Her other possessions would be left to Ron and Hermione - if they too, got out of this war alive. She wrote everything down and sealed it. Harry walked over to Hedwig and attached it to her leg.

'You are to take this to Runewald - Dobby knows what to do with it if the times comes,' she told the owl. 'And Hedwig,' she added as her owl flexed her wings. 'You are to stay there until you are notified otherwise. Have a safe flight.'

The owl swooped out of the window, Harry watched her disappear, then she walked to the bedroom door, upon opening it she found a cup of cold tea sitting on the floor outside her bedroom. She picked up the cup and placed it upon her cabinet side, before making her way to the bathroom once more. Harry glanced at her reflection in the mirror, she looked pale and as though she hadn't been getting much sleep, which was true ... for she had spent most of her time planning and creating a way to disguise herself whilst she hunting down Voldemort's Horcruxes. For this year, she along with her two best friends, would not be returning to Hogwarts this year. She returned to her bedroom, her trunk lay at the foot of her bed and upon her desk lay only a collection of newspapers.

Everything was set, Harry was ready to go. The sound of the front door slamming echoed up the stairs and a voice yelled, 'OI! YOU!'

Sixteen years of being address like this, Harry had no doubt whom her uncle was calling. Slowly she made her way down the stairs. When she reached the living room, she found all three Dursleys dressed for travelling. She had a funny feeling she knew what was coming as she sat down.

'I've changed my mind,' her uncle said.

'Shock.'

'Don't you take that tone -' aunt Petunia began in a shrill voice, but uncle Vernon waved her down.

'It's all a lot of claptrap,' he said, glaring at her. 'I've decided I don't believe a word of it. We're staying out, we're not going anywhere.'

Harry glared back at him, feeling a mixture of exasperation and amusement. Her uncle had been changing his mind a lot over the last four weeks, packing the car and unpacking the car with every change of heart.

'According to you,' uncle Vernon said, pacing up and down the living room, 'we- Petunia, Dudley and I - are in danger from - from-'

'Some of "my lot", right,' Harry said.

'Well I don't believe it,' uncle Vernon said. 'I was awake half the night thinking it all over and I believe it's a plot to get the house.'

'The house?' Harry said. 'You really think that this is about a house - it's about lives -'

'House prices are sky-rockecting around here! You want us out of the way and then you're going to a bit of hocus-pocus and before we know it the deeds will be in your name and -'

'I don't want this sodding house - what would I want the house for, all the happy memories? I'd rather see it in ruins than live here, but you think whatever you want -'

'You claim, that this Lord Thingy-'

'Voldemort,' Harry said. 'And it's not a claim, it's a fact.' she was starting to lose her impatience. 'Once I'm seventeen the protective charm that keeps me safe will break, and that exposes you as well as me. The Order is sure Voldemort will target you, whether to torture you or try and find out where I am, or because he thinks by holding you hostage I'd come and try to rescue you.' Harry looked him squarely in the eye. 'Let's not make that a reality, for both our sakes.'

'So, it's go into hiding with the Orders help - as you are being offered the best protection there is.'

'I thought there was a Ministry of Magic?' Vernon asked.

'There is,' Harry said.

'Well, then, why can't they protect us? It seems to me that, as innocent victims, guilty of nothing more than harbouring a marked girl, we ought to qualify for government protection.'

Harry took a deep breath. 'Because we think that the Ministry has been infiltrated, if you want to risk your lives - then go right ahead, and ask for "government protection".'

'All right, let's say, for sake of argument, we accept this protection. I still don't see why we can't have that Kingsley bloke.'

'Kingsley is too busy protecting your Prime Minister.' Harry said through gritted teeth.

'Exactly he's the best!' uncle Vernon said, pointing at the blank television screen. The Dursleys had spotted Kingsley on the news, walking along behind the Muggle Prime Minister.

'Well he's taken,' Harry said. 'But Hesta Jones and Dedalus Diggle are more than up to the job -'

'If we'd seen CVs ...' began uncle Vernon, but Harry had lost patience.

'These accidents aren't accidents - the crashes and explosions and derailments and whatever else has happened since we last watched the news. People are disappearing and dying and Voldemort is behind it. I've told you time and time again, that he kills Muggles for fun - do you really want to be next.'

'All right, all right. You've made your point -'

'I hope so,' Harry said, 'because once I'm seventeen, everything Voldemort has in his arsenal, will be able to find you and will certainly attack you. And if you remember the last time you tried to outrun wizards, I think you'll agree you need help.'

There was a brief silence, aunt Petunia was looking at uncle Vernon, who was staring at Harry. Finally, Vernon blurted out, 'But what about my work? What about Dudley's school? I don't suppose those things matter to a bunch of layabout wizards -'

'Don't you understand? Don't you get it?' Harry shouted. 'They will torture and kill you like they did my parents!'

'Dad,' Dudley said, 'I'm going with these Order people - if Harry says they're our best chance, then they are.'

Harry sighed in relief, grateful that at least one person had been listening to her. She knew the argument was won, if Dudley wanted to accept the Order's help, his parents would accompany him: there could be no question of being separated from their Diddykins. Harry glanced at the clock on the mantelpiece.

'They'll be here in about five minutes,' she said, and when none of the Dursleys replied, she left the room. It was an odd feeling leaving the residents of number four Privet Drive, and she had no idea of what to say to her aunt and uncle, not after everything. Harry checked over her things one last time, sealing the lid to her trunk, which she would be leaving behind - as a little welcome present for when the Death Eaters did come knocking. The doorbell rang, Harry hesitated, then headed back downstairs: it was a bit much to expect Hestia and Dedalus to cope with the Dursleys alone.

'Lady Potter!' squeaked an excited voice, the moment, Harry had opened the door; a small man was sweeping her a deep low bow. 'An honour, as ever!'

'Come on through,' Harry said. 'It's really good of you to do this ... they're through here, my aunt and uncle and cousin ...'

'Good day to you, Harianna Potter's relatives!' Dedalus said, striding into the living room. Her aunt and uncle did not look happy to be addressed like this. 'I see you are packed and ready. Excellent! The plan, as Harianna has told you, is a simple one. We shall be leaving before Harianna does. Due to the danger of using magic your house with Harianna being still under-age, it could provide the Ministry with an excuse to arrest her - we shall be driving, say ten miles or so, before Disapparating to the safe location, that has been picked out for us -'

'A safe location! According to her -' Vernon said pointing at Harry, 'Nowhere is safe - and you expect us to believe that ... that this place - wherever we are going - is safe?'

'Of course, it's bloody safe,' Harry said. 'It's probably the only safe place there is -'

'But you said -'

'I know what I said,' Harry snapped. 'But the location you are going to is hidden, from everything - Muggles, other wizards ... the building has been charmed so it's location is not on a map. And it's under an enchantment that requires a person to keep the location a secret - which reminds me,' she said pulling out a piece of parchment from her pocket. 'You'll be needing this - it's charmed so it will only active once you've arrived at the coordinates that were given to you - you know what to do once you've read it.'

Dedalus and Hestia nodded at her. Hestia took the parchment. 'The Secret Keeper - can we trust them?'

Harry nodded. 'I would trust them even with my life.'

'Right - Well, Harianna,' Dedalus said, 'you'll have to wait here for your guard. There has been a little change in the arrangements -'

'What do you mean?' Harry asked at once. 'I thought Mad-Eye was going to come and take me by Side-Along-Apparition?'

'Can't do it,' Hestia said. 'Mad-Eye will explain.'

A voice loud screeched: 'Hurry up!' Harry looked around the room before realising that the voice had issued from Dedalus's pocket watch.

'Quite right, we're operating on a very tight schedule,' Dedalus said, nodding at his watch. 'We are attempting to time your departure from the house with your family's Disapparition, Harianna, thus the charm breaks the moment you all head for safety.' He turned to the Dursleys. 'Well, are we all ready to go?'

None of them answered him.

'Perhaps we should wait outside in the hall, Dedalus,' Hestia murmured; she clearly felt that it would be tactless for them to remain in the room while Harry and the Dursleys exchanged goodbyes.

'There's no need,' Harry muttered, but uncle Vernon made any explanation unnecessary by saying loudly, 'Well, this is goodbye, then, girl.'

For a moment, it looked like he was about to shake her hand, but it dropped his hand rather quickly.

'Ready, Diddy?' aunt Petunia asked, fussily checking the clasp of her handbag so to avoid looking at Harry altogether. Dudley did not answer, he stood there staring at Harry.

'Come along, then,' uncle Vernon said. He had already reached the living-room door when Dudley mumbled, 'I don't understand.'

'What don't you understand, Popkin?' aunt Petunia asked.

'Why isn't Harry coming with us?'

Uncle Vernon and aunt Petunia froze, staring at Dudley as though he had just expressed a desire to become a ballerina. But Harry knew what had brought this on, after spending two summers tutoring Dudley whilst she was here, they had grown close.

'I've got somewhere I need to be,' Harry said simply. 'I can't tell you where - I can't tell you why.'

'But where will you go? Why can't you come with us? Don't you want to be safe?'

Harry approached him slowly. 'There's a lot going on out there and I need you to trust me. It won't be safe for you if I come with you -'

'But that summer you did some hocus pocus - you knew we were being watched - how are we not safe -?'

'Dudley - listen to me OK, Voldemort wants to kill me. I'm his number one target, if I stay with you, you will be killed - do you understand?' Dudley nodded. 'It's safer if we separate. Now listen to me carefully, if for some reason, you are found, you will find a small black bag in your backpack, it will contain small brown balls, that look a lot like chocolate - do not eat them - if you are found I want to throw them at your location - and run, don't look back, don't stop - just keep running.'

'What did you give me?'

'Just a new invention made by Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes,' Harry muttered. 'It's better you don't know.' she added to his confused look. He bit his lip, before sweeping her up into a hug.

'You'll stay safe, yeah?' he said.

'As much as I can do,' Harry said returning the hug.

'You saved my life after all.'

Aunt Petunia burst into tears. Hestia Jones gave her an approving look which changed into outrage as Aunt Petunia ran forwards and embrace Dudley rather than Harry.

'S-so sweet Dudders ...' she sobbed, 's-such a lovely b-boy ...'

Harry sighed at looked at him. 'You best go ... look after yourself.'

'Good point,' uncle Vernon roared. 'I thought we were on a tight schedule!'

'Yes - yes, we are,' Dedalus Diggle said, who had been watching these exchanges in bemusement. 'We really must be off. Harianna -' he tripped forwards and wrung Harry's hands with both his own.

'- good luck Lady Potter. I hope we meet again. The hopes of the wizarding world rest upon your shoulders.'

Harry managed a smile despite her embarrassment.

'Farewell, Harianna,' Hestia said, also clasping her hand. 'Our thoughts are with you.'

'Good luck with everything,' Harry said, with a glance towards aunt Petunia and Dudley. 'You might just need it.'

'Oh I'm sure we shall end up the best of chums,' Diggle said, he left the room. Hestia followed him. Dudley released himself from his mother's clutches and walked towards Harry, so he could hug Harry once more.

'I'll see you around, yeah?' he asked.

Harry squeezed back. 'I dunno ... maybe. Take care, Big D.'

'You, too, Harianna,' he whispered.

Harry took a step back surprised, that he pronounced her name correctly. He just smiled at her and left the room. Which just left her with aunt Petunia. Her aunt stowed her handkerchief away.

'Well - goodbye,' she said, marching towards the door without looking at her. She stopped at the door and said, 'Don't die.'

'Don't worry,' Harry said. 'If I die, I intend to take Voldemort with me.'

She turned her head and looked back. For a moment, Harry thought she wanted to say something more to her, but with a little jerk of the head, she bustled out of the room.

...

Harry arrived back in her bedroom just in time to see the Dursleys' car pulling out of the drive and off up the road. Harry picked up her bag and made her way back down the stairs again. The light was fading rapidly now, the hall was full of shadows in the evening light. It felt strange to stand in the silence and know that she about to leave the house for the last time. She sighed, as she looked around, her gaze falling upon the cupboard under the stairs. She opened the door, and turned on the light - it was empty, apart from a few umbrellas - Harry found what she had been looking for, her own childish handwriting upon the wall, which read; "Harry's Room". It had been quite some time since she had written that - so much had changed from the little girl who had written those words to the young woman who was now tracing over the words. She wondered what that girl would think now - all those years of wondering and dreaming - that little girl had plans, aspirations - though she still had them, they were much different than escaping from her life with the Dursleys.

A deafening roar from somewhere nearby. Harry exited the cupboard and closed the door, she entered the kitchen staring out of the window into the back garden. The darkness seemed to be rippling, the air itself quivering. Then, one by one, figures began to pop into sight as their Disillusionment Charms lifted. Hagrid was on a flying motorbike, that had a black side car attached, he was wearing a helmet and goggles. All around him other people were dismounting from brooms and skeletal black winged horses. Wrenching the door open Harry was greeted by a form hugging her tightly and a general cry of greetings. Harry peered over Hermione's shoulder to find Ron standing beside her, grinning from ear to ear.

'All right, Harry? Ready for the off?' Hagrid said.

'Definitely,' Harry said, beaming at them all. George sent her a wink. 'But why so many of you?'

'Change of plan,' Mad-Eye growled. 'Let's get undercover before we talk you through it.'

Harry led them all back into the kitchen, laughing and chattering they all settled on chairs, or work surfaces or leant up against appliances. Ron, Hermione, Fred and George, Bill, Mr Weasley, Mad-Eye, Tonks, Remus, Fleur, Kingsley, Hagrid and Mundungus Fletcher.

Harry caught Kingsley's eye and said, 'I thought you were looking after the Muggle Prime Minister.'

'You're more important,' Kingsley said. 'He'll have to manage without me for one night.'

'Harry, guess what?' Tonks said, wriggling her left hand at her; a ring glittered there.

'You got married!' Harry said, looking from her to Remus. 'I suppose that gives you the right to call me Anna, now Mrs Lupin.'

Tonks flushed. 'Sorry you couldn't have been there, it was very quiet.'

'Congratulations -'

'All right, all right, we'll have time for a cosy catch-up later!' Moody roared, and silence fell in the kitchen, and he turned to her. 'As Dedulas probably told you, we had had to abandon Plan A. Pius Thicknesse has gone over, which gives us a big problem. He's made it an impressionable offence to connect this house to the Floo Network, place a Portkey here or Apparate in or out. All done in the name of your protection, to prevent You Know Who getting in at you. Absolutely pointless, seeing as your mother's charm does that already. What he's really done is to stop you getting out of here safely.'

'Second problem: your under-age, so none of us can cast a spell to get you out of here, Thicknesse is going to know about it, and so will the Death Eaters. We can't afford to wait for the Trace to break because the moment you turn seventeen you'll lose all the protection your mother gave you. In short: Pius Thicknesse thinks he's got you cornered good and proper.'

Harry thought it over and could not help but agree with the unknown Thicknesse.

'So what are we going to do?' Harry asked.

'We're going to use the only means of transport left to us, the only ones the Trace can't detect because we don't need spells to use them: brooms, Thestrals and Hagrid's motorbike.'

'Now, your mother's charm will only break under two conditions: when you come of age, or,' Moody gestured around the room, '- you no longer call this place home. You and your aunt and uncle are going your separate ways tonight, in the full understanding that you're never going to live together again, correct?'

Harry nodded.

'So, this time, when you leave, there'll be no going back, and the charm will break the moment you get outside its range, We're choosing to break it early because the alternative is waiting for You Know Who to come and seize you the moment you turn seventeen. The one thing we've got on our side is that You Know Who doesn't know we're moving you tonight. We've leaked a fake trail to the Ministry: they think you're not leaving until the thirtieth. However, this is You Know Who we're dealing with, so we can't just rely on him getting the date wrong; he's bound to have a couple of Death Eaters patrolling the skies in this general area, just in case. So, we've given a dozen different houses every protection we can throw at them. They all look like they could be the place we're going to hide you, they've all got some connection with the Order: my house, Kingsley's place, Molly's Auntie Muriel's - you get the idea.'

Harry, however, could see a gaping hole in the plan. Sure, the Death Eaters wouldn't know which house she'd be going to, but it would still look a bit suspicious - unless, this was not the whole plan.

'What are you not telling me?' Harry asked, folding her arms.

'Told you, she'd connect the dots,' Kingsley said to Moody.

Moody withdrew a flask of what looked like mud. 'Ah, I forgot to mention that there will be seven Harianna Potters moving through the sky tonight, each of them with a companion, each pair heading for a different safe house. You'll be heading to Tonks parents'. Once you're within the boundaries of the protective enchantments, you'll be able to use a Portkey to The Burrow -'

'No!' Harry said loudly. 'No way!'

'I told them you'd take it like this,' Hermione said.

'If you think I'm going to let six people risk their lives -!'

'-because it's the first time for all of us,' Ron said.

'This is different, pretending to me -'

'Well none of us really fancy it, Harry,' Fred said earnestly. 'Imagine if something went wrong and we were stuck looking like you.'

Harry was not impressed, 'You can't do it if I don't cooperate, you need me to give you some hair.'

'Well, that's our plan scuppered,' George said grinning broadly, and he lent towards her, a hand brushing the hair off her shoulder. 'Obviously, there's no chance at all of us getting a bit of your hair unless you cooperate.'

'Yeah, thirteen of us against one girl who's not allowed to use magic; we've got no chance,' Fred said.

'If it comes to having to use force Potter we will use it,' Moody growled. 'Everyone here's over-age, and they're all prepared to take the risk.'

'I seem to recall that the last time you tried to use brute force, to rescue me,' Harry said thoughtfully, 'I tripped up Tonks, knocked the wind out of Remus and broke Sirius's nose - Oh, and without the use of magic.'

'I don't want any more arguments. Time's wearing on. I want a few of your hairs, now.'

'This is mad, there's no need -'

'No need!' Moody snarled. 'With You Know Who out there and half the Ministry on his side? Potter, if we're lucky, he'll have swallowed the fake bait and he'll be planning to ambush you on the thirtieth, but he'd be mad no to have a Death Eater or two keeping an eye out, it's what I do. They might not be able to get at you or this house while your mother's charm holds, but it's about to break and they know the rough position of the place. Our only chance is to use decoys. Even You Know Who can't spilt himself into seven.'

Harry avoided eye contact with both Ron and Hermione. Harry reached up and pulled some hair out.

'Just so you know,' she said adding them to the flask of Potion. 'I don't like this plan at all.'

'Ooh you look much tastier than Crabbe and Goyle, Harry,' Hermione said, looking down at the Potion which had turned gold. 'Goyle's Potion looked like bogies.'

'Right then, fake Potters line up, please,' Moody said. Ron, Hermione, Fred, George, and Fleur lined up in front of the sink.

'We're one short,' Remus said.

'Here,' Hagrid said gruffly, and he lifted Mundungus by the scruff of the neck, placing him next to Fleur.

'I've toldjer, I'd sooner be a protector,' said Mundungus.

'Way I see it,' Moody growled. 'You owe Lady Potter one, for trying to nick her things so shut it. Besides any Death Eaters, we run into will be aiming to capture Potter not kill her. Dumbledore always said You Know Who would want to finish Potter in person. It'll be the Protectors who have got the most to worry about, the Death Eaters'll want to kill them.'

Mundungus did not look reassured, but Moody was already pulling a dozen glasses from inside his cloak, which he handed out before a little Polyjuice Potion into each one.

'Altogether then ... once you've changed I'll spell your clothes and they're appearances to a carbon copy of Potters.'

Ron, Hermione, Fred, George, Fleur and Mundungus drank. All of them gasped and grimaced as the Potion hit their throats: at once, their features began to change. Mundungus was gaining height, whereas the others were becoming shorter. Hair was darkening and in the boys cases and becoming longer. It was odd looking at the six gasping Harianna Potters in front of her, and with one flick of his wand, Moody changed their clothes.

Fred and George turned to each other and said together, 'Wow - we're identical!'

Moody looked over them all, with approval. 'Good. The pairs will be as follows: Mundungus will be travelling with me, by broom -'

'Why'm I with you?' grunted the Harry nearest the back door.

'Because you're the one that needs watching,' Moody growled, and his magical eye did not waver from Mundungus. 'Arthur and Fred -'

'I'm George,' said the twin at whom Moody was pointing. 'Can't you even tell us apart when we're Harry?'

'Nice try Fred,' Moody growled. 'Stop messing around - George you're with Remus -'

'Idiot -' George told his brother, 'I always call her Anna, no wonder he could tell the difference.'

'Miss Delacour -' Moody said ignoring George.

'I'm taking Fleur by Thestral,' said Bill. 'She's not fond of brooms.'

Fleur walked over to stand beside him, giving him a look that Harry hope she herself would never give him in person.

'Miss Granger with Kingsley, again by Thestral -'

Hermione looked reassured as she answered Kingsley smile; Hermione too lacked confidence on a broomstick.

'Which leaves you and me, Ron!' Tonks said and Ron did not look quite as pleased as Hermione.

'And you're with me, Harry,' Hagrid said looking anxious. 'We'll be on your bike, brooms and Thestrals can't take me weight, see. 'Not a lot of room on the seat with me on it, though, so you'll be in the side car.'

Harry nodded at him.

'We think the Death Eaters will expect you to be on a broom,' Moody explained. 'Snape would have had plenty of time to tell them everything about you, he's never mentioned before. So, we're betting any Death Eaters we might happen to meet will choose one of the Potters on a broomstick. I give us three minutes until we're supposed to leave ... any last questions?'

'Yeah,' Ron said, Harry could tell that it was him, due that he was now standing next to Tonks. 'Why can't we sense magic like Harry does.'

Harry shook her head. 'Have I taught you nothing, after all these years,' she sighed, 'magic can only do so much - it has limitations - you can fake being me but you can't actually be me.'

'Won't these disguises be pointless if the real Harry gives us away - Snape's bound to have told them - and you can feel Anna's magic a mile off.' George said.

'Oh, don't worry Charming,' Harry said. 'I can mask it out now.'

'Good!' Moody growled. 'Do so before we set off - right no point locking the back door, it won't keep the Death Eaters out when they come in ... Come on ...'

Harry picked up her bag and followed the others outside, she put the strap of her bag over her shoulder and slide into the sidecar, stowing her wand in her pocket. Broomsticks were leaping into people's hands and Hermione and Fleur were being helped onto Thestrals.

'When you say, this is my bike -?' Harry said to Hagrid who was putting his goggles on.

'Oh, it was Sirius's, last time you were on it I could fit you in my hand!' Hagrid explained.

'Oh!' Harry said, unsure on what to say to that. She had forgotten that Sirius had given Hagrid his bike the night her parents had died.

'Arthur's done a bit of tinkering,' Hagrid said, settling himself astride the motorcycle. 'It's got a few tricks up its handlebars now. Nothing we won't be able to fix.'

'All right then,' Moody said. 'Everyone ready, please. Potter if you could mask your magical presence now - I want us all to leave at the same time or the whole point of the diversion's lost.'

Harry closed her eyes, and took deep breaths, opening them once she ready - she had been practising this for the hunt of the Horcruxes - masking her presence but still being able to sense others... Hagrid kicked the motorbike into life.

'Damn that's weird,' George said, looking at her in awe, from his broomstick. 'Can't even tell that you're powerful.'

'Right! Good luck everyone,' Moody shouted. 'See you all in about an hour at The Burrow. On the count of three. One ... Two ... Three.'

There was a great roar from the motorbike and Harry felt like she really should have just kicked up a fuss and flown to The Burrow herself, but her Animagus form needed to stay quiet - though she doubted it would last much longer. The sidecar was just uncomfortable though. She caught the last glimpse of number four, Privet Drive before they climbed higher and higher into the sky, that she could no longer tell which house it was - And then out of nowhere, out of nothing, they were surrounded. At least thirty hooded figures, suspended in mid-air, formed a vast circle in the midst of which the Order members had risen, oblivious -

Harry glanced around, from the middle of the circle, time seemed to freeze within that moment, waiting for the first person to make their move - Harry glanced at the other Potters, slowing pulling out her wand - then screams and a blaze of green on every side. Harry sent a blasting curse straight ahead though and it seemed the other Potters were playing their parts well - knowing her well enough to cast a spell first without even thinking about it. Hagrid sped straight towards the gap she created. Harry hastily looked around, as some of the Death Eaters sped towards Privet drive - seemed as though they were going to cover all grounds just to make sure - more Killing Curse fired at them and the motorbike rolled over. Harry placed a hand over her bag in a deathlike grip, so it wouldn't fall off her. And moments later there was a loud sounded blast in the distance - and like a beacon, a bright white light flashed across the night sky- Hagrid righted the bike -

'WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT!' Hagrid shouted.

'DEATH EATERS FOUND MY LITTLE WELCOMING GIFT,' Harry shouted back, and she watched the bright light form a shape of her Animagus, the symbol floated above of what she knew where the remains of Privet Drive. Well, she had told her uncle she rather see the place destroyed then live in it. At least Voldemort would get the hint, that she was out to get them. 'I BOOBY TRAPPED MY TRUNK WITH EXPLOSIVES.'

The motorbike zoomed forwards, Harry glanced over her shoulders once more - a jet a green light flew past her: four Death Eaters were now chasing them.

'Hold on Harry!' Hagrid roared, Harry looked in time to see Hagrid slamming a finger into a green button. A wall, a solid brick wall, erupted out of the exhaust pipe. Harry managed to see it expand into being in mid-air, three of the Death Eaters swerved and avoided it, but the forth was not so lucky: they had vanished from view and dropped like a boulder from behind it, their broomstick broken into pieces - Hagrid leaned over the handlebars and sped up.

More Killing Curses flew past Harry's head; they were aiming for Hagrid. Harry responded with Stunning Spells: red and green collided in mid-air -

'Here we go Harry, hold on!' Hagrid yelled, and he jabbed a second button. This time a net burst from the bike's exhaust, but the Death Eaters were ready for it. Not only had they swerved to avoid it, but one of the Death Eaters who had gone to rescue the one who'd fallen from his broomstick had caught up and now all three of them were pursuing the motorcycle, all shooting curses after it.

'This'll do it, hold on tight!' Hagrid yelled, and he slammed his whole hand on a purple button in the middle. With an unmistakable bellowing roar, dragon fire burst from the exhaust, and the motorbike shot forwards like a bullet. Harry caught sight of the Death Eaters swerving to avoid the deadly trail of flame, and at the same time the sidecar swayed: its metal connections to the bike had splintered with the force of the acceleration.

'It's all right,' Hagrid bellowed, now thrown flat on his back, and the sidecar was starting to twist violently. ''I'm on it, don't worry!' Hagrid yelled pulling out his flowery pink umbrella.

'Hagrid! No! Let me!'

'REPARO!'

There was a deafening bang and the sidecar broke away from the bike completely; Harry sped forwards, propelled by the impetus of the bike's flight, then the sidecar began to lose height - she was moments away from transforming when she was yanked by the scruff of her neck and placed onto motorbike seat - missing by inches more Killing Curses. Harry found herself back to back with Hagrid but this way she at least had a view of what was coming - instead of just relying upon her ability to sense magic. Harry pointed her wand at the falling side car, and yelled, ' _Confringo_!' The Death Eater nearest was blasted off their broom. She pointed her wand at the oncoming Death Eaters and yelled, ' _Impedimenta!'_ The jinx hit a Death Eater in the chest and he collided into his nearest companion.

'That'll teach you not to mess with me.' Harry muttered, wiping her mouth she could feel blood dripping down - she must have spilt her lip somehow -

'I'm sorry, Harry,' Hagrid shouted. 'I shouldn't have tried to fix it myself - you've got no room -'

'Forget about it, just keep flying!' Harry shouted as two more Death Eaters emerged out of the darkness, drawing closer. As the curses came shooting across the intervening space, Hagrid swerved and zigzagged. Harry send spells after spells back at their pursuers. She shot another blocking jinx; the closest Death Eater swerved to avoid it and his hood slipped and by the light of her next Stunning Spell, Harry saw the strangely blank face of Stanley Shunpike -

' _Expelliarmus!'_ Harry yelled.

'That's her, it her, it's the real one!'

The hooded Death Eater's shout reached Harry even above the roar of the motorbike's engine: next moment, both pursuers had fallen back and disappeared from view.

'Harry what's happened?' Hagrid bellowed. 'Where've they gone?'

This was not good. They had known that it was her - somehow - She gazed around at the apparently empty darkness. She clambered around on the seat, seizing hold of Hagrid's jacket.

'We need to get out of here and now!' Harry shouted.

'Hold on tight Harry!'

There was a deafening screeching roar; Harry felt herself slipping backwards off what little of the seat she had, Hagrid flung backwards upon her, barely maintaining his grip on the handle bars -

'I think we've lost them, I think we've done it!' Hagrid yelled.

Harry was not convinced ... she was sure that pursuers would come ... she was unsure why they had fallen back ... right after she tried to Disarm Stan ...

'We're nearly there Harry, we've nearly made it!' Hagrid shouted. Harry felt the bike drop a little. Then the scar on her forehead burned like fire: as a Death Eater appeared on either side of the bike - she had no choice when two Killing Curses shot for her - she transformed to miss them - transforming herself back hitting the seat with a thud - And then Harry saw him. Voldemort was flying, without a broomstick or Thestral to hold him, his snake-like face gleaming out of the blackness, his white fingers raising his wand -

Hagrid let out a bellow of fear and steered the motorbike into a vertical dive. Clinging on for dear life, Harry sent Stunning Spells behind her at random. She saw a body fly past them and knew she'd managed to hit one of them, but then loud bang and sparks came from the engine; the motorbike spiralled through the air, completely out of control -

Jets of green light shot past them again. Harry had no idea which way was up, which down. Her scar was still burning; she expected to die at any second. A hooded figure on a broomstick was feet away from her, she saw them raise their arm -

'NO!'

With a shout of fury, Hagrid launched himself off the bike at the Death Eater, to her horror, Harry saw both Hagrid and the Death Eater falling out of sight, their combined weight too much for the broomstick - barely gripping the bike with her knees, Harry heard Voldemort screams, ' _MINE!'_

It was over; she could not see or hear Voldemort but she could sense where he was. The pain from Harry's scar forced her eyes shut, her wand acted of its own accord. She felt it drag her hand round like some magnet, she saw a spurt of golden fire through half-closed eyelids, heard a crack and a scream of fury. The remaining Death Eaters yelled; Voldemort screamed, and Harry found her nose an inch from the dragon-fire button: she punched it with her free hand and the bike shot more flames into the air, hurtling straight towards the ground. With what strength, she had left she Summoned Hagrid. The motorbike sped up, towards the earth. Harry could see nothing but distant lights growing nearer and nearer: she was going to crash. Behind her came another scream -

' _Your wand, Selwyn, give me your wand!'_

She felt Voldemort before she saw him. Looking sideways, she stared into red eyes: Voldemort was preparing to curse her once more - And then Voldemort vanished. Harry looked down and saw Hagrid spread-eagled on the ground below, she felt for the brake, but with an ear-splitting, ground-trembling crash, she smashed into a muddy pond.


	113. Chapter 113

Harry tried to get herself out of the muddy water, to make her way over to the form of Hagrid's body, she made it as far as the bank of the pond. She looked up into the night sky; Voldemort had disappeared - had they passed into the Orders wards? Where they even in the right place?

'Hagrid? Hagrid, talk to me -'

But the mass did not stir.

'Who's there? Is it Potter? Are you Harianna Potter?'

Harry did not recognise the man's voice. Then a woman shouted, 'They've crashed, Ted! Crashed in the garden!'

The next thing she knew, she was lying on her back, with a burning sensation in her ribs and right arm. The scar on her forehead was still throbbing.

'Hagrid?'

She opened her eyes and saw that she was lying on a sofa in an unfamiliar, lamplit sitting room. Her bag lay on the floor a short distance away, wet and muddy. A fair-haired, big-bellied man was watching Harry anxiously.

'Hagrid's fine,' said the man, 'the wife's seeing to him now. How are you feeling? Anything else broken? I've fixed your ribs and your arm. I'm Ted, by the why, Ted Tonks - Dora's father.'

'Voldemort -' Harry said, wincing as she tried to sit up.

'Easy,' Ted Tonks said, placing a hand on Harry's shoulder. 'That was a nasty crash you had. What happened anyway? Something wrong with the bike? Arthur Weasley overstretch himself again, him and his Muggle contraptions?'

'No,' Harry said, gripping at her forehead. 'Death Eaters, loads of them -'

'Death Eaters?' Ted said sharply. 'What d'you mean Death Eaters? I thought they didn't know you were being moved tonight -'

'They knew,' Harry said simply.

Ted Tonks looked up at the ceiling. 'Well, we know our protective charms hold, then, don't we? They shouldn't be able to get within a hundred yards of the place in any direction.'

The door opened and Hagrid squeezed through it, his face covered in mud and blood, limping but alive.

'Harry!'

Hagrid knocked over two tables and covered the floor between them in two strides and pulled Harry into a hug. 'Blimey Harry, how did you get out of that? I thought we were both goners.'

'I did, too -' Harry broke off; she just noticed the woman who had entered the room behind Hagrid, she resembled Bellatrix. Harry's hand went straight to her pocket, but it was empty.

'Your wand's here,' Ted said, handing it over. 'It fell right beside you. Though you have nothing to fear from my wife - she recognised you as the Black Head.'

As the woman stepped forwards, Harry could see the difference between Mrs Tonks and that of her sister; her hair was light, soft brown and her eyes were wider and kinder.

'What happened to our daughter?' she asked. 'Hagrid said you were ambushed.'

'She was heading to a different safe house - so I don't know,' Harry explained. 'I have no idea what happened to anyone else.' Her voice broke off; she needed to get to The Burrow, she needed to find out what happened to her friends - and George - she really needed to see him. Mr and Mrs Tonks exchanged looks. A mixture of fear and guilt consumed her; if any of the others died, it was her fault, all her fault. She had consented to the plan, give them her hair ...

'Easy now -' Ted said softly. 'No need for you to feel guilty.'

'Sorry,' Harry mumbled. 'I didn't mean to project -'

'Dora will be ok. She knows her stuff, she's been in plenty of tights spots with the Aurors.' Ted said.

'The Portkey -' Harry said. 'We'll be able to send word once we've got back to The Burrow.'

'The Portkey's through here,' Ted gestured out of the room. 'It's supposed to leave in three minutes.'

Harry nodded, grabbing her bag and getting to her feet. 'I'll tell - Dora - to send word when she ... turns up ... thanks for patching us up, thanks for everything -'

She followed Ted Tonks along the hallway and into a bedroom. Hagrid came after them, bending low to avoid hitting his head.

'There you go. That's the Portkey.'

Mr Tonks was pointing to a small, silver-backed hairbrush lying on the dressing table.

'I'm sorry -' Harry said. 'If I knew more - I would tell you.'

Ted Tonks squeezed her shoulder, quickly. Harry reached out for the hairbrush, placing a finger upon it.

'Hagrid!' Ted Tonks said warningly, as the hairbrush glowed bright blue, and Hagrid only just got his forefinger to it in time. With a jerk behind the navel she was dragged forwards, she was pulled into nothingness, her finger glued to the Portkey as she and Hagrid hurtled away from Mr Tonks: seconds later Harry's feet slammed on the hard ground, falling onto her knees in the yard of The Burrow. She heard screams. She threw aside the no longer glowing hairbrush, Harry stood up, and saw Mrs Weasley and Ginny running down the steps by the back door, as Hagrid clambered to his own feet.

'Harry? Are you the real Harry? What happened? Where are the others?' Mrs Weasley cried.

'Yes - Death Eaters - Voldemort - What d'you mean? Isn't anyone else back?' Harry panted, but the answer was etched in Mrs Weasley's pale face.

'Thank goodness, you're all right, though,' she said pulling her into a hug.

'Haven't got any brandy, have you, Molly?' Hagrid asked. 'For medicinal purposes?

She could have summoned it by magic, but instead, she hurried back towards the crooked house. Harry looked towards Ginny and she answered her unspoken plea for information.

'Ron and Tonks should have been back first, but they missed their Portkey, it came without them,' she said pointing at oil can lying on the ground. 'That one,' she pointed at an ancient plimsoll, 'should have been dad and Fred's. You and Hagrid were third and,' she checked her watch, 'if they made it, George and Lupin ought to be back any minute.'

Mrs Weasley reappeared carrying a bottle of brandy, which she handed to Hagrid.

'Mum!' Ginny shouted, pointing to a spot several feet away. A blue light had appeared in darkness: it grew larger and brighter, and Remus and George appeared, spinning and then falling. Harry knew immediately that there was something wrong: Remus was supporting George, her boyfriend was unconscious and his face was covered in blood. Mrs Weasley flicked her wand, George began to float in mid-air. And they hurried inside, as soon as George was settled down on the sofa, Harry gasped, her hand covered her mouth. As the lamplight fell across George's head, as could see one of his ears was missing. The side of his head and neck drenched in wet, shockingly scarlet blood.

No sooner had Mrs Weasley bent over her son, Remus rounded on Harry, wand at that ready.

'Oi!' Hagrid said indignantly. 'What are you pointing your wand at Harry for?'

Remus ignored him. 'Harianna Potter's Boggart represents what exactly?'

Harry blinked at him. Why would he ask her that? Her Boggart was a Dementor which - _oh_ \- 'Fear - what I fear most is fear.'

Remus's wand lowered. 'I'm sorry Anna, but I had to check,' he said. 'We've been betrayed. Voldemort knew you were being moved tonight and only people who could have told him were directly in the plan. You might have been an impostor.'

'So why aren't you checking me?' Hagrid panted.

'You're half-giant,' Remus said looking up. 'The Polyjuice Potion is designed for human use only.'

'None of the Order would have told Voldemort we were moving tonight,' Harry said, dreading the idea. 'Voldemort only caught up with me at the end, he didn't know which one I was. If he'd been in on the plan, he'd known from the start I was the one with Hagrid.'

'Voldemort caught up with you?' Remus said sharply. 'What happened? How did you escape?'

Harry explained what happened, briefly, how the Death Eaters pursuing them seemed to recognise her as the true Harry, how they abandoned the chase, and how Voldemort appeared just before they reached the sanctuary of Tonk's parents'.

'They recognised you? But how? What had you done?'

'I ... saw Stan Shunpike ... you know, the bloke who was the conductor on the Knight Bus? I Disarm-'

'Anna!' Remus said, shaking her. 'The time for Disarming is in the past! These people are trying to capture and kill you! At least Stun if you aren't prepared to kill!'

'If I had Stunned him - he would have been dead anyway - I panicked - Disarming is what saved me from Voldemort.'

'That's exactly my point,' Remus replied. 'A great number of Death Eaters witnessed that happening! Forgive me, but it was a very unusual move then, under imminent threat of death. Repeating it tonight in front of Death Eaters who either witnessed or heard about the first occasion was close to suicidal!'

'So, what do want me to do,' Harry said defensively. 'Not use it again?'

'Of course, I don't expect you to do that,' Remus said, 'but Death Eaters would have expected you to attack back! Disarming is a useful spell, Harry, but the Death Eaters seem to think it's your signature move, and I urge you not let it become so!'

There was scuffling from outside. Remus dived from the back door; Harry sprinted into the yard. Two figures appeared in the yard and as she ran forward, she realised they were Hermione, and Kingsley, both clutching at a bent coat hanger. Hermione flung herself towards Harry, wrapping her into a hug, Kingsley showed no pleasure at the sight of them. Harry saw him raise his wand and point at Remus's chest.

'The last words Albus Dumbledore spoke to the pair of us?'

 _'"Harianna is the best hope we have. Trust her,"'_ Remus said calmly. Kingsley turned his wand on Harry, but Remus said. 'It's Anna, I've checked!'

'All right, all right!' Kingsley said, stowing his wand back. 'But somebody betrayed us! They knew they knew it was tonight!'

'So, it seems,' Remus said, 'but apparently, they did not realise that there would be seven Harry's.'

'Small comfort!' Kingsley snarled. 'Who else is back?'

'Only Anna, Hagrid, George and me.' Remus said, leading the way back in. 'What happened to you?'

'Followed by five, injured two, might've killed one,' Kingsley said, 'and we saw You Know Who as well, he joined the chase halfway through, but vanished pretty quickly. Remus, he can -'

'Fly,' Harry supplied. 'I saw him too, he came after us.'

'So, that's why he left - to follow you!' Kingsley said. 'I couldn't understand why he vanished. But what made him change targets?'

'Anna behaved a little too kindly to Stan Shunpike,' Remus answered.

'Stan?' Hermione repeated. 'But I thought he was in Azkaban?'

Kingsley let out a mirthless laugh. 'Hermione, there's obviously been a mass breakout which the Ministry has hushed up. Travers's hood fell off when I cursed him, he's supposed to be inside too.'

'Remus,' Mrs Weasley said looking up at him when they entered the room. 'Isn't there anything we can do? I've managed to stop the bleeding. But his ear?'

'I dunno -' Remus said. 'His ear was cursed off - replacing it -' he looked at Harry. 'Well, you're better at defying odds.'

'Snape?' Harry asked stepping forward, Mrs Weasley stepped out of the way.

'Snape.' Remus said.

'What happened?' Hermione asked, looking over anxiously.

'George lost an ear -' Remus answered. 'I didn't need Snape's hood to fall off to tell me who it was. _Sectumsempra_ was always a speciality of his. I wish I could say I paid him back in kind, but it was all I could do to keep George on the broom after he was injured, he was losing so much blood.'

Harry bent down and examined the wound, digging into her bag pulling from it the Half-Blood Prince's Potion book and her mother's Ancient Magic book. 'I think so,' she said flicking through a few pages. 'If I mixed a few combinations, I might be able to get his ear to regrow - I can't promise anything though - Dark Magic -'

Remus held up his hand. 'Just tell us what you need.'

Harry laughed, pulling out already pre-brewed potions from her bag and a white tub. 'Oh, I don't need anything. I've got everything right here.'

Remus rubbed his temple. 'Do I want to know how you managed to make those?'

'I didn't use any magic - neither did I ask Dob or Wink,' Harry said defensively. 'I just may have borrowed the gas cooker - without permission -'

Hermione looked at her thoughtfully. 'That's - that's really clever.'

A crash sounded from the kitchen. Kingsley made his way towards the room.

'I'll prove who I am, Kingsley, after I've seen my son, now back off if you know what's good for you!'

Harry had never heard Mr Weasley shout like that before, she almost moved out of the way when he burst through into the living room, but he made no motion to move her. Fred was right behind Mr Weasley, pale but uninjured.

'Arthur!' Mrs Weasley sobbed. 'Oh, thank goodness!'

Mr Weasley placed an arm around his wife, his head still looking in George's direction. 'How is he?'

'Alive,' Harry said, and as far as she was concerned, that was all that mattered. 'I'm working on his ear - you'll have to bear with me - Dark magic - I'm hoping Ancient magic will be able to help us.'

Harry glanced at Fred, who looked bewildered. He gaped at his twin's wound as if he could not believe what he was seeing. 'He would have never of forgiven himself - if it had been you.' he said softly.

A groan sounded from beside her, Harry turned her head. George was beginning to stir.

'A-anna -' he gasped out hoarsely. 'Anna.'

Harry, placed her hand on of one of his. 'I'm right here.'

Speckled eyes blinked open - they had a sleepy look to them. He smiled faintly at her.

'How do you feel, Georgie?' Mrs Weasley whispered. George's fingers groped for the side if his head.

'Saint-like,' he murmured.

'What's wrong with him?' Fred croaked, looking terrified. 'Is his mind affected?'

'Saint-like,' George repeated, looking up at his brother. 'You see ... I'm holy. _Holey,_ Fred, geddit?'

Mrs Weasley sobbed, Harry choked back her tears. Colour flooded Fred's pale face.

'Pathetic,' he told George. 'Pathetic! With the whole wide world of ear-related humour before you, you go for _holey?'_

'Give me a chance,' George grinned. 'I've had a very drastic experience, which I've only just woken up from - besides having Anna looking after me, it's rather distracting ...' Harry felt her face heat up, she had been kneeling beside him, her arms leaning on the edge of the sofa. She made to move away, but his arm moved behind her, resting on her waist. 'Why aren't Bill and Ron huddled around my sickbed?'

'They're not back yet, George,' Mrs Weasley said. George's grin faded. The quiet resumed, Harry tended to George's wound, first she opened the white tub, which contained a thick grey, paste. 'It's a herbal remedy - I don't want to close your wound, not if we're trying to get your ear to regrow - it's just too numb the pain.' she told him upon his puzzled look. 'I don't want to give you too many potions either - you'll need, Blood Replenishing and Skele-Gro though, and I've got another herbal remedy ... which I hope will develop your skin - that's the part I'm concerned _about_ working. Dark Magic -'

George's hand moved to cup her face. 'I trust you ... if you believe this might work ... I'm willing to try.'

Harry placed a bottle to his lips. 'Drink up then.' he swallowed and grimaced. Harry began to apply the grey-paste to his wound. She ignored everyone else around her though she caught sight of them. Kingsley was pacing in the background, glancing up at the sky every time he turned. Hagrid, Hermione and Remus stood shoulder to shoulder, gazing upwards in silence. It was Harry who turned around, towards the front door. 'Someone's coming ... I can sense two people.'

Wands raised towards the door - and moments later - stumbling through it, came Tonks, followed by Ron.

'Remus!' Tonks cried, throwing herself into his arms. Ron dazedly stepped forwards to Hermione.

'You're OK,' he mumbled before Hermione flew at him and hugged him tightly.

'I thought - I thought -'

''M all right,' Ron said, hugging her back, he glanced in Harry's direction, relief upon his face. 'You made it back safely too then.'

Harry nodded. 'I'd hug you - but I've covered in goo.' she held up her hands. Ron frowned at her, then noticed -

'George!'

'I'm fine!' he replied. 'Just had my ear cursed off - Anna's fixing me up. I'm fine.'

Ron looked around. 'So, we're waiting for Bill, Fleur, Mad-Eye and Mundungus.'

'Yeah-'

'So, what happened? What kept you?' Remus said to Tonks sounding almost angry with her.

'Bellatrix,' Tonks said. 'She tried very hard to kill me. Ron was great. Stunned one of the Death Eaters, straight to the head ... Rodolpus ... then we got to Ron's Auntie Muriel's and we missed our Portkey and she was fussing over us -' she sighed. 'So, what happened to you lot?'

They recounted the stories of their own journeys when finished Kingsley said; 'I'm going to have to get back to Downing Street. I should have been there an hour ago, let me know when the others are back.'

Remus nodded. With a wave to the others, Kingsley walked out of The Burrow. A few moments after he Disapparated, there was a general outcry, from above The Burrow: A Thestral landed a few feet away from the house. Bill and Fleur slid from its back and entered the living room.

'Bill! Thank God, thank God -'

Both Bill and Fleur looked windswept but unhurt. Their expressions matched each others.

'Mad-Eye's dead.' Bill said, softly.

Nobody spoke, nobody moved.

'We saw it,' Bill said. 'It happened just after we broke out of the circle: Mad-Eye and Dung were close by, they were heading north too. Voldemort - he can fly - went straight from them. Dung panicked, I heard him cry out, Mad-Eye tried to stop him, but he Disapparated. Voldemort's curse hit Mad-Eye full in the face, he fell backwards off his broom and - there was nothing we could, nothing, we had half a dozen of them on our own tail -'

'Of course, you couldn't have done anything,' Remus said. They all looked at each other, the silence resumed, they all seemed to be thinking the same thing ... each of them unable to comprehend the news. 'So Mundungus disappeared?' Remus said, breaking the silence.

The atmosphere changed at once: everybody looked tense, watching Remus, wanting him to go on.

'I know what you're thinking,' Bill said, 'and I wondered that too, on the way back here, because they were expecting us. But Mundungus can't have betrayed us. They didn't know there would be seven Harrys, that confused them the moment we appeared, and in case you've forgotten, it was Mundungus who suggested that little bit of tricky. Why wouldn't he have told them the essential point? I think Dung panicked, it's a simple as that. He didn't want to come in the first place, but Mad-Eye made him, and You Know Who went straight for them: it was enough to make anyone panic.'

'You Know Who acted exactly as Mad-Eye expected him to,' Tonks sniffed. 'Mad-Eye said he'd expect the real Harry to be with the toughest, most skilled Aurors. He chased Mad-Eye first, and when Mundungus gave them away he switched to Kingsley ...'

'Yes and zat eez all very good,' Fleur snapped, 'but still eet does not explain 'ow they knew we were moving 'Arry tonight, does eet? Somebody must 'ave been careless. Somebody let slip ze date to an outsider. Eet eez ze only explanation for zem knowing ze date but not ze 'ole plan.'

Fleur glared around at them all, silently daring any of them to contradict her. Nobody did, the only sound was that of Hagrid hiccoughing from behind his handkerchief. Harry glanced at Hagrid, who had risked his own life to save hers - and she looked around the room at the others - she glanced over her boyfriend, who she knew would willing do anything for her, over the rest of the Weasleys who were kind enough to treat her like family, to Remus, who had taught her so much - to her best friends, who had stood by her.

'No,' Harry said aloud, and they all looked at her, surprised. 'I mean ... if somebody made a mistake, and let something slip, I know they did not mean to do it. It's not their fault. We've got to trust each other. I trust all of you, I don't think anyone in this room would sell me to Voldemort.'

More silence followed her words. They were all looking at her. Harry thought of Mad-Eye, he had always been scathing about Dumbledore's willingness to trust people, but Harry could see no shame in it. She caught Remus expression as he looked at her: it was close to pitying.

'You think I'm a fool?' Harry said.

'No,' Remus replied. 'I think you're like James, who would have regarded it as the height of dishonour to mistrust his friends.'

Harry knew what he had been implying: her father had been betrayed by his friend, Peter Pettigrew. But Sirius had trusted him then too, it had been Sirius's idea to use him. She was not angry with Remus for trying to point that out, so she simply said, 'Mysteries are a wondrous thing, but none more so than that of the human heart. And if that makes me foolish ... then so be it.'

Remus frowned at her, shaking his head he turned to Bill. 'There's work to be done. I can ask Kingsley whether -'

'No,' Bill said at once. 'I'll do it, I'll come.'

'Where are you going?' Tonks and Fleur said together.

'Mad-Eye's body,' Remus said, 'We need to recover it.'

'Can't it -?' began Mrs Weasley, with an appealing look at Bill.

'Wait?' Bill said. 'Not unless you'd rather the Death Eaters took it?'

Nobody spoke. Remus and Bill said goodbye and left. The rest of them sank into chairs, Harry returned to kneeling beside George, she sat out the bottles of potions on the nearest table.

'Don't even think about doing what you're thinking,' George said, warning her. His hand reached up to her chin, he turned her face to make her look at him. 'I know you far too well - don't even think about leaving - the whole point of tonight was to get you here safely.'

'You're all in danger while I'm here.' She rubbed her forehead: it was prickling again; it had not hurt like this for more than a year. 'I don't want -'

'Don't be so silly!' Mrs Weasley said. 'We've arranged everything so that we can all stay together and look after you - and Fleur agreed to get married here rather than in France -'

'If Voldemort finds out I'm here -'

'But, why should he?' Mrs Weasley asked.

'There are a dozen places you might be now, Harry,' Mr Weasley said. 'He's got no way of knowing which safe house you're in.'

'It's not me I'm worried about!' Harry said hotly.

'We know that,' Mr Weasley said quietly, 'but it would make our efforts tonight seem rather pointless if you left.'

'You're not going anywhere,' Hagrid growled. 'Blimey, Harry, after all, we went through to get you here?'

Harry was angry, did they not understand.

'Stay, at least until the wedding,' George said simply, now hoisting himself up on his cushions. 'Besides, Anna, until your Birthday, you'll still have the Trace on you - cast any magic and he'll find you.'

Harry looked at him, searching his speckled eyes, that shone with honesty.

'Stay,' he repeated.

How could she deny him anything? 'OK. Just until the wedding.'

...

'You told me the problem would be solved by using another's wand!'

An emaciated old man lying in rags upon a stone was screaming, a horrible, drawn-out scream, a scream of unendurable agony ...

'No! No! I beg you ...'

'You lied to Lord Voldemort, Ollivander!'

'I did not ... I swear I did not ...'

'You sought to help Potter, to help her escape me!'

'I swear I did not ... I believed a different wand would work ...'

'Explain then, what happened. Lucius's wand is destroyed!'

'I cannot understand ... the connection ... exists only ... between your two wands ...'

'Lies!'

'Please ... I beg you ...'

A white hand raised its wand and Harry felt Voldemort surge of anger, saw the frail old man on the floor writhe in agony -

'Anna?' a voice called out to her softly.

Harry rubbed at her eyes, George's face came into focus. She had fallen asleep kneeling at the side of the couch he had been sleeping on. 'I'm fine,' she said shakily. Her back and her legs ached, her neck was a little stiff. 'You should be sleeping ... is your ear hurting?'

'It tingles ... but it's not painful...' he replied, shifting his body over. 'Come and join me, you can't be comfortable where you are.'

'Your mother-'

'Can tell us off, in the bloody morning,' he chuckled softly, 'Are you sure, you're ok? You look a little pale.'

'Well ... I probably look better than Ollivander ...' Harry said, sliding onto the sofa next to him, snuggling against him. She told him everything she had seen.

'But you said that the visions had stopped. That you were both blocking each other out -' George muttered.

'I know,' Harry said, 'the only thing I can think of, is that he is too angry and let his barriers drop.'

'But then he could -'

Harry shook her head. 'Dumbledore didn't think so - Voldemort fears the connection our minds have - he won't try to use it against me, again.'

George sighed. 'You sure?'

Harry smiled, 'Voldemort might not be Occulding, but I sure am - I'll know if he breaks my own barriers ... don't worry, and try to get some sleep. I'll check on your wound in the morning.'

George's breaths brushed coldly against her skin, sending shivers down her spine, and she could smell his musky scent, as her eyelids dropped. When she woke, she felt rather warm ... lifting her head she found the reason - George had wrapped an arm around her, as they slept - which had pressed her body closer to his own. Surprisingly she could hear rustling from the kitchen, which meant Mrs Weasley was up, though they had not been woken by her or told off.

...

The shock of losing Mad-Eye hung over the house in the days that followed, Harry knew the others were right about waiting for her Birthday before setting off. In the days that followed, she hardly saw Ron and Hermione. And Mrs Weasley seemed to be acting rather odd; Harry was sure that by now, her and George would have been scolded for sharing the sofa, instead of going to separate beds. She seemed to encourage the time they spent together.

'I think, she feels that the more time you spend with me, the less you're likely to leave,' George said, grimacing slightly, due to Harry applying cream to his newly formed ear.

'Sorry,' Harry muttered sheepishly to him. 'Not much longer, I don't think, the skin is no longer flaking. A few more days should do it. And I suppose you're right ... though as much as I like spending time with you ... it's not going to stop me from leaving.'

'I know that,' George said softly. 'And I know mum is aware of that, deep down, but still, one can hope, right?'

Harry groaned. 'From what I have heard from Ron and Hermione ... your mum is also rather determined to find out what we're up to.'

'Oh yeah ... dad and Remus both asked them, but when they said Dumbledore told you not to tell anyone but them, they dropped it. But I'd brace yourself ... I'm sure she's just waiting until I've been given the all clear -'

'You were given the all clear days ago - your ear is just a bit _sensitive_ ,' Harry muttered.

George's prediction came true within hours. Shortly before lunch as Harry was washing the herbal cream off her skin, Mrs Weasley cornered her.

'Ron and Hermione seem to think that the three of you are dropping out of Hogwarts,' she said in a casual tone.

'Oh,' Harry said, 'Well, yeah, we are.'

'May I ask why you are abandoning your education?' Mrs Weasley asked.

'No,' Harry said. 'I'm sorry but I can't tell you. Ron and Hermione know, because Dumbledore said they could know, and they want to join me.'

'But what will you be doing?'

'Stuff.'

'What sort of "stuff"?'

'I'm sorry, I can't -'

'Well frankly, I think Arthur and I have a right to know, and I'm sure Mr and Mrs Granger would agree!' said Mrs Weasley.

'Well, Dumbledore didn't want anyone else to know, Mrs Weasley. I'm sorry. Ron and Hermione don't have to come but they want to -'

'I don't see why you have to go either!' she snapped. 'You're barely of age, any of you! It's utter nonsense if Dumbledore needed work doing, he had the whole Order at his command! Harry, you must have misunderstood him. Probably he was telling you something he wanted done, and you took it to mean that he wanted you -'

'I did not misunderstand,' Harry said slowly.

'MUM!' George said hotly, from the kitchen doorway. 'Leave it-'

'No - I don't see why I should - and I don't understand why _you_ are not doing anything to stop her,' Mrs Weasley argued.

George ran a hand through his hair, he looked slightly defeated. 'Because it would only delay the inevitable - and then Anna would only hate me for doing so - and I love her too much, for that - so drop it. If Anna says Dumbledore tasked her with something - than he did so, and I'm sure he believed that she, as well as Ron and Hermione, were the best ones suited for it.'

Mrs Weasley frowned, looking from George to Harry.

'It's not like I don't trust you or that I don't want to tell you,' Harry said softly. 'But the more people that know, the more we'll be in danger and the more someone else finds out what we are up to. And I can't afford for him to find out.'

Mrs Weasley sighed heavily, though she said nothing. She still kept Harry, Ron and Hermione away from each other.

'Told you,' George murmured, they were sitting at the kitchen table, making vol-au-vents for the wedding.

'I know what your mum is trying to do,' Harry replied. 'But someone else is not going to kill off Voldemort while she's holding us here.''

She had spoken without thinking, and saw George's face whiten.

'So, that's what you're trying to do,' he said. 'How? When? What's the plan?'

Not wanting to lie to him, Harry said, 'I can't tell you - I'm sorry - I've already said more than I should have.'

The door opened, and Mr Weasley, Kingsley and Bill walked in, saving Harry from George taking the conversation further. They were often joined by Order members, because The Burrow had replaced number twelve, Grimmauld Place as the Headquarters. Mr Weasley had explained that after the death of Dumbledore, their Secret Keeper, each of the people to whom Dumbledore had confided Grimmauld Place's location had become a Secret Keeper in turn. He had urged her to change her Secret Keeper for Runewald. He had been slightly shocked to learn that there had been no need to, as Dumbledore had never been her Secret Keeper. The main problem was Snape and the Malfoys, they could have by now told the Death Eaters the address by now. But Mr Weasley said Mad-Eye had set up a couple of curses against Snape, if he ever turned up there again, and he did not think that either Snape or the Malfoys were aware that they were new Secret Keepers. The Order were just being safe rather than sorry.

'Any news about Mad-Eye?' Harry asked Bill.

'Nothing,' he replied.

They had not been able to hold a funeral for Moody, because Bill and Remus had failed to recover his body. It had been difficult to know where he might have fallen, given the darkness and the confusion of the battle.

'The _Daily Prophet_ hasn't said a word about him dying, or about finding the body,' Bill went on, 'but that doesn't mean much. It's keeping quiet these days.'

'And they haven't printed a word about me using magic whilst under-age I used escaping the Death Eaters,' Harry said. 'I knew being Lady Potter gave me an exemption, but really - I thought Rita would be lapping that up.'

'Scrimgeour doesn't want to admit that You Know Who is powerful as he is, nor that Azkaban's seen a mass breakout.'

'Yeah, why tell the public the truth,' Harry uttered disapprovingly. 'I wish there was someway or somehow we could - people have a right to know what's happening.'

'Yeah, isn't anyone at the Ministry prepared to stand up to him?' Ron asked angrily.

'Of course, Ron, but people are terrified,' Mr Weasley replied, 'terrified that they will be next to disappear, their children the next to be attacked! There are nasty rumours going around; I, for one, don't believe the Muggle Studies professor at Hogwarts resigned. She hasn't been seen for weeks now. Meanwhile, Scrimgeour remains shut up in his office all day: I just hope he's working on a plan.'

There was a pause in which Mrs Weasley magicked the empty plates on the side, and served apple tart.

'We must decide 'ow you will be disguised, 'Arry,' Fleur said. 'For the wedding,' she added, when she looked confused. 'Of course, none of our guest are Death Eaters, but we cannot guarantee zat they will not let something slip after zey 'ave 'ad champagne.'

'I could use a Glamour - look more like my mother - she had auburn red hair,' Harry said thoughtfully, causing herself to laugh a little. 'I'd fit right in - anyone looking for me would look for someone that looked like my dad - so I think that could work - I could change the eye colour too - made it look like I'm a cousin or something...'

'I'd think that would work out rather well,' Mr Weasley said. 'I forgot to mention to you - Ted sent on Sirius's bike - I'm fixing it up for you.'

'Thanks, Mr Weasley.'

'None of that, you hear,' he said, 'If you're going to pretend that your family, you'll call us Arthur and Molly.'

Harry blanched, she did not think she could do that, her best friends parents had been Mr and Mrs Weasley for too long. 'I - I'll try.'

After dinner, Harry snuck up to Ron's room. he had been ordered to clean it up. She was not the only one who had thought of this idea, Hermione was already in his room, sitting in the corner sorting books, into enormous piles.

'Hi Harry,' she said, as Harry sat down on the edge of Ron's bed.

'Hey.'

'We were just talking about Mad-eye,' Ron said. 'I reckon he might have survived.'

'I don't think so - Bill saw him hit by the Killing Curse and Fleur said his wand was blasted out of his hand -' Harry said. 'So even if the Killing Curse missed, he would have still ... fallen to his death.'

Ron shuddered. 'The Death Eaters probably cleaned up after themselves then, that's why no one's found him.'

'Most likely,' Harry said, thinking of how Barty Crouch's body had been Transfigured into a bone and buried. 'And I think they've done it to get back at me - I did sort of blow up Privet Drive -'

'There was no "sort of" about it,' Hermione said.

'Hay,' Harry said defensively. 'It's not my fault they opened my trunk - I never told them to.'

'You know - I think George is a bad influence on you,' Ron muttered, shaking his head. Harry shrugged, after all what could she say to that. In reality they were a bad influence on each other, but there was no need to tell anyone else that, they already knew.

'So you're deciding on what books to take with you then?' Harry said, indicating to Hermione's pile.

'Yeah,' Hermione said. 'I've been packing for days, so we're ready to leave at a moment's notice, I've even smuggled Mad-Eye's whole stock of Polyjuice Potion right under Mrs Weasleys nose.'

'Oh - I hadn't thought of that - I mean I thought of how we could disguise ourselves -' Harry said. 'I even managed to brew a concealer that hides my tattoo and scar - took me bloody ages -'

'Good - we've got that covered then - Hermione and I have our cover stories as well.' Ron said. Harry stared at them both, baffled slightly.

'I had to modify my parents' memories -' Hermione said. 'I told them far too much about you - so they are now convinced they're names are Wendell and Monica Wilkins, they have moved to Australia - which I hope will make it more difficult for Voldemort to track them down. Assuming I survive our hunt for the Horcruxes, I'll find mum and dad and lift the enchantment. If I don't - well I think I've cast a good enough charm to keep them safe and happy. Wendell and Monica Wilkins have no idea that they even have a daughter, you see.'

'Oh 'Mione - I'm sorry you felt like you had to do that,' Harry said. 'You know I'd never ask you to.'

'I know,' Hermione said softly. 'But Ron and I both know perfectly well what might happen if we come with you. I'd rather my parents were safe - or as safe as I can make them.'

'As for me,' Ron said. 'Well I'm going to have Spattergroit; which is highly contagious - well it won't really be me - dad, Fred and George helped me - we've transformed the ghoul in the attic, to look like me, kinda.'

'Right.' Harry said, running a hand through her hair.

'Well when the three of us don't turn up at Hogwarts, everyone's going to think Hermione and I are with you. Which means the Death Eaters will go straight for our families to see if they've got information on where you are.'

'But hopefully it'll look like I've gone away with my parents'; a lot of Muggle-borns are talking about going into hiding at the moment,' Hermione said.

'We can't hide my whole family, it'll look too fishy, and they can't leave their jobs,' Ron said. 'So, we're going to put out the story I'm seriously ill, which is why I can't go back to school. And if anyone comes to investigate, mum or dad can show them the ghoul in my bed, and they won't want to get to close. It won't matter that he can't say anything either, because apparently, you can't once the fungus has spread to your uvula.'

'What we need to decide is what we are going to do after the wedding.' Hermione said. 'I know you said you wanted to go to Godric's Hollow first, but I think ... I mean what if Voldemort is keeping an eye on Godric's Hollow. He might expect you to return so you can vosit your parents graves once you're free to go wherever you'd like.'

'And this R.A.B person,' Ron added. 'The one who stole the real locket - we need to find out if they were successful in doing so - and once we've tracked the real one down - how do we go about destroying a Horcrux?'

'Well,' Hermione said. 'I've been researching that.'

'How?' Ron asked. 'I thought you said there weren't any books on them in the Hogwarts library.'

'Oh, there wasn't,' Harry said, smirking, 'Hermione Summoned them all, after Dumbledore's funeral – Dumbledore, removed them all, be he didn't destroy them - and well they came right into the girls' dormitory.'

Ron shook his head, 'Should have known. So where are these books?'

Hermione gestured to the pile, then extracted one from it, it was a large volume, bound in faded black leather. 'This one gives explicit instructions on how to make a Horcrux. _Secrets of the Darkest Art -_ it's a horrible book, really awful, full of evil magic. I bet Voldemort got his information from here - if Dumbledore did not remove the books until he was Headmaster.'

'Why did he ask Slughorn then, if he already knew how?' Ron said.

'Because,' Harry said. 'He wanted to know what would happen to the person, who spilt their soul seven ways. Dumbledore was sure Riddle knew how to make a Horcrux by the time he asked Slughorn. I think he had even done so - his diary - that was definitely his first one.'

'Well the more I read about them, the more horrible they seem,' Hermione said, 'and the less I believe he made six. In warns in this book how unstable you make the rest of your soul by ripping it, and that's just by making one Horcrux!'

'Isn't there any way of putting yourself back together?' Ron asked.

'Yes,' Hermione said, with a hollow smile, 'but it would be excruciatingly painful.'

'Why? How do you do it.'

'Remorse,' Hermione said. 'You've got to really feel what you've done. There's a footnote. Apparently, the pain of it can destroy you. I can't see Voldemort attempting it somehow, can you?'

'No,' Ron said. 'So how do you destroy a Horcrux?'

'You have to use something so destructive that the Horcrux can't repair itself.'

'Oh of course the Basilisk fang,' Harry said. 'I used it to destroy the diary and Basilisk venom only has one cure - phoenix tears.'

'So, we just need a large supply of Basilisk fangs or miraculously find something else that will work,' Ron said sarcastically.

'Well,' Harry said. 'I never said that _this_ was going to be easy.'


	114. Chapter 114

_**A.N. Sorry for the wait ... any mistakes are my own. Enjoy Kx**_

* * *

'Anna.'

Harry groaned, she did not want to wake up. 'Go away.'

'Nope,' replied George's voice. 'I'm pretty sure that you'll want to wake up and if you don't, I'll tell everyone that you talk in your sleep.'

'I do not,' Harry sighed, opening one eye. 'Now go away and let me sleep.'

'Oh, yes you do,' George said, 'You were muttering "Gregorovitch".'

Harry opened an eye. 'Was I?' she asked, remembering her dream, 'I think that Voldemort might be after him.' The name though, seemed oddly familiar, like she had heard of it before.

'Poor bloke,' George muttered, moving Harry so she lay snuggled against his chest. 'Now it's time to get up lazy bones ... mum's been busy cooking your breakfast ...'

'My breakfast?' Harry asked, confused.

'Yep,' George smirked. 'You've forgotten what today is, haven't you?'

Harry thought this over, the only day that was worth remembering was the wedding. George looked really amused, and he was grinning like a loon.

'OK, what am I missing?' Harry asked, seriously, to which George lost all composer and burst into fits of laughter. 'George,' she said feeling annoyed. 'Clue me in, would you?'

George managed to look at her for a slight second before laughing again. Harry gave up, she glared at him and got up, and made her way to Ginny's room. Both Hermione and Ginny were getting ready for the day.

'George has lost the plot,' Harry told them both.

'You've just noticed?' Ginny said.

'So how has he lost the plot this time?' Hermione asked.

'I left him laughing his head off, and he won't tell me the reason why.' Harry said. 'All I got out of him before he burst into laughter, was, that I had forgotten what the day was.' For some strange reason, both Hermione and Ginny giggled also. 'What?' Harry said this was starting to annoy her. 'Have I actually forgotten something important, that I was meant to remember?'

'Oh Harry,' Hermione breathed. 'This is why, we love you - utterly clever -'

'Then completely oblivious at other times,' Ginny added, shaking her head.

Harry glared at them. 'Well -?'

They looked at each other, then back towards her.

'Well,' Ginny said, biting her lip. 'If the wedding is on the first of August, which is tomorrow - that would make today ...?'

Harry froze, she stared at them unblinkingly. With everything that had been going on, she had forgotten her own birthday. She felt her face heat up. 'I'm not going to live this down ... am I?'

Hermione and Ginny giggled harder. Somehow, she already knew the answer.

'I can't believe you forgot your own birthday,' Ron chuckled, as Harry sat down for breakfast. Fred and George were both smirking identically at her. A pile of presents was waiting on the table.

'Oh, leave the poor dear alone,' Mrs Weasley said from the stove. 'Arthur told me to wish you a happy seventeenth, he had to leave early for work, but he'll be back for dinner. That's our present on top.'

Harry took the square parcel and unwrapped it. Inside was a watch, much like the one Mr and Mrs Weasley had given Ron for his seventeenth, though it had a smaller feminine frame.

'It's traditional to give a witch or wizard a watch when they come of age,' Mrs Weasley explained.

'Thanks, Mrs Weasley.' Harry said. 'I'll be sure to thank Mr Weasley when he gets back tonight.'

'Speaking of tonight,' George said. 'You'll have to wait for the present from me until then too.'

'Mines in the pile - somewhere,' Fred said. 'See you later - bye mum.'

'Bye boys.'

'See you later Princess,' George said, kissing Harry's cheek. 'Bye mum.' he added, and they both disappeared out of the kitchen, to cross the grounds so they could Disapparate.

Charlie arrived before lunch and provided some much-needed entertainment. Mrs Weasley had forced him into a chair, threatened him with her wand, announcing that he was going to have a proper haircut.

As Harry's birthday dinner, would have stretched The Burrow's kitchen to a breaking point, several tables were placed end to end in the garden. Fred and George bewitched a number of lanterns, all emblazoned with a large number '17', to hang in mid-air over the guests. Hermione made purple and gold streamers erupt from the end of her wand and drape themselves artistically over the trees. Mrs Weasley had made a giant birthday cake, which she had shaped into a Snitch.

By seven o'clock, all the guests had arrived, Remus smiled as he hugged Harry but she thought he looked rather unhappy. Tonks looked simply radiant, so Harry thought that was rather odd.

'Happy birthday, H - Anna,' she corrected herself, hugging her tightly.

'Thanks,' Harry said. 'Dora.'

'Seventeen eh!' Hagrid said as he accepted a bucket-sized glass of wine from Fred. 'Six years to the day since we met, Harry, d'you remember it?'

'How could I forget!' Harry said. 'You smashed down a door, gave Dudley a pig's tail and told me I was a witch ... now that was a birthday to remember.'

'Was it? What about other ones?' George asked.

'Oh, there are a few worth remembering ...' Harry said offhandedly. She glanced over at Mrs Weasley who kept glancing repeatedly towards the gate. They all knew who she was looking for.

'I think we'd better start without Arthur,' she called to the garden. 'He must be held up at - oh!'

They all saw it at the same time: a streak of light came flying across the yard, and onto the table, where it resolved itself into a bright silver weasel, which spoke with Mr Weasley's voice.

'Minister for Magic is coming with me.'

The Patronus dissolved into thin air.

'We shouldn't be here,' Remus said at once, he kissed Anna cheek swiftly. 'Anna I'm sorry - I'll explain another time -'

He seized Tonks's wrist and pulled her away; they reached the fence, climbed over it and vanished from sight. Mrs Weasley looked bewildered.

'The Minister - but why -? I don't understand -'

But there was no time to discuss the matter; a second later, Mr Weasley appeared out of thin air at the gate, accompanied by Rufus Scrimgeour. The two newcomers marched across the yard towards the garden and the lantern-lit table.

'Sorry to intrude,' Scrimgeour said, as he limped to halt before the table. 'Especially as I can see that I am gate-crashing a party.' His eyes lingered for a moment on the giant Snitch cake.

'Many happy returns,' he said, facing Harry. 'I require a word with you. Also with Mr Ronald Weasley and Miss Hermione Granger.'

'Us?' Ron said, sounding surprised. 'Why us?'

'I shall tell you that when we are somewhere more private,' Scrimgeour said. 'Is there such a place?' he demanded of Mr Weasley.

'Yes of course,' Mr Weasley said. 'The, er, sitting room, why don't you use that?'

'You can lead the way,' Scrimgeour said to Ron. 'There will be no need for you to accompany us, Arthur.'

Harry saw Mr Weasley exchange a worried look with Mrs Weasley, as they all stood up. As they walked back into the house in silence Harry knew that Ron and Hermione were thinking the same thing as she was: Scrimgeour must somehow learned that the three of them were planning to drop out of Hogwarts. Scrimgeour did not speak until they were in the sitting room.

'I have some questions for the three of you, and I think it will be best if we do it individually. If you two,' he pointed at Harry and Hermione, 'can wait upstairs, I will start with Ronald.'

'I don't think so,' Harry said firmly. 'You either speak to us all together - or -' she held up her wrist, which had the Black family crest upon it. ' - you don't speak to us at all.'

Scrimgeour gave Harry a cold look. Harry could see Hermione glaring at him out of the corner of her eye.

'Very well, then, together,' he said. 'I am here, as I'm sure you know, because of Albus Dumbledore's will.'

Harry, Ron and Hermione looked at one another.

'A surprise apparently! You were not aware, then, that Dumbledore had left you anything?'

'No,' Harry said simply. 'We weren't.'

'Dumbledore died over a month ago, why has it taken so long to give us what he left us?'

'Isn't it obvious,' Hermione said. 'They wanted to examine whatever he's left us. You had no right to do that!'

'He had every right, unfortunately,' Harry said. 'There's a Decree - The Decree for Justifiable Confiscation - gives the Ministry the power to confiscate the contents of a will for thirty-one days. They can't keep what they are holding longer than that unless they can prove they're dangerous.'

'But that law was created to stop wizards passing on Dark artefacts,' Hermione said, 'and the Ministry is supposed to have powerful evidence that the deceased's possessions are illegal before seizing them! Are you telling me that you thought Dumbledore was trying to pass us something cursed?'

'Are you planning to follow a career in Magical Law, Miss Granger?' Scrimgeour replied.

'No, I'm not,' Hermione retorted. 'I'm hoping to do some good in the world!'

Harry and Ron sniggered. Scrimgeour's eyes flicked towards them.

'Would you say you were close to Dumbledore, Ronald?' Scrimgeour asked.

'Not really ... it was Harry who ...'

Ron looked around at Hermione and Harry, they glared at him to shut up, but the damage was done: Scrimgeour looked as though he had heard exactly what he expected, and wanted to hear.

'If you were not close to Dumbledore, how do you account for the fact that he remembered you in his will? He made exceptionally few personal bequests. The vast majority of his possessions - his private library, his magical instruments and other personal effects - were left to Hogwarts. Why do you think you were singled out?'

'I ... dunno,' Ron said. 'I ... when I say we weren't close ... I mean, I think he liked me ...'

'You're being modest Ron,' Hermione said. 'Dumbledore was very fond of you.'

'Yeah,' Harry added. 'It's not every day you get past a giant chess board ... you know.'

Scrimgeour did not seem to be listening, he put his hand inside his cloak and drew out a drawstring pouch. From it he removed a scroll of parchment which he unrolled and read aloud.

'"The Last Will and Testament of Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore" ... yes here we are ... "to Ronald Bilius Weasley, I leave my Deluminator, in hope that he will remember me when he uses it."'

Scrimgeour took from the bag an object Harry had seen before: it looked something like a silver cigarette lighter but it had, she knew, the power to suck all light from a place, and restore it, with a simple click. Scrimgeour placed the object into Ron's hand.

'It is a valuable object,' he said, watching Ron. 'It may even be unique. Certainly, it is of Dumbledore's own design. Why would he leave left you an item so rare?'

Ron shrugged his shoulders, looking bewildered.

'Dumbledore must have taught thousands of students. Yet the only ones he remembered in his will are you three. Why is that,' Scrimgeour asked. 'To what use did he think you would put his Deluminator, Mr Weasley?'

'To put out lights, I suppose,' Ron muttered, unhelpfully. 'What else could I do with it?'

Scrimgeour seemed to have no further question, he returned to the copy of Dumbledore's will.

'"To Miss Hermione Jean Granger, I leave my copy of The Tales of Beedle the Bard, in the hope that she will find it entertaining and instructive."'

Scrimgeour now pulled out a small book that looked as ancient as the copy of Secrets of the Darkest Art upstairs. Hermione took it from Scrimgeour without a word. Harry saw that the title was in runes.

'Why do you think Dumbledore left you that book, Miss Granger?' Asked Scrimgeour.

'He ... he knew I liked books,' Hermione answered.

'But why that particular book?'

'I don't know. He must have thought I'd enjoy it.'

'Did you ever discuss codes, or any means of passing secret messages, with Dumbledore?'

'No, I didn't,' Hermione said. 'And if the Ministry hasn't found any hidden codes in this book in thirty-one days, I doubt I will.'

Harry suppressed the urge to snort if anyone was clever enough to find hidden messages; it would Hermione. Scrimgeour turned back to the Will.

'"To Lady Harianna Jamie Potter, I leave the Snitch she caught in her first Quidditch match at Hogwarts, as a reminder that the impossible is not all that it seems."'

Scrimgeour pulled out the tiny, golden ball. 'Why did Dumbledore leave you this Snitch?' Scrimgeour asked. 'Why that reminder?'

'Because,' Harry said simply. 'At the time, I thought Quidditch was pretty much impossible to understand ...'

'So, you think this is a mere symbolic keepsake, then?'

'Yeah, I do,' Harry said. 'What else could it be?'

'I'm asking the questions,' Scrimgeour said, leaning forward in his chair. 'I notice that your birthday cake is in the shape of a Snitch, why is that?'

Hermione laughed. 'Oh, it can't be a reference to the fact Harry's a great Seeker, that's far too obvious. There must be a secret message hidden in the icing!'

'I don't think there's anything hidden in the icing,' Scrimgeour said, 'But a Snitch would be a good hiding place for a small object. You know why I'm sure?'

Harry shrugged. Hermione however answered.

'Because Snitches have flash memories.'

'What?' Harry and Ron said together; both considered Hermione's Quidditch knowledge negligible.

'Correct,' Scrimgeour said. 'A Snitch is not touched by bare skin before it is released, not even by the maker, who wears gloves. It carries an enchantment by which it can identify the first human to lay hands upon it, in case of a disputed capture. This Snitch,' he held up the tiny ball, 'will remember your touch, Potter. It occurs to me that Dumbledore, who had a prodigious magical skill, whatever his other faults, might have enchanted this Snitch so that it will only open for you.'

Harry glanced at the Snitch within his hands ... she was sure Scrimgeour was right, but she could not avoid taking the Snitch from him.

'You don't say anything,' said Scrimgeour. 'Perhaps you already know what the Snitch contains?'

'No,' Harry said, holding out her hand. Scrimgeour placed the Snitch slowly into her palm. Nothing happened. Harry closed her fingers around it. Scrimgeour, Ron and Hermione continued to gaze avidly at the now partially concealed ball, as if it might transform in some way.

'There goes that theory,' Harry said coolly.

'That's all then, is it?' asked Hermione.

'Not quite,' Scrimgeour said, who looked bad-tempered now. 'Dumbledore left you a second bequest Potter.'

'Well -?'

Scrimgeour did not bother to read from the will this time. 'The Sword of Gryffindor. Unfortunately, that sword was not Dumbledore's to give away. The sword of Godric Gryffindor is an important historical artefact, and as such belongs -'

'It belongs to Harry!' Hermione said hotly. 'It chose her, she was the one who found it, it came to her out of the Sorting Hat -'

'According to reliable historical sources, the sword may present itself to any worthy Gryffindor,' Scrimgeour said. 'That does not make it the exclusive property of Lady Potter, whatever Dumbledore may have decided. So, Potter why would he leave -'

'Me the sword?' Harry said. 'I dunno, maybe he thought it would look nice on my wall.'

'This is not a joke!' growled Scrimgeour. 'Was it because Dumbledore believed that only the sword of Godric Gryffindor could defeat the Heir of Slytherin? Did he wish to give you that sword, because he believed, as many do, that you are the one destined to destroy He Who Must Not Be Named?'

'Ohh,' Harry said. 'I like the sound of that. Has anyone tried sticking a sword in Lord Voldemort? Here's an idea, why doesn't the Ministry try to do that, instead of sitting behind desks trying to break open a Snitch or waste their time stripping down Deluminators, or covering up breakouts from Azkaban. People are dying Minister, I was nearly one of them, Voldemort killed Mad-Eye Moody, but there's been no word about that! And you still expect us to cooperate with you!'

'You go too far!' Scrimgeour shouted, standing up; Harry jumped to her feet also. Scrimgeour limped towards Harry, raising his wand, at her.

'I wouldn't do that if I was you,' Harry said calmly. 'I am unarmed, after all - it wouldn't look good ... besides, I won't give you the benefit of an excuse to arrest me.'

'Remembered you're not in school, have you?' Scrimgeour said, breathing hard into Harry's face. 'Remembered that I'm not Dumbledore, who forgave your insolence and insubordination? You may wear that scar like a crown Potter, but it's not up to a seventeen-year-old girl to tell me how to do my job! It's time you learned some respect!'

'It's time you earned it, Minister,' Harry retorted. 'You know nothing about me.'

The floor trembled; there was a sound of footsteps, then the door opened to the sitting room, and Mr and Mrs Weasley, and George ran in.

'We - we thought we heard -' began Mr Weasley, looking alarmed at the sight of Harry and the Minister virtually nose to nose.

'-raised voices -' Mrs Weasley panted.

George glanced in her direction and mouthed, 'you were projecting, are you OK?' Scrimgeour took a couple of steps back from Harry.

'It - it was nothing,' he growled. 'I ... regret your attitude,' he said, looking at Harry once more. 'You seem to think that the Ministry does not desire what you - what Dumbledore - desired. We ought to be working together.'

'You forget, Minister,' Harry said, raising her wrist up once more, showing her tattoo. 'I don't like your methods.'

Scrimgeour face hardened. He turned away without another word and limped from the room. Mrs Weasley hurried after him; Harry heard her stop at the back door. After a minute or so, she called, 'He's gone!'

'What did he want?' Mr Weasley asked Harry, Ron and Hermione.

'To give us what Dumbledore left us,' Ron said. 'They've only released the contents of his will.'

Outside in the garden, over the dinner tables, the three objects Scrimgeour had given them were passed from hand to hand. While everyone was distracted Harry spoke in a hushed whisper to Ron and Hermione.

'I think I know why Dumbledore left me the sword,' she explained, though they had told the others at the table about the sword, she did not want them knowing this. 'I think - I think - it's the answer to our little problem, with our task.'

'You think that the sword can - can destroy -?' Ron asked.

'Oh!' Hermione said, clasping a hand over her mouth. 'Of course - something so destructive that - it can't repair itself - of course - but we'd still have to find out, make sure, that you're correct.'

'Hermione,' Harry said. 'That was the only thing in Dumbledore's office that could destroy one - and Dumbledore told me that he had - I bet he used the sword to do so.'

'Harry time to blowout your birthday candles,' Mrs Weasley called down the table.

'Meetup in Ron's room, once everyone's gone to bed,' Harry said, getting up. 'There's more I need to tell you.'

Harry blew out the candles after everyone sang 'Happy Birthday to her'. Her birthday wish was not an unknown relative to find her and whisk her away, nor was it for own freedom. This birthday, she wished big - she wished for those she cared for remained safe throughout this war.

'So, what do you wish for?' George asked, as Harry sat back down beside him.

'Can't tell you, it won't come true otherwise.' Harry grinned.

'You actually believe that?' George asked, sounding astonished.

'Of course, I do,' Harry replied, looking towards Hagrid. 'I wouldn't be here without one.'

George shook his head and handed her a small pink box. 'This is from me.'

Harry stared at him, once she opened it. The pink box contained, a silver ring - diamond jewels, shaped in a heart. It had an inscription on the inside of the band; love you always.

'G - George!'

'It's a promise ring,' he said, looking slightly awkward. 'I just - I know you won't be able to take your other jewellery with you - but I wanted you to have something from me - and I thought - well I thought that I should get you one - I knew, if I had actually asked you now; your answer would have been no. So, a promise ring was the next best thing.'

'George -'

'Please, just listen to me,' George said, holding up his hand. 'I want to marry you, and I know that you won't do that with V-Voldemort hanging over our heads. So, I thought that this was appropriate considering our promise to each other to remain safe. So - yeah - I don't know when this war will be finally over, but know that when it is, I plan and I hope to marry you - if you'll have me.'

Harry gave a thoughtful look. 'Only - if you ask me properly.'

'I'll think about it,' George replied, mockingly.

After the party broke up, and George had settled himself onto the sofa, Harry headed up the stairs to Ron's room, Hermione and Ron were waiting for her.

'Muffliato,' Hermione whispered, waving her wand in the direction of the stairs.

'Thought you hated, the spells the Prince invented?' Ron said.

'Times change,' Hermione said. 'Now show us that Deluminator.'

Ron obliged at once. Holding it up in front of him, he clicked it. The lamp lit went out at once.

'The thing is,' Hermione whispered, 'we could have achieved that with Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder.'

There was a small click, and the ball of light from the lamp flew back to the ceiling and illuminated them all once more.

'Still, it's cool,' Ron said. 'And from what they said, Dumbledore invented it himself!'

'I know, but surely he wouldn't have singled you out in his will just to help us turn out the lights!'

'Do you think Dumbledore knew the Ministry would confiscate his will and examine everything he'd left us?' Harry said.

'Definitely,' Hermione said. 'He couldn't tell us in the will why he was leaving us these things, but that still doesn't explain ...'

'... why he couldn't have given us a hint when he was alive?' Ron said.

'Exactly,' Hermione said. 'If these things are important enough to pass on right under the nose of the Ministry, you'd think he'd have let us know why ... unless it was obvious?'

'Maybe he did,' Harry said. 'The reason he gave me ... the impossible is not all that it seems - I told him that - kinda - in our third year. I told him, that possibilities were endless -'

'And that's meant to help us how?' Ron asked.

'And I wonder why he gave me this book,' Hermione said, 'The Tales of Beedle the Bard ...I never heard of them! I wonder why he thought I should read them?'

'They are children stories,' Ron said. 'So, Dumbledore gave you a book and me something to put out the lights. I always said he was mental. Brilliant, and everything, but cracked. Leaving you an old Snitch - what the hell was that all about?'

'I've no idea,' Hermione said. 'When Scrimgeour gave you that Snitch, I was sure that something was going to happen!'

'Yeah, well, I wasn't going to try too hard in front of Scrimgeour was I?'

'What do you mean?' Hermione asked.

'The Snitch I caught in my first ever Quidditch match, don't you remember?' Harry said.

Hermione looked bemused. Ron, however, gasped, pointing frantically at Harry to the Snitch and back again until he found his voice.

'That was the one you nearly swallowed!'

'Exactly,' Harry said, holding up the Snitch and pressed it to her mouth. It did not open.

'Writing! There's writing on it, quick look!'

Engraved upon the smooth golden surface, where seconds before there had been nothing, were five words written in the thin slating handwriting that Harry recognised as Dumbledore's; _I open at the close._

'"I open at the close ...'" What the hell is that supposed to mean?'

Hermione and Ron shook their heads, looking blank. Harry repeated the words over in her head. But no matter how many times she did so, she still could not work out the meaning of the inscription.

Three o'clock on the following afternoon Harry found herself staring at a mirror. She did not even recognise herself; which was a good thing. Her scar and tattoo were hidden, thanks to the new concealer, she had made. Her hair was a wavy auburn red, and her eyes she changed to hazel brown.

'You look fine, Glamour spell worked as it meant to,' Hermione said. 'So, Bryony ...'

Harry laughed ... that was the only hint as into who she really was, as Bryony was a wild climbing vine that sprouted green flowers. Mrs Weasley thought that it was appropriate.

'We should get going - if you make sure the boys aren't making a total mess, I'll check on Fleur.'

Harry nodded. 'So, I definitely look enough to be a Weasley.'

'Like you said,' Hermione replied, 'You'll fit right in.'

They found the boys waiting outside a great, white marquee in the orchard, greeting the arriving guests. Harry spotted Remus and Tonks fairly easily.

'Hey,' she said to them.

'Arthur told us you were the one with the auburn curly hair. Sorry about last night,' Tonks said. 'The Ministry's being very anti-werewolf at the moment and we thought our presence might not do you any favours.'

'The Minister isn't very happy with me, so I don't think it would have mattered,' Harry said. 'But I understand.' She added speaking more to Remus than Tonks. Remus gave her a swift smile, but as they turned away, Harry saw Remus' face fall again into lines of misery. Harry hurried to the entrance to find Ron face to face with a most unusual-looking wizard. Slightly cross-eyed, with shoulder-length white hair, he wore a cap whose tassel dangled in front of his nose and robes of an eye-watering shade of egg-yolk yellow. An old symbol, rather like a triangular eye, glistened from a gold chain around his neck.

'Xenophilius Lovegood,' he said, extending his hand to Harry, 'my daughter and I live just over the hill, so kind of the good Weasleys to invite us. But I think you know my Luna?' he added to Ron.

'Yeah,' Ron said. 'Isn't she with you?'

'She lingered in that charming little garden to say hello to the gnomes, such a glorious infestation! How few wizards realise just how much we can learn from the wise little gnomes -'

'Ours do know a lot of excellent swear words,' Ron said, 'But I think Fred and George taught them those.'

He led a party of warlocks into the marquee as Luna rushed up.

'Hello, Harry!' she said.

'Er - my name is Bryony,' Harry said.

'Oh, have you changed that too?' Luna asked brightly.

'OK, how did you know -?'

'Oh, just your expression,' she said.

As she drifted off after her father, Ron appeared with an elderly witch clutching his arm.

'... and your hair's much too long, Ronald, for a moment I thought you were Ginevra. Merlin's beard, what is Xenophilius Lovegood wearing? He looks like an omelette. And who are you?' she barked at Harry.

'Oh yeah, Auntie Muriel, this is our cousin Bryony.'

'Another Weasley? You breed like gnomes. Isn't Harianna Potter here? I was hoping to meet her. I thought she was a friend of yours, and George tells me that they're courting, or have you both been boasting?'

'She couldn't make it. She's in hiding -' Ron said, 'with her Muggle relatives.'

'Not as gormless as she looks in press photographs then. I've just been instructing the bride on how best to wear my tiara,' she shouted at Harry. 'Goblin-made, you know, and been in my family for centuries. She's a good-looking girl, but still - French. Well, well, find me a good seat Ronald, I'm a hundred and seven and I ought not to be on my feet too long.'

Ron did not return for a while, Harry stood by the entrance watching the others make a dozen more trips to show people to their places.

'Nightmare Muriel is,' Ron muttered. 'She used to come for Christmas every year, then, thank God, she took offence because Fred and George set off a Dungbomb under her chair at dinner. Dad always says she'll have written them out of her will - like they care, they're going to end up richer than anyone in the family, the rate they're going ... wow,' he added, blinking rapidly as Hermione came hurrying towards them. 'You look lovely!' he said, kissing her on her cheek.

Hermione smiled at him. She was wearing a floaty, lilac-coloured dress with matching heels; her hair was sleek and shiny. 'Your Great aunt Muriel doesn't agree, I just met her upstairs while she was giving Fleur the tiara. She said "Oh dear, is this the Muggle-born?" and then "bad posture and skinny ankles".'

'Don't take it personally, she's rude to everyone,' Ron said.

'Talking about Muriel?' enquired George, re-emerging from the marquee with Fred. 'I wouldn't worry about the old bat. I wish old Uncle Bilius was still with us, though, he was a right laugh at weddings.'

'Wasn't he the one who saw a Grim and died twenty-four hours later?' Hermione asked.

'Well, yeah, he went a bit odd towards the end,' conceded George.

'But before he went loopy he was the life and soul of the party,' said Fred. 'He used to down an entire bottle of Firewhisky, then run onto the dance floor, hoist up his robes and start pulling bunches of flowers out if his -'

'Yes, he sounds a real charmer,' Hermione said, while Harry roared with laughter.

'Never married, for some reason,' Ron said.

'You amaze me,' Hermione said.

They were all laughing so much that none of them noticed the latecomer, a dark-haired young man with a large, curved nose and thick, black eyebrows until he held out his invitation to Ron and said with his eyes on Hermione, 'You look vonderful.'

'Viktor!' she shrieked. 'I didn't know you were - goodness - it's lovely to see - how are you?'

'Vell, Fleur invited me, said Cedric Diggory and Harianna Potter vould be here.'

'Oh, Cedric is here alright,' George said, unhelpfully pointing towards the row of chairs in the marquee. 'You'll find him in there -'

Harry's head turned sharply towards George. 'You never told me Cedric was here.' George merely shrugged in response, Harry rolled her eyes.

'Right, we best go in and sit down, unless we all want to be run over by the bride,' Fred said.

Harry slid into the second row, sitting beside George. A sense of jittery anticipation had filled the tent, Mr and Mrs Weasley strolled up the aisle, smiling and waving at relatives; Mrs Weasley wearing a brand-new set of amethyst-coloured robes with a matching hat. A moment later Bill and Charlie stood up at the front of the marquee, both wearing dress robes, with large white roses in their buttonholes; Fred wolf-whistled and there was an outbreak of giggling from the Veela cousins. Then the crowd fell silent as the music swelled, from what seemed to be the golden balloons.

A great collective sigh issued from the assembled witches and wizards as Monsieur Delacour and Fleur came walking up the aisle, Fleur gliding, Monsieur Delacour bouncing and beaming. Fleur was wearing a very simple white dress, though she looked positively radiant. Ginny and Gabrielle, both wearing golden dresses, looked even prettier than usual, and once Fleur had reached him, Bill did not look as though he had ever met Fenrir Greyback.

'Ladies and gentleman,' said a slightly sing-song voice, and with slight shock Harry saw the same small, tufty-haired wizard who had presided at Dumbledore's funeral, now standing in front of Bill and Fleur. 'We are gathered here today to celebrate the union of two faithful souls ...'

'Someday ... soon, ' George whispered into her ear, 'it will be us, standing there, getting married.'

'One day,' Harry agreed, but that day seemed so far off now.

'Do you, William Arthur, take Fleur Isabelle ...?'

In the front row, Mrs Weasley and Madame Delacour were both sobbing quietly. Trumpet-like sounds from the back of the marquee told everyone that Hagrid had taken out one of his handkerchiefs. Hermione turned and beamed at Harry; her eyes were full of tears.

' ... then I declare you bonded for life.'

The tufty-haired wizard raised his wand over the heads of Bill and Fleur and a shower of silver stars fell upon them, spiralling around their now entwined figures. As Fred and George led a round of applause, the golden balloons burst: birds of paradise and tiny, golden bell flew and floated out of them.

'Ladies and gentleman!' called the tufty-haired wizard. 'If you could please stand up!'

They did so, he waved his wand. The seats on which they had been sitting rose gracefully into the air as the canvas walls of the marquee vanished, so that they stood beneath a canopy supported by golden poles, with a glorious view of the sunlit orchid. Next, a pool of molten gold spread from the centre of the tent to form a gleaming dance floor; the hovering chairs grouped themselves around small, white-clothed tables, which all floated gracefully back to earth around it, and the golden-jacketed band trooped towards a podium.

'Smooth,' Ron said as waiters popped up on all sides, some bearing drinks, others tottering piles of tarts and sandwiches.

'We should go congratulate them!' Hermione said, standing on tip-toe to see the place where Bill and Fleur had vanished amid the crowd of well-wishers.

'We'll have time for that later,' Ron shrugged snatching some Butterbeers and passing them around. 'Let's grab a table -'

'Nowhere near Muriel -' George added, 'I've had enough of her for one day.'

Ron led the way across the empty dance floor, by the time they reached the other side, most of the tables were occupied: the emptiest one was where Luna sat alone.

'All right if we join you?' Ron asked.

'Oh yes,' she said. 'daddy's just gone to give Bill and Fleur our present.'

Harry wondered what bizarre object, the happy couple were in-store for. Though she had long since decided not to challenge Luna or her father's peculiar views. The band began to play. Bill and Fleur took to the dance floor, to great applause; after a while Mr Weasley led Madame Delacour on to the floor, followed by Mrs Weasley and Fleur's father. In the space of a few minutes, Harry also lost, Luna, Ron and Hermione, to the dance floor, while George was with Fred, chatting to their friend Lee Jordan. Krum took Luna's vacant seat, with a scowl on his face.

'Hi,' Harry said, looking around and adding in a low whisper. 'It's Harianna - I came in disguise - I'm meant to be in hiding with my Muggle relatives.' She did not need to add not to tell anybody, that she was there. 'What's the matter?'

'The man in yellow,' Krum said, pointing at Mr Lovegood. 'Who is he?'

'Xenophilius Lovegood,' Harry said.

'Do you know this Lovegood vell?'

'I know his daughter, Luna, better.' Harry said. 'Why?'

'Because, if he vos not a guest of Fleur's, I vould duel him, here and now, for vearing that filthy sign upon his chest.'

'Sign?' Harry said, looking over at Mr Lovegood too. The strange triangular eye was gleaming on his chest. She sighed, 'What's wrong with it?'

'Grindelvald. That is Grindelvald's sign.'

'Grindelwald ... the wizard Dumbledore defeated?'

'Exactly.'

'Grindelvald killed many people, my grandfather for instance. Of course, he vos never poverful in this country, they said he feared Dumbledore - and rightly, seeing how he vos finished. But this -' Krum pointed at Mr Lovegood. 'This is his symbol, I recognised it at vunce: Grindelvald carved it into a vall at Durmstrang ven he vos a pupil there.'

'There is a good chance, that Xenophilius doesn't know what the symbol means. The Lovegoods are quite ... eccentric,' Harry shrugged, looking around. Nobody else had recognised the sign and the idea that Luna's father was a supporter of the Dark Arts ... was highly unlikely. 'He means no harm, trust me.'

Krum did not seem to know whether or not Harry was being serious. He drew out his wand from inside his robes and tapped it on his thigh; sparks flew out of the end.

'Gregorovitch!' Harry said loudly, and Krum startled, but Harry was breathing hard: the memory had come back to her at the sight of Krum's wand: Ollivander taking it and examining it carefully before the Triwizard Tournament.

'Vot about him?'

'He's wandmaker!'

'I know that,' Krum said.

'He made your wand! That's why I recalled the name - it wasn't until I saw your wand -' Harry trailed off, realising how she sounded. 'We heard word that he disappeared.' she lied. Though she was pretty sure he was about to disappear, though Krum did not need to know that. Krum returned to watching the dancers. Harry was thinking hard, Voldemort was looking for a celebrated wandmaker, and Harry did not have to search far for an answer. The reason behind why Harry's wand had acted of its own accord. Her wand had conquered the burrowed wand, something that Ollivander had not anticipated or understood. Would Gregorovitch know better?

'This girl is very nice-looking,' Krum said, Harry looked up, Krum was pointing at Ginny, who had just joined Luna.

'Ginny,' Harry said. 'She's the youngest Weasley, though she's seeing someone.'

Krum grunted. 'Vot,' he said, draining his goblet and getting to his feet again, 'is the point of being an international Quidditch player if all the good-looking girls are taken? You with your Veasley twin, and now Her-Own-Ninny is with him!' Krum pointed towards Ron before he strode off.

Harry had never been to a wedding before, so she could not judge how wizarding celebrations differed from Muggle ones, though she was sure the latter would not involve an enchanted wedding cake, that flew away after being cut. Fred was now dancing with Angelina, George, looked rather flustered, having been caught, by their Great Aunt Muriel. Harry even caught sight of Cedric chatting away to some of Fleur's cousins.

Harry spotted an old wizard sitting alone at a table, and it took her a few moments to realise who it was. Elphias Doge, a member of the Order of the Phoenix, and writer of Dumbledore's obituary.

'Could I sit down?' Harry asked once she reached him.

'Of course, of course,' Doge said.

'Mr Doge,' Harry said, leaning forward. 'I'm Harianna Potter.'

'My dear girl! Arthur told me you were here, disguised ... I am so glad, so honoured!'

'It is I, who has the honour,' Harry replied. 'I thought of writing to you, after Dumbledore ... but I was not sure, on how I'd be received, we do not know each other well ... I did not want to impose ...'

'Do not be so silly, Lady Potter -'

'Harry please, Mr Doge, Lady Potter makes me sound older than my years,' Harry said.

'Then please call me Elphias.'

'I saw the obituary you wrote for the Daily Prophet ... I don't know whether you saw the interview Rita Skeeter gave about Dumbledore?'

Doge's face flooded with angry colour. 'Oh yes, I saw it. That woman or vulture might be a more accurate term-'

'We like to call her The Bug,' Harry said, 'My friend and I because she is always buzzing around in an annoying way.'

'Yes, she did pester me to speak with her.' Mr Doge said, 'I'm afraid to say I became rather rude, called her an interfering trout, which resulted, as you may have seen, in aspersions cast upon my sanity.'

'Yes, she does that,' Harry said. 'Too well ... in fact - I think the only piece of work I've seen of hers that had any truth to it, was the interview I, myself gave her. But then I was there to defend myself ... whereas saying Dumbledore was interested in the Dark Arts at a young age. ..'

'Don't believe a word of it!' Doge said at once. 'Not a word, Harry! Let nothing tarnish your memories of Albus Dumbledore!'

'Oh, it would take more than Rita Skeeter to do that-' Harry said. 'She's dreadful, woman -'

But Harry was interrupted by a shrill cackle.

'Rita Skeeter? Oh, I love her, always read her!'

Harry and Doge looked up to see Auntie Muriel standing there. 'She's written a book about Dumbledore, you know!'

'Hello, Muriel,' Doge said. 'Yes, we were just discussing that.'

Muriel took a vacant seat, moving the chair so she sat in the middle of Harry and Doge.

'Hello, again,' she said to Harry. 'Now what were you saying about Rita Skeeter? You know she's written a biography of Dumbledore? I can't wait to read it, I must remember to place an order at Flourish and Blotts!'

Doge looked stiff and solemn at this.

'There's no need to look like a pair of stuffed frogs! Before he become so respected and respectable and all that tosh, there were funny rumours about Albus!'

'Ill-informed sniping,' Doge said.

'You would say that, Elphias,' cackled Muriel. 'I noticed how you skated over the sticky patches in that obituary of yours!'

'I'm sorry you think so,' Doge said, stiffly. 'I assure you I was writing from the heart

'Oh, we all know you worshipped Dumbledore; I daresay you'll think he was a saint even if it does turn out that he did away with his Squib sister!'

'Muriel!'

'What do you mean? I thought his sister was ill.'

'You thought wrong, then, didn't you!' Muriel said, looking delighted at the effect she had produced. 'Anyway, how could you expect to know anything about it? It all happened years and years before you were even thought of, my dear, and the truth is that those of us who were alive than never knew what really happened. That's why I can't wait to find out what Skeeter's unearthed! Dumbledore kept that sister of his quiet for a long time!'

'Untrue! Absolutely untrue! The reason he never spoke about Ariana, is I should have thought, quite clear. He was devastated by her death-'

'Why did nobody ever see her, Elphias? Why did half of us never even know she existed until they carried the coffin out of the house and held the funeral for her? Where was Albus, while Ariana was locked in the cellar? Off being brilliant at Hogwarts, and never mind what was going on in his own house.'

'Locked in a cellar?' Harry repeated. Doge looked wretched. Muriel cackled again.

'Dumbledore's mother was a terrifying woman, simply terrifying. Muggle-born, though I heard she pretended otherwise -'

'She never pretended anything of the sort! Kendra was a fine woman,' Doge said.

'- proud and very domineering, the sort of witch who would have been mortified to produce a Squib -'

'Ariana, was not a Squib! She was delicate! Her health was too poor to permit her-'

'To leave the house?' cackled Muriel, 'And yet she was never taken to St Mungo's and no healer was ever summoned to see her!'

'You can't know that - not for sure,' Harry spoke this time. 'Healers have a confidential oath, they're not allowed to speak about their patients.' Harry knew this, for she had been worried, that the news of her meeting with Dementors, after Diagon Alley would have been in the newspaper.

For a few seconds, Muriel, looked shocked, she quickly recovered herself.

'Albus, was heartbroken. I was at the funeral -'

'His heart wasn't the only thing. Didn't Aberforth break Albus's nose halfway through the service?'

'How did you-?' Croaked Doge.

'My mother was friendly with old Bathilda Bagshot.' Muriel said happily. 'Bathilda described the whole thing to mother while I was listening at the door. A coffin-side brawl! The way Bathilda told it, Aberforth shouted that it was all Albus's fault that Ariana was dead and then punched him in the face. According to Bathilda, Albus did not even try to defend himself, and that's odd enough itself, Albus could have destroyed Aberforth in a duel with both hands tied behind his back. And I'll tell you something else, I think Bathilda has spilled the beans to Skeeter. All those hints in Skeeter's interview about an important source close to the Dumbledores - goodness knows she was there all through the Ariana business and it would fit.'

'Bathilda would never talk to Rita Skeeter!' Doge whispered.

'Bathilda Bagshot?' Harry said. 'The author of A History of Magic?'

Harry, would know that name well, she had seen it many times, after six years of reading History books.

'Yes,' Doge said. 'A most gifted magical historian an old friend of Ablus's.'

'Quite gaga these days, I've heard,' Muriel said cheerfully.

'If that is so, it is even more dishonourable for Skeeter to have taken advantage of her, and no reliance can be placed on anything Bathilda may have said!'

'Even if Bathilda's completely cuckoo, I'm sure she'll still have old photographs, maybe even letters. She knew the Dumbledores for years ... well worth a trip to Godric's Hollow, I'd have thought.'

'G-Godric's Hollow?' Harry repeated, not once had Dumbledore told Harry that they both had lived and lost loved ones in Godric's Hollow.

'Oh, yes, she's been there forever! The Dumbledores moved there after Percival was imprisoned, she was their neighbour.'

'Well I don't know about Bathilda, but I'm sure not giving Skeeter any interviews,' Harry said. 'The Dumbledore I knew ... well, he admitted he made mistakes ... but he was a good man. And I'm going to remember him that way.'

'What would you know of Albus Dumbledore?' Muriel snapped.

Harry though, had no time to reply, at that moment, something large and silver came falling through the canopy over the dance floor. Graceful and gleaming, the lynx landed in the middle of the astonished dancers. The Patronus's mouth opened wide and it spoke in the loud, deep, slow voice of Kingsley Shacklebolt.

'The Ministry has fallen. Scrimgeour is dead. They are coming.'


	115. Chapter 115

Harry, did not care what Muriel had to say at this moment in time. If the Death Eaters were coming, they knew that she was here, she needed to get away. The protective enchantments around The Burrow had broken. Guest were scrambling in all directions; many Disapparating. Cloaked and masked figures appearing in the crowd.

' _Protego!_ ' Harry cried, as spells fired in her direction. It was at times like these she loved being an Empath, she countered every move, sensing the magic being aimed for her. Non-verbal spells, though gave an advantage, her Empathy gave her the ability to know when a spell was coming. 'Go! Now!' Harry shouted at Muriel and Doge. Harry ran forwards into the crowd of screaming guest, firing Stunning spells as she went. She needed to find Hermione and Ron.

The crowd cleared, George was fighting just ahead.

'Ron and Hermione-?' Harry shouted, as she Stunned another Death Eater.

'By the podium the band where on- _Protego!_ ' George shouted.

Harry turned, A Death Eater was aiming for George's back, ' _Salvio Hexia_!' Harry shouted, blocking the hex sent his way. ' _Everte Statum!_ '

'I'm OK, go, Anna, now!' George said, Stunning another Death Eater. Harry wanted to argue with him, but she also knew that he was right. She sped towards the podium from which the band had now vanished, Ron and Hermione where also fending off spells being thrown at them. The moment Harry reached them, Hermione held out her hand, she grabbed Ron with the other. Harry felt her turn on the spot; sight and sound were extinguished as darkness pressed in upon her, all she could feel was Hermione's hand as she was squeezed through space and time, away from The Burrow, away from the Death Eaters, away perhaps, from Voldemort himself ...

'Where are we?' Ron said.

For a moment, she thought they had not left the wedding after all: they still seemed surrounded by people.

'Tottenham Court Road,' Hermione panted. 'Walk, just walk, we need to find a place to change.'

Harry did as she asked, they half walked, half ran up the wide dark street.

'Hermione, we haven't got anything to change into,' Ron said.

'I left everything back in Ginny's room, it was all in my bag,' Harry said, feeling quite upset with herself.

'It's OK, I've got everything, including your bag Harry,' Hermione said finding some public toilets that were still open. 'In quickly before we're seen.'

'I can't go in there.' Ron said, pointing at the female sign upon the door. 'Even I know it's odd for a bloke to be entering the girls' toilet in the Muggle world.'

Harry glanced around, no one was watching them, she waved her wand and at once Ron's appearance changed, he looked like Ginny. 'Now you can.' Harry grinned. 'You can use the Cloak on the way out.'

Hastily they headed into the cubicles. Hermione pulled out Harry's bag and some clothes for Ron.

'How-?'

'Undetectable Extension Charm,' Harry explained. 'We both did it, on our bags before leaving Hogwarts.'

'Amazing you girls are.' Ron said heading towards the cubical. Whilst Harry was changing herself she heard Ron shout, asking her for the Invisibility Cloak. Once they had all changed, they met back up, and once they were outside Ron reappeared. Harry still maintained her disguise for the wedding.

'I think it's best we keep moving,' Hermione said. They moved back up the street and onto the main road again.

'Why here?' Ron asked.

'First place that came to me, but I'm sure we're safer out in the Muggle world, it's not where they'll expect us to be.'

'True,' Ron said, looking around, 'but don't you feel exposed?'

'No,' Hermione said, 'We're with an Empath remember. It's not like we can go anywhere else. We can hardly book rooms at the Leaky Cauldron, can we?'

'We need to find a place, where we can discuss this over,' Harry said glancing around. 'I did have a plan for disguising ourselves, but I don't want to do it in the open - Muggles - and talking about magic, not a good combination.'

They found a small and shabby all-night cafe.

'I wonder how everyone is,' Ron said as they sat down.

'Me too,' Harry replied.

'Well we can't do anything stupid,' Hermione said. 'I could try sending a Patronus to the Order once we figured out - what we are doing.' Hermione said, ordering three cappuccinos. 'So, what's your plan.'

'Well,' Harry said, pulling out bag, she emptied her gold card from it. 'I've got the money side of things covered, as long as we stay Muggle - they'll pick up on the card quicker in a magical area. Also, I've brought a few things to help us disguise our appearance, mainly non-permanent hair dye -'

'You bought what?' Ron said, looking baffled.

'Hair dye, it dyes your hair a different colour.'

'And why would we do that?' Ron said. 'We've got spells for that.'

'Because,' Harry said, putting her card away. 'We're Muggles, and we have to think like them. Riddle is after us, he will recognise us. And he will use spells to end the enchantments we have upon ourselves. But if we use other methods, things he can't just erase-'

'We'll remain hidden,' Ron said, with a thoughtful look. 'That's a good idea, Harry. Hey you didn't say his name.'

'Anna,' Harry corrected. 'And as Riddle's taken over the Ministry, it's no longer safe to.'

'You want us to call you Harianna,' Hermione said, in slight confusion.

'No,' Harry said. 'I didn't explain myself clearly. I want you to call me Anna. Harry, will give us away too quickly, as that's what I'm known by. Even in the Muggle world, it's considered weird, calling a girl by a boys' name. My full name has the same complications, it's just rather odd. It will make me stand out, which is the last thing we all want. It's probably best that we say less "magical" things, whilst we're in the open.' Harry added in a whisper. 'It'll only draw attention to us.'

A pair of burly workmen entered the cafe and squeezed into the next booth. Harry could sense magic radiating from them.

'I think we should head for the countryside,' Hermione said, in a low whisper. 'I convinced your dad into giving me the tent that you boys used at the World Cup - we could use the hair-dye, and change our appearances there.'

'We need to go,' Harry said, indicating her head towards the men. The waitress returned placing their cups in front of them and she scurried off to take the new customers' orders. The larger of the two workmen, who was blond and quite huge, waved her away.

'Let's get going then, I don't want to drink this muck,' Ron said. 'Have you got money on you to pay for this?' he added to Hermione. She nodded, reaching for her beaded bag.

The two workmen made identical movements and Harry mirrored them without conscious thought: all three of them drew their wands. Ron, lunged across the table, pushing Hermione sideways on her bench. The force of the Death Eaters' spells shattered the tiled wall where Ron's head had just been.

' _Stupefy_!' Harry yelled hitting the great blond Death Eater in the face: he slumped sideways, unconscious. His companion fired another spell at Ron: shining black ropes flew from his wand-tip and bound Ron head to foot - the waitress screamed and ran for the door - Harry sent another Stunning Spell at the Death Eater, but he dodged it, the spell rebounded on the window and hit the waitress, who collapsed at the door.

' _Expulso!_ ' bellowed the Death Eater, and the table which Harry was standing behind blew up: the force of the explosion slammed her into the wall.

' _Petrificus Totalus!_ ' Hermione voice screamed, and the Death Eater fell forwards like a statue to land with a crunching thud on the mess of broken china, table and coffee. Hermione crawled out from underneath the bench, shaking bits of ashtray out of her hair.

' _Diffindo_!' she said, pointing her wand at Ron. The severed ropes fell away. Ron got his feet. Harry climbed over the debris to where the large Death Eater was.

'I should have recognised him, straight away, he was there the night Dumbledore died.'

'Dolohov,' Ron said. 'I think the other one's Thorfinn Rowle.'

'Never mind what they're called!' Hermione said. 'How did they find us? Where are we going to do?'

'Lock the door,' Harry said, 'Ron get the lights.' She looked down at the paralysed Dovohov, thinking fast as she heard the door lock and Ron used the Deluminator to plunge the cafe into darkness.

'What are we going to do with them?' Ron whispered. 'Kill them? They'd kill us. They had a good go just now.'

'No,' Harry shook her head. 'We need to cover our tracks - we'll start with their memories. It will throw them off the scent. If we killed them, it'd be obvious that we were here.'

Ron let of a sigh of relief.

'Hermione, can you do the Memory Charm? I know the theory, but never cast it before.'

'I can do it,' she said, her voice a little shaky.

'OK,' Harry said. 'Well clear up.'

'Clear up?' Ron said, looking around at the partly destroyed cafe.

'Yeah, don't you think they might wonder what's happened if they wake up and find themselves in a place that looks like it's just been bombed?'

'Oh right, yeah ...'

Once the cafe was restored to its previous condition, they heaved the Death Eaters back into their booth and propped them up facing each other.

'Just how did they find us?' Hermione asked, looking from one inert man to the other. 'How did they know where we were?' She turned to Harry. 'You - you don't think you've still got your Trace on you, do you?'

'She can't have,' Ron said. 'The Trace breaks at seventeen, that's wizarding law, you can't put it on an adult.'

'As far as you know,' Hermione said. 'What if the Death Eaters have found a way to put it on a seventeen-year-old?'

'But Harry, hasn't been near a Death Eater. Who's supposed to have put a Trace on her?'

'If I can't use magic, then you shouldn't be able to either, our position would have been given away by now - we'd be swamped by Death Eaters.'

'We need safe place to hide,' Ron said. 'Give us time to think things through.'

'We'll go to Sirius's ... we'll go to Order Headquarters.' Harry clarified, the other two gaped.

'Don't be silly, Snape can get in there!'

'Ron's dad said they've put up jinxes against him - it's our best option! Unless you want to wait here and find out if your Trace theory is correct.'

Hermione could not argue. While she unlocked the cafe door, Ron clicked the Deluminator to release the cafe's light. The on Harry's count of three, they reversed their spells upon their victims, and before the waitress or either Death Eaters could do more than stir sleepily, Harry, Ron and Hermione turned on the spot and vanished into the darkness.

Seconds later, they were standing in the middle of a familiar small and shabby square. Tall, dilapidated houses looked down on them from every side. Number twelve was visible to them, and they rushed towards it, checking every few yards that they were not being followed or observed. They raced up the stone steps and Harry tapped the front door, with her wand. They heard a series of metallic clicks and the clatter of a chain, the door swung open and they hurried over the threshold. As Ron closed the door, the old-fashioned gas lamps sprang into life. It looked just how Harry remembered it: eerie, cobwebbed, the outlines of the house-elf heads on the wall. Long dark curtains concealed the portrait of Sirius's mother. The only thing that was out of place was the troll's leg umbrella stand, which was lying on its side.

'I think somebody's been in here,' Hermione whispered, pointing towards it.

'That could've happened as the Order left,' Ron murmured.

'So where are these jinxes against Snape?' Hermione said.

'Maybe they're only activated if he shows up?' Ron said.

'I don't think so, I can sense the magic enchantments -' Harry said, they remained close together on the doormat, backs against the door. 'We can't stay here forever,' she said, and she took a step forwards.

'Severus Snape?'

Mad-Eye Moody's voice whispered out of the darkness, making all three of the jump.

'We're not Snape!' Harry said, before something whooshed over her like cold air and her tongue curled backwards, making it impossible to speak, a moment later it unravelled again. The other two seemed to have experienced the same unpleasant sensation. Ron was making retching noises; Hermione stammered, 'That m-must have b-been the T-Tongue-Tying Curse Mad-Eye set up for Snape!'

Something shifted in the shadows at the end of the hall, and before any of them could say another word, a figure had risen up out of the carpet, tall, dust-coloured and terrible. Hermione screamed and so did Mrs Black, her curtains flying open; the grey figure was gliding towards them, faster and faster, it's waist-length hair and beard streaming behind it, it's face sunken, flesh-less, with empty eye sockets: horribly familiar, dreadfully altered, it raised a wasted arm, pointing at Harry.

'No!' Harry shouted, though her wand was raised no spell came to her, 'No! It wasn't us! We didn't kill you-'

On the word "kill" the figure exploded in a great cloud of dust. Harry looked around to see Hermione crouched on the floor by the door with her arms over her head, and Ron shaking from head to foot. 'It's all r-right ... it's gone ...'

Dust swirled around Harry, and Mrs Black continued to scream, she directed her wand at her, and with a bang the curtains swung shut again, silencing her. Harry wished that there was a permanent way to keep her like it.

'That ... that was ...' Hermione whimpered, as Ron helped her to her feet.

'Yeah,' Harry said, 'but it wasn't really him! Just something to scare Snape.'

'Before we go any further, I think we better check,' Hermione whispered. 'You told us the Empaths could cover their magical presence.' she said raising her wand. ' _Homenum revelio_!'

Nothing happened.

'What was that meant to do?' Ron asked.

'It's a spell that reveals human presence,' Hermione said. 'There's no one here but us.'

'And old Dusty,' Ron said, glancing at the patch of carpet from which the corpse-figure had risen.

'Let's go up,' Hermione said, leading the way. Every room they looked in on looked ransacked. 'I don't like the looks of this ...' she said looking around.

'Probably Mundungus,' Harry said, 'We'll go to my room, he won't have been able to get into there.'

They reached the second-floor landing, Harry placed her hand upon the normal-looking wallpaper, a fourth door, that bared her name appeared, she opened it and let Hermione and Ron inside. Hermione waved her wand to ignite the old gas lamps, then shivering slightly, she perched on Harry's bed. Harry had been correct, her room was exactly just how she left it; even her theories were still plastered on the wall.

'Still don't understand why we couldn't be at Runewald,' Ron said. 'This place gives me the creeps.'

'Because Runewald is under the Fidelius Charm,' Harry said, 'And only the Secret Keeper, Diggle, Jones and the Dursleys know of its existence.'

'The D-Dursleys?' Ron repeated.

'Well - where else was I meant to hide them!' Harry said defensively. 'They're safe there.'

Ron nodded, and crossed the room, opening the curtains. 'I can't see anyone out there,' he reported. 'And you'd think, if Harry still had a Trace on her, they would have followed us here. I know they can't get in the house, but - Harry what's up?'

Harry had winced: her scar had burned again, as something flashed across her mind, she saw a large shadow and felt fury that was not her own.

'What did you see?' Ron asked. 'Did you see him at my place?'

'No, I just felt his anger - he's really angry -'

'But that could be at The Burrow,' Ron said loudly. 'What else? Didn't you see anything? Was he cursing someone?'

'I don't know - I couldn't tell -'

Harry felt confused, and Hermione did not help as she said in a frightened voice. 'Your scar again? But's going on? I thought that connection had closed!'

'It seems,' Harry said, 'That I can shut Riddle out, from my mind, but he can't keep me from his.'

'Well that doesn't help,' Ron said angrily. 'That doesn't tell me what happened to my family.'

'And you think that I don't care?' Harry said hotly. 'That I don't want to know just as much as you do?'

They glared at each other. Then something a silver Patronus soared through her bedroom window and landed upon the floor in front of them, where it solidified into the weasel that spoke with the voice of Ron's father.

'Family safe, do not reply, we are being watched.'

The Patronus dissolved into nothingness. Ron let out a noise between a whimper and a groan and dropped on to the bed.

'They're all right, they're all right!' Hermione whispered, gripping his arm. Ron half laughed and hugged her.

'Harry,' he said over Hermione's shoulder.

'You need to work on that,' Harry replied, a little coldly. 'Both of you. It's Anna, now.' She rubbed her temple, her scar was still burning. 'I'll go get a cot-bed or some cushions, and some blankets.' And she left the room before either of them could say anything. She barely made it to the cupboard, before she fell to the floor, then, in an explosion of agony, she felt rage that did not belong to her, she saw a long room, lit only by firelight, and the great, blond Death Eater on the floor, screaming and writhing, and a slighter figure standing over her, wand outstretched, while Harry spoke in a high, cold, merciless voice.

'More Rowle, or shall we end it and feed you to Nagini? Lord Voldemort is not sure that he will forgive you this time ... You called me back for this, to tell me that Harry Potter has escaped again? Draco, come - tell me, where would she go?'

A pale face approached slowly, though he looked terrified, there seemed to a hint of something, that she could not register.

'Go to hell! Even if I knew I wouldn't tell you. I won't betray her-'

Draco then screamed, his body writhing in pain. The curse lifted. Grey eyes looked up, then Harry recognised it, the look in his eye, it was defiance. 'She's still getting the better of you!' he laughed.

Harry snapped out of the vision as Voldemort went to curse Draco again. She was breathing hard, she opened her eyes, she was spread-eagled on the carpet floor. She sat up, Draco's face seemed branded in her memory. She wished she knew where he was, she wished she could help, she pulled at the sleeve of her jumper, her tattoo still hidden by her concealer. As honour-bound as she was, she was completely helpless to do anything about it.

Harry woke early next morning, wrapped in up in her own bed sheets. Hermione was asleep beside her, in her own sleeping bag; Ron's soft snoring could be heard from the floor. Harry glanced over to Hermione, her arm curved towards the floor, where Harry knew Ron lay. It made her feel oddly lonely and made her think of George. She got up and crept out of the room, feeling as though she was trespassing upon Hermione and Ron. Instead, she walked up the stairs until she reached the topmost landing, where there were only two doors. The one facing her bore a nameplate reading Sirius. Harry had never entered her godfather's bedroom before, having no need to. She pushed open the door, the room was spacious, there was large bed with carved wooden headboard. A fine film of dust covered the pictures on the walls and the bed's headboard.

Harry laughed as her wand light lit up the room, teenage Sirius had plastered the walls with so many posters and pictures. Sirius had seemed to have gone out of his way to annoy his parents. There were several large Gryffindor banners, faded scarlet and gold, just to underline his difference from the rest of his family. There were many pictures of Muggle motorcycles; and several posters of Muggle girls. Harry's eyes settled on one of the moving wizarding photographs, which was a picture of four Hogwarts students standing arm in arm, laughing at the camera.

Harry recognised her father straight away; his untidy black hair stuck up at the back, and he was glasses. Beside him was Sirius, his face slightly arrogant so much younger and happier than Harry had ever seen it alive. To Sirius right stood Pettigrew, shorter than the rest. Remus was on her dad's left, even then a little shabby looking.

Harry looked around the floor. The sky outside was growing brighter: a shift of light revealed bits of paper, books and small objects scattered over the carpet. Evidently, with the charm broken due to his death, Sirius's room had been searched too. A few books had been shaken roughly enough to part company with their covers and pages littered the floor. Harry bent down, picked up a few of the pieces of paper and examined them. She recognised one as part of an old edition of A History of Magic, by Bathilda Bagshot, another belonging to a motorcycle maintenance manual. The third was handwritten and crumpled: she smoothed it out.

 _Dear Padfoot,_ _  
 _Thank you, thank you, for Anna's birthday present! It's her favourite by far. One year old and already zooming along on a toy broomstick, she looked so pleased with herself, I'm enclosing a picture so that you can see. You know it only rises about two feet off the ground, but she nearly killed the cat and smashed a horrible vase Petunia sent me for Christmas. Of course, James thought it was so funny, says she's going to be a great Quidditch player. We had a very quiet birthday tea, just us and old Bathilda who has been sweet to us and dotes on Anna. We were so sorry you couldn't come, but the Order's got to come first and Harianna's not old enough to know it's her birthday anyway! James is getting frustrated - Dumbledore still has his Invisibility Cloak, so he can't go off on little excursions. If you could visit, it would cheer him up so much. Anna would sure love to see you too. Wormy visited us, I thought he seemed down, but that was probably the news about the McKinnons. Bathilda drops in most days, she's a fascinating, old thing with the most amazing stories about Dumbledore. I'm not sure he'd be pleased if he knew! I don't know how much to believe, actually, because it seems that Dumbledore__

Harry reached the end of the letter, she scanned the floor: perhaps the rest of the letter was here somewhere. She seized papers scanning them quickly, pulling out drawers. A torn piece of paper was under the chest of drawers when she pulled it out, it proved to be most of the photograph her mother had described in her letter. A black-haired baby was zooming in and out of the picture on a tiny broom, roaring with laughter, and a pair of legs were chasing after her. After another fifteen minutes of searching, she was forced to conclude the rest of her mother's letter was gone. Though, her search did turn up an old photograph of the four of them. Her mother, father, Sirius and her one-year old self. Harry glanced at herself, it seemed that she was not happy, Sirius and her dad were pulling funny faces, and moments later the one-year old, giggled in delight.

Harry perched on the edge of Sirius bed, and read her mothers' letter over again. It seemed odd that Dumbledore had taken her father's Invisibility Cloak. She had known that it had been left in Dumbledore's possession, but Harry distinctly remembered her Headmaster telling her years before, _"One doesn't just need a cloak to become invisible."_ Perhaps he had needed it's for the Order, and Dumbledore had acted as a carrier? Harry shuddered as she read; Pettigrew had been around ... the traitor had seemed down - for it was not long after that both her parents had died. Was that why? Had he always planned to turn them over - give away their location? He could have done before the Fidelius Charm had been activated. Had he been hesitant in handing them over - or just had just been careful - as a spy in the Order had been known.

'Harry? Harr-anna! Anna!'

'In here,' Harry called. 'What's happened?'

There was a clatter of footsteps outside the door and Hermione burst inside.

'We woke up and didn't know where you were!' she said. 'You've been masking your magic since before the wedding,' she turned and shouted. 'Ron! I've found her!' Hermione turned back around again. 'Please don't just disappear, we were terrified! Why did you come up here?' she gazed around the ransacked room. 'What have you been doing?'

'Reading,' Harry said, handing over her mother's letter. Hermione took it and read it, when she reached the end of the page, she looked up at her. 'There's two photographs too.' Harry handed over the torn photo, and the picture of her together with her parents and Sirius. 'I was looking for the rest of mum's letter, but it's not here.'

'So, you made all this mess?' Hermione said, glancing around.

'No, found it like it,' Harry said. 'With the enchantment from the bedroom gone, it would have been easy enough.'

'What do you think they were after?'

'Information,' Harry shrugged, 'What else would it have been.'

'But Snape could have given them all the information, the Death Eaters and Vol-'

'Riddle,' Harry corrected. 'But what about this information on Dumbledore? You know this Bathilda my mum mentions, is Bathilda Bagsghot, the author of -'

'A History of Magic,' Hermione said. 'So, your parents knew her? She was an incredible historian.'

'And she's still alive,' Harry said, 'and she lives in Godric's Hollow. Ron's Auntie Muriel was talking about her at the wedding. She knew the Dumbledore family too. We should talk to her.'

Hermione gave her a sympathetic look. 'I understand why you'd love to talk to her about your mum and dad, and Dumbledore too, but that wouldn't really help us in our search for the Horcruxes, would it? I know you want to go to Godric's Hollow, but I'm scared ... I'm scared at how easily those Death Eaters found us yesterday. It makes me feel like we should avoid the place where your parents are buried, I'm sure they'd be expecting you to visit it.'

Not wanting to argue, Harry let the matter drop. However much she wanted to know the truth. Curiosity was not a bad thing, it was knowing when to exercise the use of it.

'Breakfast then,' Harry suggested. Harry followed Hermione out on to the landing and past the second door that led off it. There was a small sign she had not noticed in the dark. She paused at the top of the stairs to read it.

 _Do Not Enter  
Without the Express Permission, of  
Regulus Arcturus Black_

Her heart felt like it was beating faster than usual. Hermione was already a flight of stairs below her.

'Hermione,' she shouted, 'Come up here.'

'What?'

'R.A.B. I think I've found him.'

Hermione ran back up the stairs. 'In your mum's letter? I didn't see -'

Harry shook her head, pointing at Regulus's sign.

'Sirius's brother?' Hermione whispered.

'He was a Death Eater, Sirius told me about him,' Harry said, 'he joined up, and then he got cold feet and tried to leave - so they killed him.'

'That - fits!' Hermione gasped. 'If he was a Death Eater, he had access to Vol- Riddle, and if he because disenchanted then he would have wanted to bring him down!' Hermione leaned over the banister and screamed, 'Ron! Ron! Get up here quick!'

Ron appeared, panting, a minute later, his wand ready in his hand.

'What's up?' He glared at them both, Harry and Hermione pointed to the sign on the bedroom door.

'What? That was Sirius's brother, wasn't it? Regulus Arcturus ... Regulus ... R.A.B! The locket - you don't reckon-?'

'Only one way to find out?' Harry said.

The door opened with a soft click. They moved over the threshold together, gazing around. The Slytherin colours of emerald and silver were everywhere. The Black family crest was painted over the bed, along with its motto, Toujours Pur. Beneath this was a collection of yellow newspaper cuttings, all stuck together. Hermione crossed the room to examine them.

'They're all about Riddle,' she said. 'Regulus seems to have been a fan for a few years before he joined ...'

Harry, crossed the room, noticing another photograph; a Hogwarts Quidditch team was smiling and waving out of the frame. Regulus was instantly recognisable as the boy sitting in the middle of the front row, he played Seeker: he had the same dark hair and haughty look as his brother. Ron was on his hands and knees searching under the wardrobe.

'There's an easier way,' Hermione said. ' _Accio locket!_ '

Nothing happened. Ron looked disappointed.

'Sorry,' Harry said, 'I should have mentioned, that the Summoning Charm probably wouldn't work. Riddle put Charms on the stone basin to prevent it being summoned magically.'

'So, we search manually,' Ron said, rolling his eyes.

They combed every inch of the room for over an hour, but were forced to conclude that the locket was not there.

'It could be anywhere in the house though,' Hermione said as they walked back downstairs. 'Whether he'd managed to destroy it or not, he'd want to keep it hidden from Vol- Riddle, wouldn't he? Remember all those awful things we had to get rid of when we were here last time? That clock that shot bolts at everyone and those old robes that tried to strangle Ron; Regulus might have put them there to protect the locket's hiding place, even though we didn't realise it at the time- Harry?'

Harry had frozen on the stairs. 'There was a locket - remember, no one could open the damn thing, we thought it was trash.'

'Kreacher nicked loads of thing back from us,' Ron said. 'He had a whole stash of stuff.'

'His cupboard's in the kitchen. C'mon.'

Harry ran down the stairs, dashed into the kitchen, crossed the room, wrenching the door open. There was the nest of dirty, old blankets, but they no longer glittered with trinkets Kreacher had salvaged. Ron groaned as he threw himself into a kitchen chair; Hermione closed her eyes.

'It's not over yet,' Harry said, and then she called out, 'Kreacher!'

There was a loud crack and the house-elf Harry had so reluctantly inherited from Sirius appeared out of nowhere. He was still wearing the filthy rag in which they had first met him.

'Mistress,' Kreacher croaked as he bowed, muttering, 'back in my mistress's old house with blood traitor Weasley and Mudblood -'

'You are forbidden to call anyone from the Weasley family a "blood traitor", and you are forbidden to use the word "Mudblood",' Harry snapped. 'I have a question for you, and I order you to answer it truthfully. Understand?'

'Yes, Mistress,' Kreacher said, lowing low again, muttering soundlessly.

'Two years ago,' Harry began, 'there was a big gold locket in the drawing room upstairs. We threw it out. Did you steal out back?'

There was a moment which Kreacher straightened up to look at Harry, then he said, 'Yes.'

'Where is it now?' Harry asked eagerly.

Kreacher closed his eyes as though he could not bear to see their reactions. 'Gone.'

'Gone?' Harry repeated. 'What do you mean, it's gone?'

The elf shivered and swayed. 'Mundungus Fletcher,' the elf croaked, his eyes still shut. 'Mundungus Fletcher stole it all: Miss Bella and Miss Cissy's pictures, my mistress's gloves, the Order of Merlin, First Class, the goblets with the family crest, and, and-'

Kreacher was gulping for air, 'and the locket, Master Regulus's locket, Kreacher did wrong, Kreacher failed his orders!'

Harry reacted instinctively: as Kreacher lunged for the poker standing in the grate, she launched herself at him, holding him to the floor: 'Kreacher I order you to stay still!'

'Harry, let him up!' Hermione whispered.

'Do you want him to be able to punish himself?' Harry said. 'I didn't think so. Right Kreacher, how do you know Mundungus stole the locket?'

'Kreacher saw him!' the elf gasped. 'Kreacher saw him coming out of Kreacher's cupboard with his hands full of Kreacher's treasures. Kreacher told the sneakthief to stop, but Mundungus Fletcher laughed and r-ran ...'

'OK, now tell me,' Harry said slowly. 'The locket, the one you call "Master Regulus's", why do you call it that? Where did it come from? What did Regulus have to do with it? Kreacher sit up, and tell me everything.'

The elf sat up, curling into a ball.

'Master Sirius had run away. Broke my mistress's heart with his lawless way. But Master Regulus had proper pride; he knew what was due to the name of Black and the dignity of his pure blood. For years, he talked of the Dark Lord, who was going to bring the wizards out of hiding to rule the Muggles and the Muggle-borns ... and when he was sixteen years old, Master Regulus joined the Dark Lord. So proud, so proud, so happy to serve...'

'Then one day, a year after he had joined, Master Regulus came down to the kitchen to see Kreacher. Master Regulus always liked Kreacher. And Master Regulus said ... he said ... he said the Dark Lord required an elf.'

'So, You Know Who needed an elf?' Harry repeated, looking at Ron and Hermione, who looked rather puzzled.

'Oh yes,' Kreacher moaned. 'And Master Regulus had volunteered Kreacher. It was an honour, said Master Regulus, an honour for him and for Kreacher, who must be sure to do whatever the Dark Lord ordered him to do ... and then come home.'

'So Kreacher went to the Dark Lord. The Dark Lord did not tell Kreacher what they were to do but took Kreacher with him to a cave beside the sea. And beyond the cave, there was a cavern, and in the cavern, was a great black lake ... there was a boat ... there was a basin full of potion on the island. The D-Dark Lord made Kreacher drink it ... Kreacher drank, and as he drank he saw terrible things ... Kreacher's insides burned ... Kreacher cried for Master Regulus to save him, he cried for his Mistress Black, but the Dark Lord only laughed ... he made Kreacher drink all the potion ... he dropped a locket into the empty basin ... he filled it with more potion. And then the Dark Lord sailed away, leaving Kreacher on the island ...'

'Kreacher needed water, he crawled to the island's edge and he drank from the black lake ... and hands, dead hands, came out of the water and dragged Kreacher under the surface ...'

'How did you get away?' Harry asked

'Master Regulus told Kreacher to come back.'

'You Disapparated?' Harry asked, the elf nodded. Then she remembered something, 'Of course ... Riddle would have overlooked that.'

'Riddle would have overlooked what?' Ron asked.

'Elf magic,' Harry said. 'It's different to ours - they can Apparate and Disapparate within Hogwarts when we can't.' She turned back to the elf. 'So, what happened when you got back? What did Regulus say when you told him what had happened?'

'Master Regulus was very worried, very worried,' croaked Kreacher. 'Master Regulus told Kreacher to stay hidden, and not to leave the house. And then ... it was a little while later ... Master Regulus came to find Kreacher in his cupboard one night, and Master Regulus was strange, not as he usually was, disturbed in his mind, Kreacher could tell ... and he asked Kreacher to take him to the cave, the cave where Kreacher had gone with the Dark Lord ...'

'He made you drink the Potion?' Harry said, but Kreacher shook his head.

'M-Master Regulus took from his pocket a locket like the one the Dark Lord had,' Kreacher said. 'And he told Kreacher to take it and when the basin was empty, to switch lockets ... and he ordered Kreacher to leave - without him. And told Kreacher - to go home - and never tell my mistress - what he had done - but to destroy - the first locket. And he drank - all the potion - and Kreacher swapped the lockets - and watched ... as Master Regulus ... was dragged beneath the water ... and ...'

'Oh Kreacher!' Hermione wailed.

'So, you brought the locket home,' Harry said, 'And you tried to destroy it?'

'Nothing Kreacher did made any mark on it, Kreacher tried everything, everything he knew, but nothing, nothing would work ... so many powerful spells upon the casing, would not open ... Kreacher punished himself, he tried again. Kreacher failed to obey orders, Kreacher's Mistress was beside herself with grief, because Master Regulus had disappeared, and Kreacher could not tell her what happened no because Master Regulus had f-f-forbidden him to tell any of the family what happened in the cave ...'

Kreacher began to sob so hard that there were no more coherent words. It was several minutes before Kreacher hiccoughed himself into silence.

'Kreacher, I am going to ask you to do something,' Harry said softly. 'I want you to find Mundungus Fletcher. We need to find out where the locket is. We want to finish what Regulus started, we want to ensure that he didn't die in vain.'

Kreacher dropped his fist and looked up at Harry. 'Find Mundungus Fletcher?'

'And bring him here, to Grimmauld Place,' Harry said. 'Do you think you can do that for us? Could you find Mundungus Fletcher, and take Dobby with you?'

As Kreacher nodded and got to his feet, Harry pulled out the substitute locket in which Regulus had placed the note to Voldemort. 'I'd like you to have this,' she said pressing the locket into the elf's hand. 'This belonged to Regulus and I'm sure he'd want you to have it as a token of gratitude-'

The elf took one look, let out a howl of shock and misery and threw himself back on the ground. It took them nearly half an hour to calm down Kreacher, who was so overcome to be presented with a Black family heirloom for his very own.

'Why did you ask him to take Dobby with him?' Ron asked after the elf finally Disapparated. Bowing at her before he disappeared.

'Because,' Harry said, 'I don't know what Kreacher will do, once he comes face to face with the thief, Dobby should at least stop him from killing him.' Harry gave a small sigh of laughter, it seemed Sirius's request for her to work her magic upon his elf, had come to life.


	116. Chapter 116

Harry was confident that Mundungus's capture would take a few hours at the least, by the third evening she was forced to admit that her anticipation was getting the better of her. Though they did receive some company outside number twelve, two cloaked men had appeared, in the square, staying there into the night.

'Death Eaters for sure,' Ron said as he, Harry and Hermione watched from a window. 'Reckon they know we're in here?'

'I don't think so,' Hermione said, though she looked frightened, 'or they'd sent Snape in after us, wouldn't they?'

'D'you reckon he's been in here and had his tongue tied by Moody's curse?' Ron asked.

'Yes,' Hermione said, 'otherwise he'd have been able to tell that lot how to get in, wouldn't he? But they're probably watching to see whether we turn up. They know Harry owns the house, after all.'

'Which means they'll be watching Runewald too,' Harry said, thoughtfully.

'How do they -?' began Ron.

'Wizarding wills are examined by the Ministry, remember? They'll know Sirius left her the places.'

The presence of Death Eaters outside increased the ominous mood inside number twelve. They had not heard a word from anyone beyond Grimmauld Place since Mr Wealsey's Patronus, and the strain was starting to tell. Restless and irritable Ron had developed an annoying habit of playing with the Deluminator in his pocket; which infuriated Hermione who was studying _The Tales of Beedle the Bard_ , while Kreacher was searching for Mundungus. Harry sensed an argument was due any moment, and sure enough, she slipped out of the room as Hermione and Ron bickered at each other. Halfway down the stairs into the hall, however, she heard a tap on the front door, then metallic clicks and the grinding of the chain. She masked her magical presence and raised her wand. The door opened: she saw a glimpse of the lamp-lit square outside, and a cloaked figure edged into the hall and closed the door behind it. The intruder took a step forwards and Moody's voice asked, _'Severus Snape?'_ Then the dust figure rose from the end of the hall and rushed him, raising its dead hand.

'It was not I who killed you, Albus,' said a quiet voice. The jinx broke: the dust-figure exploded again, and it was impossible to make out the newcomer through the dense cloud it left behind. Though Harry could sense where they were, she pointed her wand at them.

'Don't move!' she said dangerously. At the sound of her voice, Mrs Black started to scream. Ron and Hermione came crashing down the stairs behind Harry, wands pointing like hers, at the unknown man now standing with his arms raised.

'Hold your fire, it's me, Remus!'

'Oh, thank goodness,' Hermione said weakly, pointing her wand at Mrs Black instead; with a bang, the curtains swished shut again. Ron, too, lowered his wand, but Harry did not.

'And I'm supposed to believe that?' Harry said.

Remus moved forwards into the lamplight, hands still held high in a gesture of surrender. 'I am Remus John Lupin, werewolf, sometimes known as Mooney, one of the four creators of the Marauder's Map, married to Nymphadora, usually known as Tonks, and I've called you Anna ever since you gave me permission to, in your third year at Hogwarts.'

'Sorry, but I had to check,' Harry said.

'Speaking as your ex-Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, I quite agree that you had to check.'

They ran down the stairs at him. Wrapped in a thick, black travelling cloak, he looked exhausted but pleased to see them.

'No sign of Severus then?' he asked.

'No,' Harry said. 'What's going on? Is everyone OK?'

'Yes,' said Remus, 'but we're all being watched. There are a couple of Death Eaters in the square outside -'

'-we know-'

'-had to Apparate very precisely on the top step outside the door to be sure they would not see me. They can't know you're here or I'm sure they'd have more people out there; they're staking out everywhere that's got any connection with you, Anna. Let's go downstairs, there's a lot to tell you and I want to know what happened after you left The Burrow.'

They descended to the kitchen, Remus pulled a couple of Butterbeers from beneath his cloak, while Hermione lit the fire, and they sat down at the wooden table.

'I would have been here three days ago, but I needed to shake off the Death Eater tailing me,' Remus said. 'So, you came straight here after the wedding?'

'No,' Hermione said, 'only after we ran into a couple of Death Eaters in a cafe on Tottenham Court Road.'

'What?'

They explained what happened; when they had finished, Remus looked aghast.

'But how did they find you so quickly? It's impossible to track anyone who Apparates unless you grab hold of them as they disappear!'

'And it's not likely they were just strolling down Tottenham Court Road at the time, does it?' Harry said.

'We wondered,' Hermione said tentatively, 'whether Harry could still have the Trace on her?'

'Impossible,' said Remus. Ron looked smug. 'Apart from anything else, they'd know for sure Anna was here if she still had the Trace on here. But I can't see how they could have tracked you to Tottenham Court Road, that's worrying, really worrying.'

'So, what happened after we left, we haven't heard a thing since Ron's dad told us the family were safe.'

'Well Kingsley saved us,' said Remus. 'Thanks to his warning most of the wedding guests were able to Disapparate before most of them arrived.'

'Were they Death Eaters or Ministry people?' Hermione asked.

'A mixture, but to all intents and purposes they're the same thing now,' Remus said. 'There were about a dozen of them, but they didn't know you were there, Anna. Arthur heard a rumour that they tried to torture your whereabouts out of Scrimgeour before they killed him; if it's true, he didn't give you away. The Death Eaters searched The Burrow from top to bottom,' he went on. 'They found the ghoul, but didn't want to get too close - and then interrogated those of us who remained for hours. They were trying to get information on you, Anna. At the same time that they were smashing up the wedding more, Death Eaters were forcing their way into every Order-connected house in the country. No deaths, but they were rough. They burned down Dedalus Diggle's house, and they used the Cruciatus Curse on Tonk's family. Again, trying to find out where you went after you visited them. They're all right - shaken, but obviously OK. I also have a message from George for you Anna,' he added, 'He said, tell Princess not to worry and they're safe.'

Harry nodded, understanding fully who they were, and said, 'So the Death Eaters have the full might of the Ministry now?'

'Yes,' Remus said. 'They've got power to perform brutal spells without fear of identification or arrest. They managed to penetrate every defensive spell we'd cast against them, and once inside, they were completely open about why they'd come.'

'And are they bothering to give an excuse for torturing Harry's whereabouts out of people?' Hermione asked.

'Well,' Remus hesitated, then pulled out a folded copy of the _Daily Prophet._ 'Here,' he said pushing it across the table to Harry, 'you'll know sooner or later anyway. That's their pretext for going after you.'

Harry smoothed out the paper. A huge photograph of her own face filled the front page. The headline read: _WANTED FOR QUESTIONING ABOUT THE DEATH OF ALBUS DUMBLEDORE._

Ron and Hermione gave roars of outrage, but Harry said nothing, she pushed the paper away. She knew what it would say. Nobody but those who had been on top of the tower when Dumbledore died knew who really killed him and, Rita Skeeter had already told the wizarding world Harry had been seen running from the place moments after Dumbledore had fallen.

'I'm sorry, Anna.'

'So, the Death Eaters have taken over the _Daily Prophet_ too?' Hermione asked furiously. Remus nodded.

'But people surely realise what's going on?'

'The coup has been smooth and virtually silent, the official version of Scrimgeour's murder is that he resigned; he has been replaced by Pius Thicknese, who is under the Imperius Curse.'

'Why didn't Riddle declare himself Minister for Magic?' Ron asked. Remus looked at them, confused.

'You Know Who,' Harry explained, 'It's his real surname. We don't think it's safe to say the name.'

Remus nodded in understanding. 'Well, he doesn't need to Ron. Effectively he is the Minister, but why should he sit behind a desk at the Ministry? His puppet, Thicknese, is taking care of everyday business, leaving Riddle free to extend his power beyond the Ministry. Naturally, people have deduced what has happened: there has been a dramatic change in Ministry policy in the last few days, and many are whispering that Riddle must be behind it. However, that is the point: they whisper. They dare not confide in each other, not knowing whom to trust; they are scared to speak out, in case their suspicions are true and their families targeted. Yes, Riddle is playing a very clever game. Declaring himself might have provoked open rebellion: remaining masked has created confusion, uncertainty and fear.'

'This dramatic change in Ministry policy, involves warning the wizarding world against me instead of Riddle?'

'That is part of it,' Remus said, 'Now that Dumbledore is dead, you - the Girl Who Lived - was sure to be the symbol and rallying point for any resistance to Riddle. But by the suggestion that you had a hand in the old hero's death, Riddle has not only set a price upon your head but sown doubt and fear amongst many who would have defended you. Meanwhile, the Ministry has started moving against Muggle-borns. The Muggle-born register is apparently a way of understanding how they came to possess magical secrets. According to research from the Department of Mysteries, magic can only be passed from person to person when wizards reproduce. Where no proven wizarding ancestry exists, therefore the so-called Muggle-born has likely to obtained magical power by theft.'

'That's bullshit,' Harry shouted. 'You can't steal magic - it's all around, we just have the ability to control it. My God, I bet even the first wizards were "Muggle-borns".'

'Wait,' Ron said frowning slightly, 'You mean to say that there is no such thing as a "Muggle-born"?'

'No,' Harry replied. 'Not in layman's terms.'

'What is Riddle planning for Hogwarts?' Hermione asked.

'Attendance is now compulsory for every young witch and wizard. That was announced yesterday. It's a change because it was never obligatory before. Riddle will have the whole wizarding population under his eye from a young age. And it's another way of weeding out Muggle-borns because students must be given Blood Status - meaning that they have proven to the Ministry that they are of wizard decent - before they are allowed to attend.'

Harry was furious. 'It's ... it's ..' she muttered, struggling to find a word that did justice to the horror of her thoughts, all those excited eleven-year olds would be poring over stacks of newly purchased spell books, unaware that they would never see Hogwarts or perhaps never see their families again either. Remus, however, quietly said, 'I know.'

Then he hesitated. 'I understand if you can't confirm this Anna, but the Order is under the impression that Dumbledore left you a mission.'

'He did,' Harry said, 'But if I didn't tell George what it involved, I'm not going to tell you. I'll be fine ... Ron and Hermione know, and they are coming with me.'

'I thought you might say that,' Remus said. 'But I still might be of some use to you. You know what I am and what I can do. I could come with you to provide protection. There would be no need to tell me exactly what you were up to.'

Harry looked at the others, confused, she did not understand why Remus would offer to help them. The offer was tempting, but how could they keep the mission from him, if he was around all the time. Hermione looked just as puzzled.

'What about Tonks?' Hermione asked.

'What about her?' said Remus.

'Well,' Hermione said, frowning, 'you're married! How does she feel about you going away with us?'

'Tonks will be perfectly safe,' Remus said. 'She'll be at her parents' house.'

'OK,' Harry said glaring at him, the last time he referred to Tonks by her surname, Remus had been acting stupid. 'What's wrong?'

'Nothing is wrong,' Remus said pointedly. There was a pause, and then Remus said, with an air of forcing himself to admit to something unpleasant, 'Tonks is going to have a baby.'

'Oh, how wonderful!' Hermione squealed.

'Excellent!'

'Congratulations,' Harry said, 'but why are you not happy? And why are you referring to your wife as Tonks? Why would you leave your child to come on a stupid mission with us?'

Remus's face drained of colour. 'You don't understand.'

'Gone on.'

Remus swallowed. 'I - I made a grave mistake in marrying Tonks. I did it against my better judgement and I have regretted it very much ever since.'

'So, you just want to leave your child behind?'

Remus sprang to his feet. 'Don't you understand what I've done to my wife and unborn child? I should have never married her, I've made her an outcast! You have only ever seen me amongst the Order, or under protection! You don't know how most of the wizarding world sees creatures like me! When they know of my affliction, they can barely talk to me! Don't you see what I've done? Even her family is disgusted by our marriage, what parents want their only daughter to marry a werewolf? And the child - the child-' Remus seized handfuls of his own hair. 'My kind don't usually breed! It will be like me, I am convinced of it - how can I forgive myself, when I knowingly risked passing on my own condition to an innocent child? And if by some miracle, it is not like me, then it will be better off, a hundred times so, without a father of whom it must always be ashamed.'

Harry shook her head. 'The only person, that should be ashamed, is yourself. And not for the reasons you think. So, what you're a werewolf. And the child might land up like you. But who better to teach them, then you? No one would be as understanding - and your child being ashamed of you - I could think of no reason unless you take the steps you are about to take. And if you do, then you are not the man I thought you were. I never thought you'd be a coward.'

'I am not a coward!'

'Then face up to what you've done ... face up to who you are ... because Remus I am fed up of hearing the same old excuses from you - the man who can't see his own value in life - my dad died protecting my mother and me - Sirius died protecting me - and you want to walk away from your child - an innocent child - just like that? Running away is not going to solve the problem and I will not help you take the cowardly way out. You helped create this child so either face up to the consequences or you're on your own.'

Remus swept from the room without a word. A moment later they heard the front door slam.

Ron stood there blinking at the spot Remus had just disappeared from. 'You know, somehow I don't think he wanted to hear that. But I think calling him a coward was unnecessary.'

Harry shook her head. 'I know, but parents shouldn't leave their kids - unless they've got to. And I wasn't about to help him to do so. He should have known better.'

A deafening crack echoed around the kitchen. For the first time in days, Harry had forgotten all about Kreacher. Kreacher disentangled himself and bowing low to Harry. Dobby was with him.

'Kreacher has returned with the thief Mundungus Fletcher, Mistress.'

Mundungus scrambled up and pulled out his wand, but Harry was too quick for him, ' _Expelliarmus!'_ His wand soared into the air and Hermione caught it. Wild-eyed, Mundungus dived for the stairs, but Dobby got there first, sending him hurtling towards a chair, and bounding him to it with magical ropes.

'What?' he bellowed, writhing to free himself. 'Wha've I done? setting bleeding 'ouse-elves on me, what are you playing at, wha've I done, lemme go, lemme go or-'

'You're in no position to make threats,' Harry said, dragging a chair, and sat down opposite him, wand directly pointed at him.

'Kreacher apologises for the delay in bringing the thief, Mistress,' croaked the elf. 'Fletcher knows how to avoid capture, has many hidey-holes and accomplices. Nevertheless, Kreacher and Dobby cornered the thief in the end.'

'You did, very well,' Harry said, 'Both of you.' she added in Dobby's direction.

'Now, I've got a few questions for you,' Harry told Mundungus, who shouted at once: 'I panicked, OK! I never wanted to come along, no offence mate, but I never volunteered to die for you, and that was bleedin' You Know Who come flying at me, anyone woulda got outta there-'

'I am not interested in knowing those events,' Harry said, 'We knew you were cowardly scum long before that.'

'Well then, why the 'ell am I being 'unted down by 'ouse-elves? Or is this about them goblets again? I ain't got none of 'em left or you could 'ave 'em.'

'It's not about those either ... but you're getting warmer,' Harry said. 'Now shut up and listen.'

'When you cleaned out this house of anything valuable,' Harry said.

'Sirius never cared about any of the junk-'

There was the sound of pattering feet, a blaze of shining copper, an echoing clang and a shriek of agony: Kreacher had taken a run at Mundungus and hit him over the head with a saucepan.

'Call 'im off, call 'im off, 'e should be locked up!' Mundungus screamed.

'Kreacher no!' Harry said. as Mundungus cowered due to Kreacher raising the heavy-bottomed pan again. Kreacher's arms trembled with the weight of the pan.

'Just one more, Mistress, for luck?'

Ron laughed.

'We need him conscious, Kreacher, but if he needs persuading you can do the honours,' Harry said.

'Thank you very much, Mistress,' Kreacher said with a bow, and he retreated a short distance, his eyes still fixed upon Mundungus with loathing.

'When you stripped this house of all the valuables you could find,' Harry said once more, 'you took a bunch of stuff from the kitchen cupboard. There was a locket there, what did you do with it?'

'Why?' Mundungus asked. 'Is it valuable?'

'You've still got it!' Hermione cried.

'No, he hasn't,' Ron said, 'He's wondering whether he should have asked more money for it.'

'More?' Mundungus said. 'That wouldn't have been effing difficult ... bleeding gave it away, di'n' I? No choice.'

'What do you mean?'

'I was selling in Diagon Alley an' she come up to me an' asks if I've got a licence for trading in magical artefacts. Bleedin' snoop. She was gonna fine me, but she took a fancy to the locket an' told me she'd take it and let me off that time an' to fink meself lucky.'

'Who was this woman?' Harry asked.

'I dunno, some Ministry hag.' Mundungus considered for a moment, brow wrinkled. 'Little woman. Bow on top of 'er head.' He frowned and then added, 'Looked like a toad.'

This time it was Harry who had hit him, there was a crack and Mundungus nose was bleeding. Harry glanced towards Ron and Hermione, still full of rage. There was one person they knew from the Ministry that fitted that description perfectly, and it was the person Harry could thank the scars on the back of her right hand for. The ones that read: I must not tell lies.

...

On the first day of September, the square outside Grimmauld Place seemed to attract more attention than usual. Half a dozen a dozen men in long cloaks stood silent and watchful, gazing at houses eleven and thirteen, but the thing for which they were waiting still appeared elusive.

Harry shook her head, closing the door behind her, and pulled off the Invisibility Cloak, the Death Eaters, were wasting their time, they were not going to see a thing. However much they watched the house.

'I've got news, and you won't like it,' Harry said, unrolling the stolen copy of the _Daily Prophet_ , as she entered the kitchen. The kitchen was now almost unrecognisable, every surface now shone. Nothing in the room, however, was more dramatically different than the house-elf who now came hurrying towards Harry, dressed in a snowy-white towel, Regulus's locket bouncing on his chest.

'Shoes off, if you please, Mistress and hands washed before dinner,' Kreacher croaked, seizing the Indivisibility Cloak so it could be hung on a hook on the wall.

'What's happened?' Ron said apprehensively. He and Hermione had been poring over a sheaf of scribbled notes and hand-drawn maps that littered the end of the long kitchen table. Harry threw down the newspaper on top of their scattered parchment. A large picture of a familiar, hook-nosed, black-haired man stared up at them all, beneath a headline read: _SEVERUS SNAPE CONFIRMED AS HOGWARTS HEADMASTER._

'NO,' Ron and Hermione said loudly.

Hermione was quickest; she snatched up the newspaper and began to read the accompanying story out loud.

 _'"Severus Snape, long-standing Potions master at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, was today appointed Headmaster in the most important of several staffing changes at the ancient school. Following the registration of the previous Muggle Studies teacher, Alecto Carrow will take over the post while her brother, Amycus, fills the position of Defence Against the Dark Arts professor."'_

 _'"I welcome the opportunity to uphold our finest wizarding traditions and values -"_ Like committing murder and cutting off people's ears, I suppose! Snape Headmaster! Snape in Dumbledore's study - Merlin's pants!' she shrieked, she leapt from the table and hurled from the room, shouting as she went, 'I'll be back in a minute!'

'"Merlin's pants"?' Ron repeated, looking amused. 'She must be upset.' He pulled the newspaper towards him. 'The other teachers won't stand for this. McGonagall and Flitwick and Sprout all know the truth, they know how Dumbledore died. They won't accept Snape as Headmaster. And who are these Carrows?'

'Death Eaters,' Harry said. 'There is a picture of them inside. They were at the top of the Tower when Snape killed Dumbledore,' she went on bitterly, 'And I can't see the other teachers having any choice but to stay. If the Ministry and Riddle are behind Snape, it'll be a choice between staying and teaching or a few years in Azkaban - and that's if they're lucky. I'll reckon they'll stay to try and protect the students.'

Kreacher came bustling to the table, to dish out soup into bowls.

'Thanks, Kreacher,' Harry said, turning over the _Prophet_. 'At least we know exactly where Snape is now.' She began to eat the soup. 'There is still a load of Death Eaters watching the house,' she told Ron as she ate, 'more than usual. It's like they're hoping we'll march out carrying our school trunks and head off for the Hogwarts Express.'

Ron glanced at his watch. 'I've been thinking about that all day. It left nearly six hours ago. Weird, not being on it, isn't it?'

'Umm,' Harry agreed, 'Though I'm sure Snape is not going to know what is about to hit him. Not if Neville, Luna and Ginny are sitting all together.'

Ron laughed, 'You've got a point there.'

Hermione re-entered the kitchen, she was carrying a large, framed picture, which she now lowered to the floor before seizing her small beaded bag from the kitchen dresser. Opening it, she proceeded to force the painting inside.

'Care to explain,' Ron said, once the portrait disappeared.

'Phineas Nigellus,' Hermione said.

'Sorry?' Ron said, but Harry understood. The painted image of Phineas Nigellus Black was able to flit between his portrait in Grimmauld Place and the one that hung in the Headmaster's office at Hogwarts: the circular room where Snape was no doubt sitting right now, in triumphant possession of Dumbledore's collection of ornaments, the stone Pensieve, the Sorting Hat, and unless it had been moved elsewhere, the sword of Gryffindor.

'Snape could send Phineas Nigellus to look inside this house for him,' Hermione explained to Ron as she resumed her seat. 'But let him try now, all Phineas Nigellus will be able to see is the inside of my handbag.'

'Good thinking!' Ron said, looking impressed.

'Thank you,' Hermione smiled, 'So Anna, what else happened today?'

'Nothing,' Harry said. 'Watched the Ministry entrance for seven hours. No sign of her. Saw your dad, though, Ron. He looks fine.'

Ron nodded his appreciation of this news. They had agreed that it was far too dangerous to try to communicate with Mr Weasley while he walked in and out of the Ministry because he was always surrounded by other Ministry workers. It was, however, reassuring to catch glimpses of him, even if he did look very strained and anxious.

'Dad always told us Ministry people use the Floo Network to get to work,' Ron said. 'That's why we haven't seen Umbridge, she'd never walk to work, she'd think she's too important.'

'And what about that funny old witch and that little wizard in navy robes?' Hermione asked.

'Oh, yeah, the bloke from magical Maintenance,' Ron said.

'How do you know that?' Hermione said.

'Dad said everyone from Magical Maintenance wears navy blue robes.'

'But you never told us that!' Hermione pulled the sheaf of notes and maps that she and Ron had been examining when Harry entered the kitchen. 'There's nothing in here about navy blue robes, nothing!'

'Well does it matter?'

'Ron, it all matters! If we're going to get into the Ministry and not give ourselves away when they're bound to be on the lookout for intruders, every little detail matters! We've been over and over this, I mean, what's all the point of these reconnaissance trips if you aren't even bothering to tell us -'

'Relax, Hermione,' Harry said softly. 'we know everything that's important - we should do it - I don't think we're going to be much better prepared than we are now even if we skulk around the Ministry entrance for another month. The longer we put it off, the further away that locket could be. There's already a chance Umbridge has chucked it away; the thing doesn't open.'

'Unless,' Ron said, 'she's found a way of opening it and she's now possessed.'

'Wouldn't make a difference, she was evil in the first place,' Harry shrugged. Hermione was biting her lip. 'You know I'm right. We know that they've stopped Apparition in and out of the Ministry. We know only most senior Ministry members are allowed to connect their homes to the Floo Network now because Ron heard those two Unspeakables complaining about it. And we know roughly where Umbridge's office is, because of what you heard that bearded bloke saying to his mate -'

 _'"I'll be up on Level One, Dolores wants to see me,"'_ Hermione recited immediately.

'Exactly, and we know you get in using those funny coins, or tokens, or whatever they are because I saw that witch borrowing one from her friend -'

'But we haven't got any!'

'If the plan works, we will have.'

'I don't know Anna, I really don't know ... there are an awful lot of things that could go wrong, so much relies on chance ...'

'That'll be true even if we spend another three months preparing,' Harry said. 'We've got to act, while we're ahead and before they think of a way to actually make it impossible to break in.'

They spent the previous four weeks taking it in turns to spy on the official entrance to the Ministry, which Ron, thanks to Mr Weasley had known since childhood. They tailed Ministry workers on their way in, eavesdropped on their conversations, and learned by careful observation which of them could be relied upon to appear, alone, at the same time every day. Slowly they had built up the sketchy maps and notes now stacked in front of them.

'All right,' Ron said slowly, 'let's say we go for it tomorrow ... I think it should just be me and Har-anna.'

'Oh, don't start that again!' Hermione sighed. 'I thought we'd settled this.'

'It's one thing hanging around the entrances under the Cloak, but this is different, Hermione.' Ron jabbed a finger at a copy of the _Daily Prophet_ dated ten days previously. 'You're on the list of Muggle-borns who didn't present themselves for interrogation!'

'And you're supposed to be dying of Spattergroit at The Burrow! If anyone shouldn't go it's Anna, she's got a ten thousand Galleon price on her head-'

'Fine, I'll stay here,' Harry said. 'Let me know if you ever defeat Riddle, won't you?'

As Ron and Hermione laughed, pain shot through the scar on Harry's forehead.

'Well if all three of us go, we'll have to Disapparate separately,' Ron said, 'We can't all fit under the Cloak anymore.'

'One doesn't just need an Invisibility Cloak, to be unseen,' Harry muttered, 'we've got magic for that. I'll be back in a minute - bathroom -'

Hurrying up the stairs, Harry dashed into the bathroom and bolted the door. She leaned over the sink basin and closed her eyes ... she was gliding along a twilit street. The buildings on either side of her were high, timbered gables; they looked like gingerbread houses. She approached one of them, then saw the whiteness of a long-fingered hand against the door. She knocked. She felt a mounting excitement ... The door opened: a laughing woman stood there. Her face fell as she looked into Harry's face, humour gone, terror replacing it ...

'Gregorovitch?' said a high, cold voice.

She shook her head: she was trying to close the door. A white handheld it steady, prevented her shutting her out ...

'I want Gregorovitch.'

'Er wohnt nicht mehr!' she cried, shaking her head. 'He no live here! He no live here! I know him not!'

Abandoning the attempt to close the door, she began to back away down the dark hall, and Harry followed, her fingers had drawn her wand.

'Where is he?'

'Das wiefs ich nicht! He move! I know not! I know not!'

She raised the wand. She screamed. Two young children came running into the hall. She tried to shield them with her arms. There was a flash of green light -

'Anna! Anna!'

She opened her eyes; she had sunk to the floor. Hermione was pounding on the door.

'Open up!'

She had shouted out, she knew it. She got up and unbolted the door.

'What was it this time,' Hermione sighed, looking cross.

'Riddle just murdered a woman. By now he's probably killed her whole family. And he didn't need to.'

'What was he after?' Ron said.

'Gregorovitch.'

'Who?'

'He's a foreign wandmaker,' Harry explained, 'Ollivander couldn't give him the answers he needed - he wanted to know what happened with my wand.'

'Anna, you keep talking about what your wand did,' Hermione said a little exasperated, 'but you made it happen! Why are you determined not to take responsibility for your own power?'

'Because I know it wasn't me! And so does Riddle!'

'Drop it,' Ron intervened, advising Hermione. 'If we're going to the Ministry tomorrow don't you reckon we should go over the plan?'

Hermione let the matter rest, and down in the kitchen, they went over and over their plan. The next morning came too quickly, and Harry was never a morning person. Hermione was already in the kitchen. She was being served coffee and hot rolls by Kreacher and wearing a slightly manic expression that Harry associated with exam revision.

'Robes,' she said under her breath, 'Polyjuice Potion ... Invisibility Cloak ... Decoy Detonators ... a couple each just in case ... Puking Pastilles, Nosebleed Nougat, Extendable Ears ...'

They gulped down their breakfast then set off upstairs. They made their way to the front door, Harry whispered, ' _Effugiat!'_ And the three of them left Invisible to the outside world. After the usual brief spell of darkness and near suffocation, Harry found herself in the tiny alleyway where the first phase of their plan was scheduled to take place. It was as yet deserted, except for a couple of large bins; the Ministry worker did not usually appear here until at least eight o'clock.

'Right then,' Hermione said, checking her watch. 'She ought to be here in about five minutes -'

'Hermione, we know, what to do next,' Ron said sternly. 'And weren't we supposed to opened the door before she got here?'

Hermione squealed. 'I nearly forgot! Stand back -' She pointed her wand at the padlocked and heavily graffitied fire door beside them, which burst open. The dark corridor behind it led, as they knew from their careful scouting trips, into an empty theatre. The door moved so that it looked shut, Harry not being able to see who had done so, guessed that it had been Hermione's thinking. 'And now -'

'We wait,' Ron finished.

Little then a minute later, there was a tiny pop and a little Ministry witch with grey hair Apparated feet from them. She barely had time to enjoy the sunny weather, before Hermione's non-verbal Stunning Spell hit her in the chest and she toppled over. The door opened and Harry levitated the witch into the dark passageway that led backstage. Harry rummaged through her handbag.

'She's Mafalda Hopkirk,' she said reading a small card that identified their victim, 'Assistant in the Improper Use of Magic Office. You better take her, Hermione, and the tokens.'

Hermione reversed the spell upon herself, becoming visible. She pulled a few hairs from the witch's head and added them to a flask of muddy Polyjuice Potion, drinking the potion seconds later.

'Mr Magical Maintenance will be here any second.' Ron said. The hurried to close the door on the real Mafalda; Harry and Ron were still Invisible. Hermione waited in view, seconds later there was another pop, and a small, ferrety-looking wizard appeared before them.

'Oh, hello, Mafalda.'

'Hello!' Hermione said in a quivery voice. 'How are you today?'

'Not so good actually,' replied the wizard. As Hermione and the wizard headed for the main road, Harry crept along behind them, and she could sense Ron nearby.

'I'm sorry to hear you're under the weather,' Hermione said firmly, it was essential to stop him reaching the street. 'Here have a sweet.'

'Eh? Oh, no thanks -'

'I insist!' Hermione said aggressively. Looking rather alarmed, the wizard too one. The effect was instantaneous. The moment the pastille touched his tongue, the wizard started to vomit so hard that he did not even notice Hermione yanking a handful of hairs from his head.

'Oh dear,' she said, as the man was sick again. 'Perhaps you'd better take the day off!'

'No - no!' He choked. 'I must - today - must go-'

'But that's just silly!' Hermione said. 'You can't go to work in this state - I think you ought to go St Mungo's and get them to sort you out!'

The wizard had collapsed, heaving, on all fours.

'You simply can't go to work like this!' Hermione cried.

At last, he seemed to accept the truth of her words. Using a repulsed Hermione to regain his balance, he turned on the spot and vanished, leaving nothing behind but the bag Ron snatched from his hand as he went.

'It would have been less trouble if we just Stunned him too.'

'A whole pile of unconscious bodies ... nothing suspicious about that at all,' Ron said, now visible and rolling his eyes. Pulling out the blue robes from the bag. 'Reg Cattermole, according to the label in the back. Chuck us the hair and Potion then.'

Two minutes later, Ron stood before them, as the small wizard, wearing the navy-blue robes. 'Weird he wasn't wearing them today, wasn't it, seeing how much he wanted to get to work.'

'Now wait here,' Hermione told Harry, who still Invisible, 'and we'll be back with hairs for you.'

She had to wait ten minutes until they reappeared.

'No idea who he is,' Hermione said, passing several curly black hairs to Harry, 'but he was the first to come along, he's gone home with a dreadful nosebleed! Here, he's pretty tall, you'll need bigger robes ...' Hermione pulled out a set of old robes Kreacher had laundered for them, Harry changed, made herself visible and took the potion. Once the transformation was complete, she was more than six feet tall, and from the man's well-muscled arms, powerfully built.

'Right,' Harry said as they stepped out of the alleyway. 'Once inside we can use the Switching Charm to maintain our cover -'

'Still, should have done that in the first place -' Ron muttered.

'Do you not think, that they might have thought of us trying to disguise ourselves to sneak in - Polyjiuce was our only option, as it's undetectable,' Harry said. Fifty yards along the crowded pavement, there were spiked black railing flanking two flights of steps, one labelled Gentlemen, the other, Ladies.

'See you in a moment then,' Hermione said nervously as she headed towards the ladies. Harry repressed the urge to groan as she and Ron joined a number of a number of oddly dressed men descending into what appeared to be an ordinary underground public toilet.

'Morning Reg!' called another wizard in navy blue robes as he let himself into a cubicle by inserting his golden token into a slot in the door. 'Blooming pain in the bum, this, eh? Forcing us all to get to work this way! Who are they expecting to turn up, Lady Potter?'

Ron gave a forced chuckle. 'Yeah, stupid, isn't it?' he said. And he and Harry let themselves into adjoining cubicles. To her left and right came the sound of flushing.

'Oh, hell no!' she muttered, figuring out in an instant what they had to do. Feeling foolish and grimacing slightly, Harry clambered into the toilet. She knew at once she had done the right thing; though she appeared to be standing in water, her shoes, feet and robes remained dry. She reached up and pulled the chain, and next moment had zoomed down a short chute, emerging out of a fireplace into the Ministry of Magic.

The Atrium seemed darker than Harry remembered it. Previously a golden fountain had filled the centre. Now a gigantic statue of some black stone dominated the scene. This vast sculpture of a witch and a wizard sitting on ornately carved thrones, looking down at the Ministry workers toppling out of fireplaces. Engraved in foot-high letters at the base of the statue were the words: MAGIC IS MIGHT.

'Out of the way, can't y - oh, sorry, Runcorn!'

Harry wondered who the frightened, balding wizard had been talking to for a second. Before realising that she was standing in the way of the fireplace. Apparently, the man whom Harry was impersonating, Runcorn, was intimidating. She looked around and spotted the wispy little witch and the ferrety wizard from Magical Maintenance. Harry hastened to join them.

'It's horrible ... isn't it?' Hermione said gesturing to the statue. 'Have you seen what they're sitting on?'

Harry looked more closely and felt sick to the stomach. The decoratively carved thrones were actually mounds of carved humans: hundreds and hundreds of naked bodies, men, woman and children, all with rather stupid, ugly faces, twisted and pressed together.

'Muggles,' Hermione whispered. 'In their right place. Come on, let's get going.'

They joined the stream of witches and wizards moving towards the golden gates at the end of the hall, looking around as surreptitiously as possible, but there was no sign of Dolores Umbridge. They passed through the gates and into a smaller hall, where queues were forming in front of golden grilles that housed lifts. They had barely joined the nearest one when a voice said, 'Cattermole!'

They looked around one of the Death Eaters who had witnessed Dumbledore's death was striding towards them. The Ministry workers beside them fell silent, their eyes downcast; Harry could feel fear rippling through them. Someone in the crowd around the lifts called, 'Morning Yaxley!' Yaxley ignored them.

'I requested somebody from Magical Maintenance to sort out my office, Cattermole. It's still raining in there.'

'Raining ... in your office? That's - that's not good, is it?' Ron gave a nervous laugh. Yaxley's eyes widened.

'You think it's funny, Cattermole, do you?'

'No,' Ron said at once, 'no, of course-'

'You realise that I am on my way downstairs to interrogate your wife, Cattermole? In fact, I'm surprised you're not down there holding her hand while she waits. Already given her up as a bad job, have you? Probably wise. Be sure and marry a pure-blood next time.'

'I-I-' stammered Ron.

'But if my wife were accused of being a Mudblood,' said Yaxley, '-not that any woman I married would ever be mistaken for such filth - and the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement needed a job doing, I would make it my priority to do that job, Cattermole. Do you understand me?'

'Yes,' Ron whispered.

'Then attend to it, Cattermole, and if my office is not completely dry within an hour your wife's Blood Status will be in even graver doubt than it is now.'

The golden grille before them clattered open. With a nod and unpleasant smile to Harry, Yaxley swept away towards another lift. Harry, Ron and Hermione entered theirs, and nobody followed them. The grilles shut with a clang and the lift began to move upwards.

'Even when disguised they're frightened of me,' Harry whispered.

'Lucky you, what I am meant to do?' Ron said. 'If I don't turn up, my wife - I mean Cattermole's wife -'

'We should stay together, we'll come with you -' Harry began.

'That's mental, you two find Umbridge, I'll sort out Yaxley's office - but how do I stop it raining.'

'Try _Finite Incantatem,'_ Hermione said at once, 'that should stop the rain if it's a hex or curse.'

The lift juddered to halt. A female voice said, 'Level Four, Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, incorporating Beast, Being and Spirit Divisions, Goblin Liaison Office and Pest Advisory Bureau,' and the grilles slid open again, admitting a couple of wizards and several paper aeroplanes.

'Morning Albert,' said a bushy whiskered man, smiling at Harry. He glanced over at Ron and Hermione as the lift began to move. Hermione was whispering instructions to Ron. The wizard leaned towards Harry, and muttered, 'Dirk Cresswell, eh? From Goblin Liaison? Nice one, Albert. I'm pretty confident I'll get his job now!' He winked at Harry who smiled back at him, hoping this would suffice. Just what job did the man she was impersonating do? The lift stopped; the grilles opened once more.

'Level Two, Department of Magical Law Enforcement, including the Improper Use of Magic Office, Auror Headquarters and Wizengamot Administration Services,' said the witch's voice.

Ron hurried out of the lift, followed by the other wizards, leaving Harry and Hermione alone. The moment the golden door had closed Hermione said, 'Actually, Anna, I think I'd better go after him, I don't think he knows what he's doing and if he gets caught the whole thing -'

'Level One, Minister for Magic and Support Staff.'

The golden grilles slid apart again and Hermione gasped. Four people stood before them, two of them deep in conversation: a long-haired wizard wearing robes of black and gold and a squat, toad-like witching wearing a velvet bow in her short hair, clutching a clipboard to her chest.


	117. Chapter 117

'Ah, Mafalda!' Umbridge said, looking at Hermione. 'Travers sent you, did he?'

'Y-yes,' Hermione said.

'Good, you'll do perfectly well.' Umbridge spoke to the wizard in black and gold. 'That's that problem solved, Minister, if Mafalda can be spared for record-keeping we shall be able to start straight away.' she consulted her clipboard. 'Ten people today and one of them the wife of a Ministry employee! Tut, tut ... even here, in the heart of the Ministry!' she stepped into the lift beside Hermione, as did the two wizards who had been listening to Umbridge's conversation with the Minister. 'We'll go straight down, Mafalda, you'll find everything you need in the courtroom. Good morning Albert, aren't you getting out?'

'Yes of course,' Harry said in Runcorn deep voice. She stepped out of the lift. The grilles shut behind her.

'What brings you up here, Runcorn?' asked the new Minister for Magic.

Somehow, she didn't think the correct reply would be, "I just need to break into toad-faced office, to find something. Hope you don't mind".

'Needed a quick word with,' Harry hesitated, for a second, 'Arthur Weasley. Someone said he was up on Level One.'

'Ah,' said Thicknese. 'Has he been caught having contact with an Undesirable?'

'No, nothing like that.'

'Ah well. It's only a matter of time,' Thicknese. 'If you ask me, the blood traitors are as bad as the Mudbloods. Good day Runcorn.'

'Good day Minister.'

Harry watched Thicknese march away. The moment the Minister was out of sight Harry tugged the Invisibility Cloak out from under the heavy black cloak, threw it over herself and set off along the corridor. Runcorn was so tall that Harry had to make sure her feet were hidden. The plan they had made, involved so heavily getting into the Ministry undetected; that they had not thought over what they would do if they were forced to separate. Hermione was now stuck in court proceedings, which could last hours: Ron was stuck in Yaxley's office. It seemed as though it was up to Harry to find Umbridge's office. It seemed unlikely that Umbridge would keep her jewellery there, but it would foolish not to search it. She set off along the corridor.

She knew how to find Umbridge's, for Sirius, had been a great help. Back in summer before her fifth year, he had brought her to the Ministry. So Harry knew that each door bore a small plaque with the owner's name and occupation upon it. She walked along the corridor paying attention to the names on the doors. Harry turned a corner, halfway along the next corridor she emerged into a wide-open space where a dozen witches and wizards sat in rows at small desks. They were all waving and twiddling their wands in every direction, the coloured paper was flying in every direction. Harry realised that there was a rhythm to the proceedings, that all formed the same pattern, she was watching the creation of pamphlets, that the paper squares were pages, which when assembled, folded and magicked into place.

Harry crept closer, although the workers were so intent on what they were doing that she doubted they would notice a carpet muffled footstep, she slid s completed pamphlet beneath the Invisibility Cloak. Its pink cover was emblazoned with a golden title: _MUDBLOODS and the Dangers They Pose to a Peaceful Pure-Blood Society_

The young witch beside Harry said, 'Will the old hag be interrogating Mudbloods all day, does anyone know?'

'Careful,' said the wizard beside her, glancing around nervously.

'What, has she got magic ears as well as an eye, now?'

The witch glanced towards the shining mahogany door facing the pamphlet-makers; Harry looked too. The witch couldn't mean - surely not? But unmistakably where there might have been a peephole on a Muggle door, a large, round eye with a bright blue iris had been set into the wood; that once belonged to Alastor Moody. Harry strode towards the door to examine the eye. It was not moving: it glazed blindly upwards, frozen. The plaque beneath it read: _Dolores Umbridge Senior Undersecretary to the Minister._ Below that was a new plaque that read: _Head of the Muggle-born Registration Commission._

Harry set off a Decoy Detonator, she waited a few moments, and then came a loud bang and a great deal of black smoke. She turned the doorknob, stepped into the office and closed the door. Umbridge's office was exactly like how she decorated the one at Hogwarts. Behind Mad-eye's eye, a telescopic attachment enabled Umbridge to spy on the workers on the other side of the door. She wrenched the telescope out of the door, leaving the whole behind, pulled the eyeball out of it and placed it in her pocket.

Knowing from past experience, Harry knew she'd have to search Umbridge's office manually. She hurried to the desk, pulling out the drawers - nothing. There was a filing cabinet behind the desk: Harry set to search it, it was full of folders, each labelled with a name. It was only when she reached the bottom-most drawer that she saw something to distract her: Mr Weasley's file. It was full of information on the family, but at least the Ministry believed Ron was ill. And there was Undesirable Number one. She had a strong feeling she knew who that was. Sure, enough as she straightened up and glanced around the office for other hiding places, she saw a poster of herself on the wall, with the words UNDESIRABLE NO.1 emblazoned across her chest. She was not surprised the locket was not in the office.

When she spotted a glossy book, from which Dumbledore was smiling wistfully on the front cover. _The Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore, by Rita Skeeter._ Harry opened the book at random and saw a full-page photograph of two teenage boys, both laughing with their arms around each other's shoulders. Dumbledore now with elbow-length hair had grown a tiny, wispy beard. The boy who roared in silent amusement Dumbledore had a gleeful wild look about him. His golden hair fell in curls to his shoulders. Harry wondered if he was a young Doge, but before she could check, the door opened.

If Thicknese had not been looking over his shoulder as he entered, Harry was sure he would have seen her returning the book she had darted out of the open door as Thicknese scribbled a note to Umbridge. The pamphlet-makers were clustered round the remains of the Decoy Detonator. Speeding back towards the lifts, Harry reviewed the options. It had never been likely that the locket was at the Ministry, and there was no hope of bewitching its whereabouts out of Umbridge while she was in a crowded court. Their priority now had to be, leave the Ministry before they were exposed. She just had to find Ron and work out a way of extracting Hermione out of a courtroom full of people. Why was it that impossible feats seemed to be out to get her!

The lift was empty when it arrived. Harry jumped in and pulled off the Cloak as it started to descend. To her relief, at Level Two a soaking wet and wide-eyed Ron got in.

'M-morning,' he stammered to Harry, as the lift set off again.

'Ron, it's me, Anna!'

'What? Oh! Blimey, I forgot what you looked like - why isn't Hermione with you?'

'She's with Umbridge,' Harry said, 'didn't have much of a choice about it either, they're in the courtrooms -'

The lift stopped again: the doors opened and Mr Weasley walked inside, talking to an elderly witch.

' ... I quite understand what you're saying, Wakanda, but I'm afraid I cannot be party to -' Mr Weasley broke off; he had noticed Harry. It was very strange having Mr Weasley glare at her with dislike. The lift doors closed and the four of them trundled downwards once more.

'Oh, hello Reg,' Mr Weasley said, looking around at the sound of steady dripping from Ron's robes. 'Isn't your wife in for questioning today? Er - what happened to you? Why are you soaking wet?'

'Yaxley's office is raining,' Ron replied. 'I couldn't stop it so they sent me to get Bernie - Pillsworth, I think they said -'

'Yes, a lot of offices have been raining lately,' Mr Weasley said. Harry caught a tone of amusement and pride in his voice, she was fairly sure as into the reason why offices had been subjected to rain; Fred and George. 'Did you try _M_ _eteolojinx Recanto?_ It worked for Bletchley.'

' _Meteolojinx Recanto?'_ Ron whispered. 'No I didn't thanks, D - Arthur, I mean.'

The lift doors opened; the old witch and Ron darted out. Harry made to follow him, only to be blocked by Percy Weasley. Not until the door had closed did Percy realise he was in the same lift as his father. He glanced up, saw Mr Weasley, turned red and left the moment the doors opened again. For a second-time, Harry tried to get out, but this time found her way blocked by Mr Weasley's arm.

'One moment, Runcorn.' The lift doors clanked down another floor. Mr Weasley said, 'I hear you laid information about Dirk Cresswell.'

'Excuse me.'

'Don't pretend, Runcorn,' said Mr Weasley fiercely. 'You tracked down the wizard who faked his family tree, didn't you?'

'And what if I did?'

'Dirk Cresswell is ten times the wizard you are,' Mr Weasley said as the lift sank lower. 'And if he survives Azkaban, you'll have to answer to him, not to mention his wife, his sons and friends -'

'No, I won't be,' Harry said shaking her head, with a thoughtful look. But she knew that the real Runcorn would be. 'But before you start making threats towards people, that you have no clue into who you are dealing with, you should know something, Mr Weasley -' Harry addressed him like that on purpose. '- Though you'll tell me off for calling you that later, Arthur - You must know, you and your family are being watched, the Ministry is watching every move.'

Mr Weasley looked slightly startled and baffled. The lift doors opened. They had reached the Atrium. Mr Weasley left, shaking his head. Then his head sharply turned staring at her wide-eyed. Harry winked at him as the lift descended. Well, she had to warn him somehow, and she didn't think he would have believed her if she remained in character as Runcorn. She pulled the Cloak back on and stepped out into a familiar corridor. This time she was not heading towards the black door that was the entrance to the Department of Mysteries. She set off instead towards the courtrooms. It was becoming colder and colder with every step she took. And she knew this icy feeling well, knew this sense of despair and hopelessness that was filling her well. Dementors.

And as she reached the foot of the stairs and turned, she saw a dreadful scene. The dark passageway outside the courtrooms was packed with tall, black hooded figures, their faces completely were hidden. Harry Occluded, it was her only hopes of making it past them. The petrified Muggle-borns brought in for questioning sat huddled and shivering on wooden benches. One of the doors on the left flung upon breaking the silence, as screams echoed out of it.

'No, no, I'm half-blood, I'm half-blood, I tell you! My father was a wizard, he was, look him up, Arkie Alderton, he's a well-known broomstick designer, look him up, I tell you - get your hands off me, get your hands -'

'This is your final warning,' said Umbridge's soft voice, magically magnified so that it sounded clearly over the man's screams. 'If you struggle, you will be subjected to the Dementors kiss.'

The man's screams subsided, but the dry sobs echoed through the corridor.

'Take him away!' said Umbridge.

Two Dementors appeared in the doorway of the courtroom, their rotting, scabbed hands clutching the upper arms of a wizard who appeared to be fainting. They glided away down the corridor with him and out of sight.

'Next - Mary Cattermole,' Umbridge called.

A small woman stood up, she was trembling from head to foot. Harry followed her, knowing that this would be her only way of getting into the courtroom. The courtroom was not the same as the one, she and Sirius had been interrogated in when it was meant to be a simple matter of a guardianship appeal. It was smaller, though the ceiling was quite high. There were more Dementors in the courtroom, casting their freezing aura over the place; in the corner sat Umbridge, with Yaxley on one side of her and Hermione, quite as white-faced as Mrs Cattolemole, on the other. At the foot of the platform on which they sat, a bright silver, long-haired cat prowled up and down, up and down. No doubt, it's was Umbridge's Patronus.

'Sit down,' said Umbridge in her soft, silky voice.

Mrs Cattlemole scrambled to the single seat in the middle of the floor beneath the raised platform. The moment she sat down, chains clinked out of the arms of the chairs and bound her there.

'You are Mary Elizabeth Cattlemole?' Umbridge asked. Mrs Cattlemole gave a single, shaky nod. 'Married to Reginald Cattermole of the Magical Maintenance Department?'

Mrs Cattlemole burst into tears. 'I don't know where he is, he was supposed to meet me here!'

Umbridge ignored her. 'Mother to Maises, Ellie and Alfred Cattermole?'

Mrs Cattlemole sobbed harder than ever. 'They're frightened, they think I might not come home -'

'Spare us,' spat Yaxley. 'The brats of Mudbloods do not stir our sympathies.'

Mrs Cattermole's sobs masked Harry's footsteps as she made her way towards the steps that led up to the raised platform. The moment she passed the Patronus cat she felt a change in temperature. Slowly she made her way along the platform, sitting behind Hermione, wordlessly she cast the _Muffliato_ charm upon Umbridge and Yaxley.

'I'm behind you,' Harry whispered into Hermione's ear. Though she cast the charm, she did not want to draw to much attention towards Hermione, who jumped slightly but nodded.

'A wand was taken from you upon your arrival at the Ministry today, Mrs Cattlemole,' Umbridge said. 'Eight and three-quarters inches, cherry, unicorn hair core. Do you recognise the description?'

Mrs Cattlemole nodded.

'Could you please tell us from which witch or wizard you took that wand?'

'T-took?' sobbed Mrs Cattlemole. 'I didn't t-take it from anybody, I bought it when I was eleven-years old. It - it - it chose me.'

Umbridge laughed a softly. She leaned forwards over the barrier, and something gold swung forwards too the locket. Hermione had seen it too, for she had gasped, but Yaxley and Umbridge intent on their prey were deaf to everything else.

'No, no, I don't think so, Mrs Cattlemole. Wands only choose witches or wizards. You are not a witch. I have your responses to the questionnaire that was sent to you here -Mafalda, pass them to me.'

Umbridge held out her hand, Hermione's hands were shaking with shock. She fumbled with documents besides her, finally withdrawing a wad of parchment with Mrs Cattlemole's name on it.

'That's - that's pretty, Dolores,' Hermione said, pointing at the gleaming locket in the ruffled folds of Umbridge's blouse.

'What?' Umbridge snapped, glancing down. 'Oh yes - an old family heirloom,' she said patting the locket. 'The "S" stands for Selwyn ... I am related to the Selwnys indeed, there are few pure-blood families to whom I am not related ... a pity,' she continued, in a louder voice, flicking through Mrs Cattlemole's questionnaire, 'that the same cannot be said for you. Parents' professions: greengrocers.'

Yaxley laughed. Harry had enough, and the potion was beginning to wear off. She placed the Switching Charm upon Hermione, so Umbridge and Yaxley would not notice, and transfigured the robes, she was stuck in, into something she could get around in, before acting. She threw a small, ball onto the floor and then, non-verbally Harry, Stunned Umbridge. Umbridge crumpled: Mrs Cattlemole's papers slid off her lap onto the floor, and down below the prowling cat had vanished. Yaxley confused, looked around for the source of the trouble but he was too late in drawing his own wand, Harry, Stunned him to.

'Anna, Mrs Cattlemole!'

Harry whirled around, throwing off the Invisibility Cloak; down below, the Dementors had moved out of their corners; they were gliding towards the woman chained to the chair: whether because the Patronus had vanished or because they sensed that their masters were no longer in control, they seemed to have abandoned restraint. Mrs Cattlemole let out a terrible scream.

' _EXPECTO PATRONUM!'_

The silver Bali Myna soared from the tip of Harry's wand and swooped towards the Dementors, which fell back. The bird's light was more powerful and more warming than the cat's protection, it filled the whole room, as it flew round and round.

'Grab the Horcrux,' Harry said, stuffing the Invisibility Cloak back into her bag, she ran down the steps towards Mrs Cattlemole.

'You're -' she whispered, gazing at Harry's face.

'Yep,' Harry said, pointing her wand at the chains, _'Relashio!'_ The chains clinked and withdrew into the arms of the chair. 'Hermione come, on, we've got five minutes to get out of here!'

'I'm coming ... I'm just trying to duplicate the locket - if she wakes up and finds it gone ... _Geminio!_ There that should fool her ...'

Hermione came running down the steps.

'I don't understand,' Mrs Cattlemole said as Hermione ran towards them.

'You're leaving with us,' Harry said. 'Go home grab your children and leave, leave the country if you have to. Disguise yourselves and run.'

'What next?' Hermione said.

'Free the others - and find Ron -'

'But the Dementors outside the door,' Hermione whispered.

Harry pointed upwards towards her Patronus. 'I've got that covered, let's go.'

She wrenched the door open, her Patronus fluttered through, Harry slammed the door behind them. Murmuring began upon the sight of her.

'You've all just been pardoned,' Harry address the waiting Muggle-borns, 'Go home and go into hiding with your families. Get as far away as you can. Now if you could kindly follow me - we've got roughly four minutes to exit this level.'

They managed to get up the stone steps without being intercepted, but as they approached the lifts, Harry was starting to worry. She was in the Ministry, and she had a price upon her head, accompanied by twenty innocent people.

'Reg!' Mrs Cattlemole screamed.

'That's not your husband,' Harry said.

'Har - Anna, they know there are intruders inside the Ministry, something about a hole in Umbridge's office door, I reckon we've got five minutes -'

'Less than that actually!' Harry said. 'Come on.' They managed to cram into two lifts. Harry's Patronus floated as a guard before the golden grilles shut and the lifts began to rise.

'Anna, they won't have wands on them -' Hermione whispered.

'I'll cover you and Ron. Get them to safety -'

When they reached the Atrium, Harry knew at once that they were in trouble. It was full of people moving from fireplace to fireplace, sealing them off. Harry sent them flying, with ease she blocked the spells being fired at them, Ron and Hermione shepherded the Muggle-borns towards the fires. Just as Mrs Cattlemole was ushered to the fire, she looked over her shoulder and the real Reg Cattermole, no longer vomiting, but pale and wan, had come running out of a lift.

'R-Reg?'

The real Reg Cattermole gaped at his double.

'Hi,' Ron said, 'No time, just get going!'

'Seal the exits! Seal them!'

Yaxley had burst out of another lift and was running towards the group besides the fireplaces. As though it happened on cue, the floor shook. Yaxley stumbled, Harry grinned and sent a blasting hex towards the statue, with how angry she was feeling she was not surprised that it crumbled to pieces.

'Tell Voldemort I said hello!' Harry shouted, jumping into the fireplace after Ron and Hermione.

She spun for a few seconds. She flung open the door, Ron was standing there looking wearily at the real Reg Cattermole.

'You saved my wife?'

'Actually,' Ron said, 'It was all Lady Potter. Got to go!' he said noticing her arrival, Hermione was smiling apologetically at them. Harry dashed towards them, 'Anywhere but HQ,' she said, and the three of them turned on the spot and everything went dark.

...

Knowing that Grimmauld Place would be watched more so than ever, after breaking into the Ministry, was the reason Harry decided not return to it. Harry took deep breaths, noticing as she opened her eyes the sight of trees, at first, she thought they were in the Forbidden Forest. But the trees were younger and were more widely spaced the ground clearer.

'Where are we?' Ron said.

'In the woods where they held the Quidditch Cup,' Hermione said, 'I thought somewhere enclosed, undercover and this was -'

'-the first place you thought of,' Harry finished for her.

'What I'd like to know is how they knew there were intruders.' Hermione said.

'That was my fault,' Harry said pulling out Mad-eye's eye. Hermione recoiled, looking horrified. 'Umbridge had stuck it to her office door. I couldn't leave it there ... but that's how they knew.'

'I would have done the same thing,' Hermione said.

'We all would have,' Ron corrected.

'If we're going to stay here, we should put protective enchantments around the place,' she replied.

'I'm just glad we packed up everything,' Harry said, taking Hermione's bag from her. Then watched her friend as she began to walk in a wide circle around them, muttering incantations as she went. 'We would have starved otherwise.' Harry said as she Summoned the tent out of the bag.

'It was lucky you had that card of yours,' Ron said, as Harry put up the tent by magic. 'What on earth possessed you to create it.'

'I was bored,' Harry said, 'I hated being stuck at the Dursleys, and with no access to any money, I couldn't do a damn thing. So, I wondered if there was a way -'

'And instead, you created a way to access your vault using Muggle methods.' Ron said.

'I guess,' Harry shrugged. She never thought that it was a big deal, so she had moments of being incredibly intelligent, she also had rather dense moments. So creating the card had been no big deal.

'Well, that's as much as I can do,' Hermione said, having finished with the incantations. 'At least, we should know they're coming, I can't guarantee it will keep Riddle out - we should take turn keeping watch.'

'No need,' Harry said. 'I can sense anything approach us, remember, but if it makes you feel better I can change my Animagus form. Sensitive hearing and all -'

'Oh, I'd forgotten about that,' Hermione said looking thoughtful, she entered the tent. 'I'll make us some tea.'

Harry and Ron followed.

'Did you get it?' Harry asked accepting the warm cup from Hermione minutes later. 'The locket?'

'You got it?' Ron said surprised. 'Why didn't you tell me.'

'Well we were running for our lives, weren't we?' Hermione said. 'Here.' And she pulled the locket out of her robe pocket and handed it to Ron.

'There isn't any chance someone's destroyed it since Kreacher had it?' Ron said hopefully. 'I mean are we sure it's still a Horcrux?'

'I think so,' Hermione said, taking the locket and looking at it closely, 'there would be some sign of damage if it had been magically destroyed.' She passed the locket to Harry, who turned it over in her fingers. The locket looked perfect. She remembered the mangled remains of the diary.

'I reckon Kreacher's right. We're going to have to open it before we can destroy it.'

'Did you feel it?' Ron asked, 'It feels like it's beating - you know a heartbeat.'

After a moment or two, Harry knew what Ron meant. It felt like something was pulsing inside the locket.

'What are we going to do with it?' Hermione asked.

'Only thing we can do until we destroy it,' Harry replied as she hung it around her neck. 'Keep it safe. Right, I'll keep watch then.' And before the others could argue she transformed. She flew out of the tent, the one advantage to flying was that from the sky she had a great view of what was around them. Nothing other than animals were in sight. It wasn't until it started to become dark, that Harry decided to return to the tent.

'I've been meaning to ask,' Ron said as she entered, 'what happened to make the Ministry floor shake? It was like you were expecting it to.'

'Oh, that,' Harry said grinning, 'I blew up the courtroom.'

'You ... blew up the courtroom,' Ron repeated, 'with what exactly?'

'Oh explosions,' Harry said, 'It comes in handy having an ingenious boyfriend. Fred and George, created them - got a timer and everything or you can get them to go off upon contact - like how I blew up the Dursleys - I set them to go off the moment my trunk opened.'

She noticed that her Sneakoscope was upon the table in the tent. Hermione handed her a bowl of soup, Harry took it gratefully. Being back in her own body, everything seemed to be tenser. Her thoughts wondered as she ate, she thought she'd feel elated that they managed to steal back the Horcrux, but she did not, she looked out of the open tent flap, Hermione was now sitting by, darkness had fallen. She was worried what would happen next. The other Horcruxes were out there somewhere, but she did not have the faintest idea as into where they could be. She did not even know what all of them were. The cup, the locket, the snake and something of Ravenclaw's. Meanwhile, she was at a loss to know how to destroy the one they had just found.

Ron and Hermione could walk away at any point, she could not, for she remembered what Dumbledore had told her. Of what the prophecy held. _Neither can live while the other survives._ She may not have believed in it completely, for she had no power the Dark Lord knew not, but she had chosen long ago that she would not hide. When the time came ... she would face him, and as though he could hear her thoughts, her scar was burning. Had Yaxley given him her message?

 _'Give it to me, Gregorovitch.'_

Harry's voice was high, clear and cold: her wand held in front of her by a long-fingered white hand. The man at whom she pointed was suspended upside down in mid-air.

'I have it not, I have it no more! It was, many years ago, stolen from me!'

'Do not lie to Lord Voldemort, Gregorovitch. He knows ... he always knows.'

The hanging man's pupil was wide, dilated with fear, and they seemed to swell until their blackness swallowed Harry whole- And now Harry was hurrying along a dark corridor in little Gregorovitch wake as he held a lantern aloft: Gregorovitch burst into the room at the end of the passage and his lantern illuminated what looked like a workshop; wood shavings and gold gleamed in the pool of light, and there on the window ledge sat perched, a young man with golden hair. In the split seconds that the light illuminated him, Harry saw the delight upon his handsome face, then the intruder shot a Stunning Spell from his wand and jumped backwards out of the window -. And Harry was hurtling back out of those wide, pupils and Gregorovitch's face was stricken with terror.

' _Who was the thief, Gregorovitch?'_ said the cold voice.

'I do not know, I never knew, a young man - no -please - PLEASE!'

A scream that went on and on and then a burst of green light -

'Anna!'

She opened her eyes, her forehead throbbing. She had passed out. Hermione was standing in front of her.

'Riddle found Gregorovitch ... he's dead,' Harry said.

'How's Riddle meant to get a new wand from him if he just killed the poor bloke?' Ron asked.

'I was wrong, he wasn't after answers ... he was after something,' Harry said, 'He read Gregorovitch's mind and I saw - I saw somebody stealing - but I don't know what - but he has what Riddle's after - and I've seen his face before ...'

'You've seen the bloke, that Riddle is now after?'

Harry nodded. Where had she seen that face? It was like the answer was in front of her - it was - the locket - she had seen the man in a photograph, during her search of Umbridge's office. The questions now were who was he, and how had he known Dumbledore?

Early next morning, before the other two were awake, Harry left the tent in search to find a spot to bury Mad-Eye Moody's eye. She returned to the tent for the next formation of their plan. Late last night, Harry and Hermione had finally got Ron to agree to dye his hair by Muggles means. For Harry was worried, that if they were spotted, the three of them would be too easily recognisable. Upon her return Hermione had taken a complete transformation, her hair was honey-blond, it fell down her face in wavy curls. The only thing Harry recognised were her friends' eyes, even her friend's sense of dress had changed. Ron appeared moments later, his hair now dark brown, he looked very much the same, but at least it wouldn't be so obvious as into who he was. Harry pointed to her makeup bag, in which lay magical eye-contact lenses, that changed the shape and colour of the eye. Harry entered the bathroom next, she would be dying her hair mousy-brown. Once their transformations were complete, Harry was sure that upon first sight, no one would recognise them. And just to make sure Harry made sure, she applied her concealer to her lightening scar and the Black family crest tattoo.

They agreed it was best not to stay anywhere too long. Hermione removed the enchantments she placed around the clearing, while Harry and Ron obliterated all the marks and impressions on the ground that might show they had camped there. Then they Disapparated to the outskirts of a small market town. This would be the first real test in anybody recognising them. But they would need to stock up on food properly before they set off.

This did not go to plan as Harry almost fainted after they barely entered the town. An unnatural chill and descending mist and a sudden darkening of the skies had caused it.

'Think happy thoughts,' Hermione whispered. 'Or Occulde.'

'We should cast Patronuses,' Ron said, noticing Harry's pale face

'No, no magic,' Hermione replied at once. 'We meant be posing as Muggles, remember?'

Ron groaned, 'Come on, we best get out of here, before Har- Anna does collapse.'

Harry was trembling as Hermione and Ron set up camp. She still felt icy-cold. She could not Occlude her thoughts, she could not even think of happy ones.

'We'll only stay the night,' Hermione said softly, pressing hot chocolate into her hands. 'No point staying longer than that if Dementors are swooping around.'

'God I wish we could do something about them,' Harry said, her hands still shaking, as she took a sip of the hot substance. 'And all those Muggle-borns that they've locked up in Azkaban, having to deal with them.'

'I know what you mean,' Ron said. 'But we need to think of what we do next or where we go next.'

They spent hours trying to decide where they might find the other Horcruxes, and how to destroy the one they had, the conversation became repetitive, as they had no new information. As Dumbledore, had told Harry that he believe Voldemort had hidden Horcruxes in places important to him, they kept reciting locations they knew that Voldemort had lived or visited.

'So, you don't reckon he left one near the orphanage?' Ron said.

'No,' Harry replied, now feeling slightly better. 'He never thought of it as home.'

'We, l we know that the snake is with Riddle, because he's never been seen without it.'

'Not partially - and if it is -

' - we have no idea of where he is, because he's on the move for this thief - Anna saw.'

'And we can't search the whole of Albania - it would take us years.'

'I don't think he hid anything at Borgin and Burkes.' Harry said. 'Borgin and Burke were experts on Dark objects, they would've recognised a Horcrux straight away.' she ploughed on, 'I reckon he hid one at Hogwarts.'

'But Dumbledore would have found it!' Hermione said.

'Dumbledore once told me that he never assumed he knew all of Hogwarts' secrets. I'm telling you Riddle hid one there.' Harry said. 'If there was one place that was really important to Riddle, it was Hogwarts!'

'His school?' Ron said. 'Really?'

'Yes, his school! It was his first real home, the place that meant he was special, it meant everything to him, it's another connection to his family, Slytherin being one of the four founders. And even after he left -'

'You told us that Riddle asked Dumbledore to give him a job after he left.'

'Yeah, that's right.'

'But Dumbledore thought he only came back to try and find something, probably another founder's object, to make into another Horcrux?' Hermione said.

'Yeah.'

'But he didn't get the job, did he?' Hermione said. 'So, he never got the chance to find a founder's object there and hide it in the school.'

'That doesn't mean, one isn't there,' Harry said.

They had no real leads, and therein lied the problem. Dumbledore had told her nothing, and it made her feel defeated. Even she saw holes in her theories. So, without any new ideas they continued to move through the countryside, pitching the tent in a different place each night. Every morning they made sure that they had removed all clues to their presence. Harry's scar kept prickling and she could not stop herself reacting to the pain.

'What did you see?' Ron said, whenever he noticed Harry wince.

'The face,' Harry said. 'His trying to figure out who it is.'

Ron looked disappointed, Harry knew that he was hoping for news of his family, or the rest of the Order of the Phoenix, but she could not control what she saw. It began oddly lonely as the weeks passed, Ron and Hermione would stop conversations when Harry entered the tent, and twice she came accidentally upon them huddled a little distance away, heads together and talking fast. Harry could not help wondering whether they only agreed to come on what now felt like a pointless and rambling journey because they thought she had some secret plan that they would learn in due course.

Autumn rolled over the countryside as they moved through it, natural mists joined those cast by the Dementors; wind and rain added to their troubles. They were beginning to run low on food supplies and would once again need to make a pit-stop. And the lack of food was making Ron and Hermione both irritable, Harry was used to days without food.

'My mother,' Ron said, as Harry heard his stomach grumble, 'can make good food appear out of thin air.'

'Your mother can't produce food out of thin air,' Hermione snapped. 'No one can. Food is the first of the five Principal Exceptions to Gamp's Law of Elemental Transfigur-'

'In English!' Ron replied hotly.

'It's impossible to make good food out of nothing!' Harry said. 'As in impossible, impossible. You can Summon it if you know where it is, you can transform it, you can increase the quantity if you've already got some -'

' - don't bother increasing this, it's disgusting,' Ron said frowning at the fish. Harry rolled her eyes, with provision low, that had no choice but to fend for themselves.

'Anna caught the fish and I did my best with it! Hermione snapped.

'You're supposed to be the best at magic!' Ron shot back.

Hermione jumped up. 'Well you can do the cooking tomorrow, you can find the ingredients and try and charm them into something worth eating, and I'll sit here and pull faces and moan and see how -'

'Be quiet!' Harry said leaping to her feet. 'Now!'

Hermione looked outraged. 'How can you side with him -?'

'I'm not siding with anyone, I can sense magic approaching. You cast the _Muffliato_ charm over us, right?'

'I did everything,' Hermione whispered, ' _Muffliato,_ Muggle-Repelling and Disillusionment Charms, all of it. They shouldn't be able to hear or see us, whoever they are.'

Heavy scuffling and scraping noises, plus the sound of dislodged stones and twigs, told them several people were clambering down the steep wooded slope that descended to thee narrow bank where they had pitched the tent. They draw their wands waiting.

The voices became louder but they did not come any closer than twenty feet. Hermione snatched up the beaded bag and Summoned, Extendable Ears and threw one each to Harry and Ron, who inserted the ends of the flesh-coloured strings into their ears. Within seconds Harry heard a weary, male voice.

'There ought to be a few salmon in here, or do you reckon it's too early? _Accio salmon!'_

There were several distant splashes and then slapping sounds of fish against flesh. Harry could hear more voices, but they were not speaking English or any other human language she had ever heard. It was a rough and unmelodious tongue.

 _Goblins!_ Hermione mouthed at Harry, who nodded.

'Here, Griphook, Gornuk.'

'Thank you,' the goblins said together in English.

'So, you three have been on the run, how long?' asked a new mellow and pleasant voice; it was vaguely familiar to Harry.

'Six weeks ... seven ... I forget,' said the tired man. 'Met up with Griphook in the first couple of days and joined forces with Gornuk not long after. What made you leave Ted?'

'Knew they were coming for me,' replied Ted, and Harry suddenly knew who he was: Ted Tonks. 'Heard Death Eaters were in the area last week and decided I'd better run for it. Refused to register as a Muggle-born, so I knew it was a matter of time, knew I'd have to leave in the end. My wife should be OK, she's pure-blood, even with Lady Potter being what she is to her ... then I met Dean, here, what a few days ago, son?'

'Yeah,' said another voice, and Harry, Ron and Hermione stared at each other, they recognised their fellow Gryffindor voice, Dean Thomas.

'Muggle-born, eh?' asked the first man.

'Not sure. My dad left my mum when I was a kid. I've got no proof he was a wizard, though,' said Dean.

'I've got to say, Dirk, I'm surprised to run into you. Pleased, but surprised. Word was you'd been caught.'

'I was,' said Dirk. 'I was halfway to Azkaban when I made a break for it, Stunned Dawlish and nicked his broom. Runcorn's hard work ruin-'

There was a small amount of laughter.

'What?'

'Word is,' Ted said, 'Lady Potter broke into the Ministry, using Runcorn as a disguise - though they are not positive of all the details - it turns out she didn't think much to the Minister new decree against Muggle-borns. Broke into the courtrooms - Stunned Umbridge and Yaxley - told the others who were waiting that they had been pardoned, and to leave the level -' Ted chuckled. 'It seems the reason for the haste, was that she set an explosive to blew up the courtroom on her way out.'

'Oh, that explains what happened to Wealseys' Wizarding Wheezes, then,' Dean said, 'I heard that something happened at the Ministry to do with Harry - Lady Potter - and they went into the shop trying to get hold of George Weasley.'

'Why?' said Dirk.

'Oh, he's her boyfriend,' Dean said and then he snorted. 'Worse mistake, they ever done. You don't mess with the Weasley twins or their girls. Not sure what happened to the Death Eaters, but heard it was not pretty; both Fred and George, are now on the run.'

'Sounds like something the Death Eaters would think of ... going after loved ones, to trap her,' said Dirk.

There was a moment's pause, then Ted said, 'And where do you two fit in? I had the impression the goblins were for You Know Who, on the whole.'

'You had a false impression,' said a goblin, 'We take no sides this is a wizards' war.'

'How come you're hiding then?'

'I deemed it prudent, having refused what I considered an impertinent request, I could see that my personal safety was in jeopardy.'

'What did they ask you to do?' said Ted.

'Duties ill-befitting the dignity of my race. I am not a house-elf,' replied the goblin.

'What about you Griphook?'

'Similar reasons,' Griphhok said, 'Gringotts is no longer under the sole control of my race. I recognise no wizarding master.' He added something under his breath in Gobblegook and Gornuk laughed.

'What's the joke?' asked Dean.

'He said,' replied Dirk, 'that there are things wizards don't recognise either.'

'I don't get it,' Dean said.

'I had my small revenge before I left,' Griphook said.

'Good man - goblin, I should say,' Ted amended. 'Didn't manage to lock a Death Eater up in one of the old high-security vaults, I suppose?'

'If I had, the sword would not have helped him break out,' said Griphook. Gornuk laughed again, Dirk gave a dry chuckle.

'Dean and I are still missing something here,' said Ted.

'So is Severus Snape, though he does not know it,' said Griphook.

'Didn't you hear about that, Ted?' Dirk asked. 'About the kids who tried to steal Gryffindor sword out of Snape's office at Hogwarts?'

'Not a word,' said Ted.

'Griphook here, told me, heard about it from Bill Weasley who works for the bank. One of the kids who tried to take the sword was Bill's younger sister.'

Oh god, what had Ginny, Luna and Neville been thinking! Harry glanced at Ron and Hermione, who were listening with apprehension.

'She and a couple of friends got into Snape's office and smashed open the glass case where he was apparently keeping the sword. Snape caught them as they were trying to smuggle it down the staircase.'

'What did they think, they they'd be able to use the sword on You Know Who or something?'

'It seemed they were trying to retrieve it for Lady Potter, as Dumbledore left it to her in his will.' said Dirk, 'Snape decided the sword was no longer safe where it was. A couple of days later, once he'd got word from You Know Who, I imagine, he sent it down to London to be kept in Gringotts instead.'

The goblins laughed again.

'I'm still not seeing the joke,' said Ted.

'It's a fake,' rasped Griphook.

'The sword of Gryffindor!'

'Oh yes. It is a copy - an excellent copy, it is true - but it was wizard-made. The original was forged centuries ago by goblins and had certain properties only goblin-made armour possess. Wherever the genuine sword of Gryffindor is, it is not in a vault at Gringotts Bank.'

'I see,' said Ted. 'And I take it, you didn't bother telling the Death Eaters this?'

'I saw no reason to trouble them with the information,' said Griphhok.

'What happened to the students that tried to steal it. Ginny Weasley is my girlfriend.'

'Oh, they were punished and cruelly,' said Griphook. 'They suffered no serious injury as far as I am aware.'

'Lucky for them,' said Ted. 'With Snape's track record. I suppose we should just be glad they're still alive.'

'You believe that story, then, do you Ted?' Dirk asked. 'You believe Snape killed Dumbledore?'

'Of course, I do,' said Ted. 'I only met Lady Potter once, but there is something about her - she did not have anything to do with his death.'

'What do you mean?'

'When I first met her, she was bleeding, had several broken bones,' said Ted, 'And the first thing she asked me, was if a half-giant was OK. She did not ask for anything for herself, she only thought of the half-giant. Yes, there is something about her.'

'I know Lady Potter quite well,' Dean said, 'Though she prefers Harry. She sure is something! Taught a whole bunch of us how to defend ourselves. I couldn't Stun a thing before - and her power - she's really powerful when she wants to be. I reckon she's the real deal - the Chosen One. If anyone can bring down You Know Who, it will be Harry.'

'Yeah, there's a lot would like to believe she is that, son, me included,' said Dirk. 'I'd help her if I could. Though, how are you meant to help someone that's on the run? _The Quibbler_ says any wizard who's against You Know Who ought to make helping Lady Potter their number one priority. And with the Death Eaters and Ministry, no doubt after her, she's going to need all the help, she can get.'

'Oh, they'll have trouble catching Lady Potter,' Ted chuckled. 'My daughter informed me when she found out. Lady Potter is an Empath.'

There were several gasps.

'Yeah,' said Ted, there was a small pause, 'I'm betting wherever she is, she is completely safe.' said Ted. There was a long pause filled with a clattering of knives and forks. When the group spoke ago it was to discuss where they should set up camp.

Harry, Ron and Hermione reeled in the Extendable Ears.

'Ginny - the sword -' Ron said.

'I know!' said Hermione. She lunged for the tiny bag, she pulled out - Ron rushing to help her - the empty portrait of Phineas Nigellus. 'If somebody swapped the real sword for the fake while it was in Dumbledore's office,' she panted, as they propped the painting up, 'Phineas Nigellus would have seen it happen, he hangs right beside the case!'

Hermione knelt-down in front of the empty canvas, her wand directed at its centre, cleared her throat, then said, 'Er -Phineas Nigellus!' Nothing happened. 'Phineas Nigellus?' she said again. 'Professor Black? Could we talk to you please?'

'"Please" always helps.' said a cold, snide voice, and Phineas Nigellus slid into his portrait. At once, Hermione cried, ' _Obscuro!'_

A blindfold appeared over Phineas Nigellus's eyes. 'What - how dare - what are you -?'

'I'm so sorry Professor Black, but it's a necessary precaution!' Hermione said.

'Remove this foul addition at once! Remove it I say! You are ruining a great work of art! Where am I? What is going on?'

'We'll be the ones asking the questions,' Harry said.

'Can that possibly be the voice of the elusive Lady Potter?'

'It might be,' Ron said. 'Now we've got a couple of questions about the sword of Gryffindor.'

''Ah, yes. That silly girl acted most unwisely there -'

'Shut up about my sister,' Ron said roughly.

'The girl and her friends were foolhardy in the extreme. Thieving from the Headmaster!'

'They weren't thieving, the sword isn't Snape's,' Ron said.

'It belongs to Professor Snape's school,' said Phineas. 'Exactly what claim did the Weasley girl have upon it? she deserved her punishment, as did the idiot Longbottom and the Lovegood oddity!'

'Neville is not an idiot and Luna is not an oddity!' said Hermione.

'Where am I? Where have you brought me? Why have you removed me from the house of my forebears?'

'Oh, we'll put you back!' Ron said, 'Now, how did Snape punish Ginny, Neville and Luna?'

'Professor Snape sent them into the Forbidden Forest, to do some work for the oaf, Hagrid.'

'Hagrid is not an oaf!' Hermione said shrilly.

'And Snape might've thought that was a punishment,' said Ron, 'but Ginny, Neville and Luna probably had a good laugh with Hagrid. The Forbidden Forest ... they've faced plenty worse than the Forest.'

'What we really wanted to know, Professor Black, is whether anyone else has, um, taken out the sword at all? Maybe it's been taken away for cleaning or - or something!'

'Goblin-made armour does not require cleaning! Goblins' silver repels mundane dirt, imbibing only that which strengthens it.'

Only takes in what makes it stronger! Could it be? Was that the answer? Harry doubted her thoughts, it was just not possible.

'Then could you tell when the last time the sword was taken out of its case, Professor?' Before Ginny took it, I mean?'

'I believe that the last time I saw the sword of Gryffindor leave its case was when Professor Dumbledore used it to break open a ring.'

Ron and Hermione were exchanging looks. Harry couldn't believe it; her theory had been correct. But what if it was just a coincidence.

'Well, goodnight to you,' said Phineas.

'Wait! Have you told Snape you saw this?' Ron said.

'Professor Snape has more important things on his mind than the many eccentricities of Albus Dumbledore. Goodbye!' And with that he vanished completely, leaving behind him nothing but his backdrop.

'Oh, this is excellent news!' Hermione said, unable to contain herself. 'You were right, the sword can destroy Horcruxes! Goblin-made blades imbibe only that which strengthens them - that sword's impregnated with Basilisk venom!'

'And Dumbledore didn't give it to you because he still needed it, he wanted to use it on the locket -' Ron said.

'-And he must have realised they wouldn't let you have it if he put it in his will -'

'-so, he made a copy-'

'-and put it in the glass case-'

'-and he left the real one ... where?'

Hermione and Ron faced each other.

'Where would he have left it?' Hermione whispered.

'Well it wasn't Hogwarts - clearly-' said Ron.

'Somewhere in Hogsmeade?' Hermione suggested.

'The Shrieking Shack?' said Ron. 'Nobody goes there.'

'But Snape would know how to get in. Remus and Sirius told the Order where all the entrances to the castle were. It would be too risky!'

'But Dumbledore trusted Snape!' Ron reminded her.

'Not enough to tell him that he swapped the swords,' Hermione said.

'Yeah, you're right,' Ron conceded, 'So would he have hidden the sword well away from Hogsmeade then? What do you reckon, Harry? Anna?'

Harry was breathing hard. 'I don't know.'

'Anna, what's wrong?'

'Nothing's wrong, not according to you two anyway,' Harry said.

'Well obviously, something's wrong,' Ron said, 'Spit it out.'

'You want to know?' Harry shrieked, 'You really want to know? OK, I'll tell you. I don't bloody know. I haven't got the answers. I have no clue where the Horcruxes are. And now we have to add another thing to the list of stuff I don't know.'

'Harry-'

'Leave just leave - both you! This isn't what you signed up for! I don't have the answers! I'm letting everyone down!' Harry said, tears forming. 'I know that's what you both have been talking about, behind my back like I wouldn't notice!'

'Harry - we weren't -'

'LEAVE!'

'Maybe I will,' Ron said hotly, 'God what has gotten into you, you've changed - you always had an answer - or a theory - but all of a sudden now we're out in the real world - you can't! You're meant to be the leader - you're meant to keep up our hopes. You're the one we're meant to look for guidance.'

'I'm no leader.'

'Fine feel sorry for yourself. I'm not going to listen to it.' Ron said, and he turned to Hermione. 'You coming?'

'No,' she stammered, 'I'm staying we said we'd stay - we said we'd help.'

'I'm not helping her while she's like that!' Ron pointed towards her, he turned and left the tent.

'Ron, no - please come back!' Hermione said chasing after him. There was a crack outside of the tent. And Ron was gone.


	118. Chapter 118

Hermione did not say a word to her the next morning. They ate in silence, and packed up their things. Harry couldn't help feeling that Hermione should leave her too. Hermione dawdled, and Harry knew why, she was looking for signs of Ron's return. Finally, Hermione seemed to accept that Ron was not returning, she and Harry grasped hands and Disapparated, reappearing on a windswept heather-covered hillside. The instant they arrived Hermione dropped Harry's hand and walked away from her, sitting down on a large rock, her face on her knees, shaking with what she knew were sobs. She supposed she ought to comfort her, but he was her fault Ron was gone. Soon, Hermione would see the light, and she would be alone. Instead Harry stride off, casting the spells Hermione usually used to ensure their protection.

They did not discuss Ron at all over the next few days. Hermione by day, devoted herself trying to determine the possible locations of the Gryffindor sword. Harry could not remember Dumbledore ever mentioning a place in which he might hide something. There were moments she did not know who she was angrier with Dumbledore for leading down this path with nothing to go on, or herself for believing she could finish his plan to destroy Voldemort.

They spent many evening in silence, and Hermione took to bringing out Phineas Nigellus portrait, who seemed curious to find out more about what Harry was up to. They relished any news about Hogwarts they could managed to wrangle from him. Snape seemed to be facing a constant, low-level of mutiny from hard core of students. Ginny had been banned from going to Hogsmeade, Snape had reinstate Umbridge's old decree forbidding gatherings. Though Harry was sure that Ginny, Luna and Neville were getting around that.

The weather grew colder and colder. And they dare not remain in any one area too long. They had already spotted Christmas trees, as under Harry Muggle method of disguising themselves, they had been into a supermarket to stock up on provisions.

'Anna -' Hermione said tentatively. She was curled up reading _The Tales of Beedle the Bard._ Harry winced, any second now, the moment was fast approaching, Hermione was about to leave too.

'Yes,' Harry said.

'Could you help me with something?' she leaned forwards and held out the book. 'Look at that symbol,' she said pointing to the top of the page. Above what Harry knew was the title of the story, there was a picture of what looked like a triangular eye, its pupil crossed with a vertical line. 'This rune is not in the syllabary. All along I thought it was a picture of an eye, but I don't think it is! It's been inked in, look somebody's drawn it there, it isn't really part of the book. Have you seen it before?'

'Yeah, Luna's fathers was wearing the same symbol around his next.'

'That's what I thought too!'

'Then it's Grindelwald's mark.'

Hermione stared at her, open-mouthed. _'What?'_

'Krum told me ...' She recounted the story that Viktor Krum had told her at the wedding. Hermione looked astonished.

 _'Grindelwald's mark?'_ She looked from Harry to the weird symbol and back again. 'I've never heard that Grindelwald had a mark. There's no mention of it in anything I've ever read about him.'

'Well that's what Krum said. He reckoned that symbol was carved on a wall by Grindelwald.'

'That's very odd. If it's a symbol of Dark Magic, what's it doing in a book of children's stories?'

'That is weird,' Harry said. 'And you'd think Scrimgeour would have recognised it. He was an Auror, he ought to have been an expert on Dark stuff ... unless ...' Harry shook her head.

Hermione raised an eyebrow. 'Unless ...'

'Nothing ... it's nothing.'

Hermione sighed and held out her hand. 'Take it off ... the locket.'

'What? Why?'

'Just do it.'

Harry pulled off the locket.

'Feeling better?'

Harry nodded, 'I - thanks...'

Hermione put the locket around her neck. 'I should have realised sooner - now you were saying, unless what?'

'Oh,' Harry said, retracing her thoughts, 'unless the symbol means something else ...'

'Umm maybe,' Hermione sighed. 'I've been thinking ... I think we should visit Godric's Hollow.'

'You do?' Harry said. 'But I thought-'

'I know what I said but I think Dumbledore might have hidden the sword there. It was Godric Gryffindor's birthplace. Dumbledore would have known you would have wanted to go back there.'

'And Bathilda Bagshot ... Muriel said that she was a family friend to the Dumbledores and that she still lived there -'

Hermione gasped, 'Then she could have the sword.'

'It's worth finding out if he did, right?' Harry said.

'Yes, but we'll have to think it through carefully, Anna,' she said. 'We'll need to go under the Invisibility Cloak or Disillusion Charms and our disguise covers, the thicker our disguises the better.'

Harry would have happily set off the next day, but Hermione had other ideas. Convince Voldemort would expect Harry to return to the scene of her parents' deaths, she was determined not to leave until they had a full plan in mind. It was not until a week later, when Hermione was happy enough with their plan, that Hermione agreed to make the journey.

They Apparated to the village under the cover of darkness, whilst Invisible. When they appeared, Harry's heart was beating fast. They were standing in a snowy lane under a dark blue sky. Cottages stood on either side of the narrow road, Christmas decorations twinkling in their windows.

Harry reversed the spells, that made them invisible, there was no one in sight. Harry gazed at front doors, wondering in which did Bathilda Bagshot live. The little lane which they were walking along curved to the left and the heart of the village, a small square was revealed to them. Strung all around with coloured lights, there was what looked like a war memorial in the middle. There were several shops, a post office, a pub and a little church whose stained-glass windows were glowing jewel bright across the square. Villagers were criss-crossing in front of them. They heard a snatch of laughter and pop music as the pub door opened; then heard a carol start up inside the church.

'I think it's Christmas Eve!' Hermione said.

She had lost track of the date; they had not seen a newspaper for weeks. 'Is it?'

'I'm sure it is,' Hermione said, her eyes upon the church. 'They ... they'll be in there, won't they? Your mum and dad? I can see the graveyard behind it.'

With every step, she took, that neared her towards the grave, fear sprung up. She was not sure, if she wanted to see, after all. Halfway across the square, Hermione stopped.

'Anna, look!'

She was pointing at the war memorial. As they passed it, it had transformed. Instead of an obelisk covered in names, there was a statue of three people: a man with untidy hair and glasses, a woman with long hair and a kind, pretty face, and a baby girl sitting her mother's arms. She had never imaged that there would be a statue ... a statue of her and her parents'.

'C'mon,' Harry said, and she turned away towards the church again. As they crossed the road, she glanced back, the statue had turned back into the war memorial. The signing grew louder as they approached the church. There was a kissing gate at the entrance to the graveyard. Hermione pushed it open as quietly as possible and they edged through it. Behind the church, row upon row of snowy tombstones protruded. They walked deeper and deeper into the graveyard. They came across the Dumbledore's mother and sister's grave.

'Here!' Hermione cried, from out of the darkness. 'Oh sorry! I thought it said, Potter.' She was rubbing at a crumbling, mossy stone, gazing down at it, a little frown on her face.

'What is it?'

Hermione looked up. 'Come and take a look.'

The grave was extremely old, weathered so that Harry could hardly make out the name. Hermione showed her the symbol beneath it. 'Harry, that's the mark in the book!'

Harry peered at the place Hermione indicated: the stone was so worn it was hard to make out what was engraved there, though there did seem to be a triangular mark beneath the nearly illegible name.

Hermione lit her wand and pointed it at the name on the headstone. 'It says Ig - Ignotus, I think -'

A thought occurred to her. ''Mione ... what if it's a symbol of a different kind - like a family crest.'

'Ohh, it could be,' Hermione said. 'Come on let's keep searching for your parents'.'

Every now and then as Harry walked along, she recognised a surname. Sometimes there were several generations of the same wizarding family represented in the graveyard. Deeper and deeper amongst the graves she went.

'Anna, they're here ... right here.'

The headstone was only two rows behind Kendra and Ariana Dumbledore's. It was made of white marble, this made it easy to read.

 _James Potter, born 27 March 1960, died 31 October 1981_

 _Lily Potter, born 30 January 1960, died 31 October 1981_

 _The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death._

Harry read the words slowly and traced her parents' names. There was so much she had to tell them, but the words seemed to caught upon her tongue. But if the inscription was anything to go by, her parents would already know. She pulled out her wand, conjuring a fake flower, she let it fall upon the grave.

'I'm sorry, I couldn't have come sooner,' she muttered, finally. 'Thank you, for everything.' There was nothing else to say, nothing that she could say. 'Let's go.' she added to Hermione. In silence, they walked away from the graves and back to the church.

'Hermione, stop.'

'What's wrong?'

'There's someone there. Someone's nearby. There over by the bushes.'

They stood quite still, gazing at the dense black boundary of the graveyard. Hermione did not ask her if she was sure, Hermione did not need to.

'This could be a problem ... we've just visited your parents' grave!'

'If it was a Death Eater ... we would have been attacked by now.' Harry said. 'Though we're very open, we should get out of here.'

They glanced around as they made their way out of the graveyard. They walked down a dark street leading out of the village in the opposite direction from which they had entered. Harry could make out the point where the cottages ended and the lane turned into open country again. They walked as quickly as they dared.

'How are we going to find Bathilda's house?' Hermione asked. 'What do you think? Anna?'

Harry was not paying attention. She was looking towards the dark mass that stood at the very end of this row of houses. The Fidelius Charm must have died with James and Lily. The hedge had grown wild in the sixteen years since Hagrid had taken her from the rubble. Most of the cottage was still standing, but the right side of the top floor had been blown apart, Harry knew, that was where the curse had backfired. She and Hermione now stood at the gate, gazing up at the wreck.

'I wonder why nobody's ever rebuilt it?' Hermione whispered.

'Maybe you can't rebuild it,' Harry replied. She reached out and grasped the rusted gate. Her touch on the gate seemed to have done it. A sign had risen out of the ground in front of them, and in golden letters upon the wood it said:

 _On this spot, on the night of 31 October 1981,_

 _Lily and James Potter lost their lives._

 _Their daughter Harianna, remains the only witch ever_

 _to have survived the Killing Curse._

 _This house, invisible to Muggle, has been left_

 _in its ruined state as a monument to the Potters_

 _and as a reminder of the violence_

 _that tore apart their family._

And all around these neatly lettered words, scribbles had been added by other witches and wizards. The messages all said similar things. _'Good luck, Harianna, wherever you are.' 'If you read this, Harianna, we're all behind you!' 'Long live Harianna Potter.'_

'They shouldn't have written on the sign!' Hermione said.

'I'm glad they did -'

She broke off. A heavily muffled figure was hobbling up the lane towards them. She was moving slowly, they watched in silence as she drew nearer. She came to a halt in front of them and simply stood there facing them. There was next to no chance that this woman was Muggle: she was standing there gazing at the house that ought to be been invisible to her if she was not a witch. She raised a gloved hand and beckoned them. Harry could think of many reasons not to obey the summons, and yet her suspicions about her identity were growing stronger every moment that they stood facing each other in the deserted street. Was it possible that she had been waiting for them all these months? That Dumbledore had told her to wait, and that Harry would come in the end.

'Are you Bathilda?'

The muffled figure nodded and beckoned again. Harry and Hermione looked at each other. Hermione gave her a tiny nervous nod. They stepped forwards and followed her past several houses until she turned at a gate. They followed her up the front path through a garden, she fumbled for a moment with a key at the front door, then opened it and stepped back to let them pass. She smelled bad, or perhaps it was her house. She closed the door behind them. The odour of old age, of dust, of unwashed clothes and stale food intensified as she unwound a moth-eaten, black shawl.

'Bathilda?' Harry repeated.

She nodded again, and she shuffled past them and vanished into what seemed to be a sitting room.

'Harry I'm not sure about this,' Hermione breathed.

'If she has the sword,' Harry replied just as softly. 'We've got no choice ... we've got to find out.'

In the sitting room, Bathilda was tottering around the place lightening candles. Thick dust crunched beneath their feet, and Harry's nose detected underneath the dank and mildewed smell, something worse, like meat gone bad. She wondered when was the last time anyone had been inside Bathilda's house to check whether she was coping. She seemed to have forgotten that she could do magic too, for she lit the candles by hand. Harry took the matches from her and lit the rest by magic. The last surface on which Harry spotted a candle was a chest of drawers on which there stood a large number of photographs. When the flame burst into life it's reflection wavered on their dusty glass and silver. Harry cleared the dust from them. A photograph near the back caught her eye, and she snatched it up. It was the golden-haired, merry-faced thief, the young man who perched on Gregorovitch's window sill.

'Mrs - Miss - Bagshot?' she said. 'Who is this?'

Bathilda was standing in the middle of the room watching Hermione light the fire for her.

'Miss Bagshot?' Harry repeated, and she advanced with the picture in her hands. 'Who is this person?'

She peered at it, then at Harry.

'Do you know who this is?' she repeated. 'This man? Do you know him? What's his name?'

'What are you doing?' asked Hermione.

'This picture, Hermione, it's the thief, the thief who stole from Greorovitch!' she said to Bathilda. 'Please, who is this?'

But she only stared at her.

'Why did you ask us to come with you, Mrs - Miss - Bagshot?' Hermione asked. 'Was there something you wanted to tell us?'

Giving no sign that she heard Hermione, Bathilda shuffled a few steps closer to Harry. With a little jerk of her head, she looked back down the hall.

'You want us to leave?'

She repeated the gesture, this time pointing first at Harry, then at herself, then at the ceiling.'

'Oh, right ... Hermione, I think she wants me to go upstairs with her.'

'All right,' Hermione said, 'let's go.'

But when Hermione moved, Bathilda shook her head with surprising vigour, once more pointing first at Harry, then to herself.

'She wants me to go with her alone.'

'Why?' Hermione asked.

'Not sure. Maybe Dumbledore told her to give me the sword when I was alone?'

'Be quick, Harry,' Hermione said.

'Lead the way.'

She seemed to understand because she shuffled past her towards the door. Harry placed the photograph down and followed, Harry glanced back at Hermione; she stood to look towards the bookcase. The stairs were steep and narrow slowly she climbed the stairs to the upper landing and then led Harry towards a bedroom. It was pitch black and smelt horrible, Bathilda closed the door, and the room was swallowed by darkness.

' _Lumos!'_ Harry said.

'You are Potter?' she whispered.

'Yes, I am.'

She nodded slowly.

'Have you got anything for me?' Harry asked again, but she seemed distracted by her wand-tip. 'Have you got anything for me?' she repeated.

Then she closed her eyes and several things happened at once: Harry's scar prickled painfully. She felt a leap of joy and spoke in a high, cold voice: _hold her!_ Harry swayed where she stood, Voldemort - message - it was a trap. Harry blasted wandlessly at the woman and bolted for the stairs.

'Hermione - run!'

Her scar was searing with pain. She turned, behind her out of the corner of her eye, she saw the old body collapsing and the great snake pouring from the place where her neck had been. The snake struck, Harry dodged, toppling down the stairs.

'He's coming! Hermione, he's coming!' Harry screamed, her scar searing with pain once more. As she yelled, the snake fell, hissing loudly. On her feet once more, Harry almost collided with Hermione in the haste, Harry had no time to sense where her friend was. The snake reared, and Harry knew that worse than the snake was coming, was perhaps already at the gate - the snake began to lunge, Harry screamed, _'Confringo!'_ her spell flew around the room, exploding a mirror and ricocheting back at them, bouncing from the floor to the ceiling. She grabbed Hermione hand and fell into darkness ...

And then her scar burst open and she was Voldemort and she was running across the sitting room, her long white hands clutching at the broken chest of drawers, as she saw the two girls vanish, and she screamed with rage, that echoed across the dark gardens over the church bells ringing in Christmas Day ... and the scream was Harry scream, the pain was Harry's pain ... that it could happen here, where it had happened before ... here within sight of that house ...

 _The night wet and windy, as he entered the square and the shop windows covered in paper spiders ... and he was gliding along, that sense of purpose and power and rightness in him that he always knew on these occasions. He ignored those around him as he moved ... now along a new darker street, and his destination was in sight at last, the Fidelius Charm broken, though, they did not know it yet .. they had not drawn the curtains, he saw them quite clearly in their sitting room, the tall, black-haired man in his glasses, making puffs of coloured smoke erupt from his wand ... the child was laughing and trying to catch the smoke ... A door opened and the mother entered, saying words he could hear, her long dark red hair falling over her face. Now the father scooped up the daughter and handed her to the mother. He threw his wand down upon the sofa and stretched, yawning ..._

 _The gate creaked a little as he opened it, but James Potter did not hear. His white hand pulled out the wand beneath his cloak and pointed it at the door, which burst open. He was over the threshold as James came sprinting into the hall. It was easy, too easy, he had not even picked up his wand ..._

 _'Lily, take Anna and go! It's him! Go! Run! I'll hold him off -'_

 _Hold him off, without a wand! ... he laughed before casting the curse ..._ 'Avada Kedavra!' _The green light filled the cramped hallway, it lit the pram pushed against the wall, and James Potter fell ... He could hear screaming from the upper floor, trapped, but as long as she was sensible she, at least, had nothing to fear ... he climbed the steps, listening as she tried to barricade herself in ... she had no wand upon her either ... how stupid they were, and how trusting, thinking that their safety lay in friends, that weapons could be discarded even for moments ..._

 _He forced the door open, cast aside the chair and boxes hastily piled against it with one lazy wave of his wand ... and there she stood, the child in her arms. At the sight of him, she dropped her daughter into the cot behind her and threw her arms wide, as if this would help ..._

 _'Not Harianna, not Anna, please not Anna!'_

 _'Stand aside, you silly girl ... stand aside now ...'_

 _'Not Harianna, please no, take me, kill me instead-'_

 _'This is my last warning -'_

 _'Not Harianna! Please ... have mercy ... have mercy ... not Anna! Not Anna! Please - I'll do anything -'_

 _'Stand aside - stand aside, girl -'_

 _He could have forced her away from the cot, but it seemed more prudent to finish them all ... The green light flashed around the room and she dropped like her husband. The child had not cried all this time: she could stand, clutching the bars of her cot, and she looked up into the intruder's face. He pointed the wand very carefully into the girl's face: he wanted to see it happen, the destruction of this one, inexplicable danger. The child had begun to cry. He did not like it crying, he had never been able to stomach the small ones' whining in the orphanage -_ 'Avada Kedavra!'

 _And then he broke: he was nothing, nothing but pain and terror, and he must hide himself, not here in the rubble of the ruined house, where the child was trapped screaming, but far away ... far away..._

'No,' he moaned,

 _The snake rustled on the floor .. and now he stood at the broken chest of drawers in Bathilda's house, immersed in memories of his greatest loss, and at his feet, the great snake slithered ... he looked down, and saw something ... something incredible. He stopped down and picked up the smashed photograph. There he was, the unknown thief, the thief he was seeking ...'_

'Anna, wake up, it's OK, wake up, wake up!'

'No ... I put it back ... I put it back ...' she opened her eyes.

'Anna,' Hermione whispered. 'Do you feel - all right?'

'Riddle - the photo - the thief - he's seen it.'

'It's OK, we're OK. We're safe.' Hermione said, biting her lip, 'though you've been quite ... ill.'

'You heard ... didn't you?'

'You were shouting and moaning and ... things,' Hermione said.

'You were right, we should have never gone to Godric's Hollow. It's my fault, all my fault.'

'It's not your fault. I wanted to go too; I really thought Dumbledore might have left the sword there for you.'

'Yeah, well ... we got that wrong, didn't we?'

'What happened, Anna? What happened when she took you upstairs? Was the snake hiding somewhere? Did it just come out and kill her and attack you?'

'She was the snake ... or the snake was her ...' she closed her eyes. She could still smell Bathilda's house. 'Bathilda must've been dead a while. The snake was ... was inside her. Riddle put it there to wait. He knew I'd go back.'

'The snake was inside her?'

'Yes, it was really dark magic, magic we've never seen or could have imagined before,' Harry said, opening her eyes. 'She didn't want to talk in front of you because it was Parseltongue, all Parseltongue and I didn't realise, but of course, I could understand her. Once we were up in the room, the snake sent a message to Riddle, I heard it happen inside my head, I felt him get excited, he said to keep me there ... and then I knew, I blasted her and ran to get you.'

'You got us out,' Hermione said, she bit her lip once more, 'that's all that matters.'

Harry tried to sit up.

'You should rest!'

'You're the one who needs sleep. No offence but you look terrible. I'm fine I'll keep watch for a while. Where's my wand?'

'Oh,' Hermione said, holding out her hand, Harry's wand in her fingers. 'Here.'

'Hermione, why are you using my wand?'

She was biting her lip again, and tears swam in her eyes. 'I had ... I had to borrow it.'

'Why?'

'As we were leaving, you know, the snake was coming for us, and you cast a Blasting Curse, it rebounded everywhere, and it must have - must have hit -' she murmured. 'It was an accident, it's OK - but I had to borrow yours - I had to make sure you'd be OK. George would have killed me!'

'Nah, that's always Ron's problem,' Harry laughed, 'And for what it's worth ... I'm sorry. You can borrow my wand, I don't mind. But for now, I think you should get some rest.'

...

'Anna?'

Harry looked up from the saucepan. 'What is it?'

'You know how you wanted to know who that man in the picture was. Well ... I've got the book ... and I've found him.'

'What - where - how?'

'It was in Bathilda's sitting room, just lying there ... this note from Rita sticking out of the top of it. I think it must have arrived while the real Bathilda was alive, but perhaps she wasn't in any fit state to read it?'

'No, she probably wasn't.'

Hermione opened up the book, Harry looked down at it, the young Dumbledore and his handsome companion, roaring with laughter. Harry's eyes dropped to the caption. _Albus Dumbledore, shortly after his mother's death, with his friend Gellert Grindelwald._

'They were friends?'

'It seems that way.' Hermione replied. And Harry turned the heat down, letting their stew simmer. Hermione flicked through the pages until they found a chapter entitled 'The Great Good'. Together, they started to read, when the chapter ended Harry looked up.

'Anna -'

She shook her head. She had trusted Dumbledore, believed him the embodiment of goodness and wisdom. But young Dumbledore had not been wise at all.

'Anna ... listen to me. It - it doesn't make very nice reading -'

'You could say that -'

'-and this is Rita Skeeter writing we're talking about.'

'You read that letter to Grindelwald, didn't you?'

'Yes, I - I did,' she hesitated. 'I think that's the worst bit. I know Bathilda thought it was all just talk, but "For the Greater Good" became Grindelwald's slogan, his justification for all the atrocities he committed later. And ... from that ... it looks like Dumbledore gave him the idea. They say "For the Greater Good" was even carved over the entrance to Nurmengard.'

'Nurmengard?'

'The prison Grindelwald had built to hold his opponents. He ended up in there himself, once Dumbledore had caught him. Anyway, it's - it's an awful thought that Dumbledore's ideas helped Grindelwald rise to power. But on the other hand, even Rita can't pretend that they knew each other for more than a few months one summer when they were both really young -'

'They were the same age as we are now. And we are risking our lives to fight the Dark Arts, and there he was, in a huddle with his new best friend, plotting their rise to power over the Muggles.'

'I'm not trying to defend what Dumbledore wrote, Anna, all that "right to rule" rubbish, it's "Magic is Might" all over again. But his mother had just died, he was stuck alone in the house -'

'He wasn't alone! He had his brother and sister for company, his Squib sister he was keeping locked up-'

'I don't believe it,' Hermione said 'Whatever was wrong with that girl. I don't think she was a Squib. The Dumbledore we knew would never, ever allowed -'

'The Dumbledore we thought we knew didn't conquer Muggles by force!'

'He changed, Anna, he changed! It's as simple as that! Maybe he did believe these things when he was seventeen, but the rest of his life was devoted to fighting the Dark Arts! Dumbledore was the one who stopped Grindelwald, the one who always voted for Muggle protection and Muggle-born rights, who fought Riddle from the start and who died trying to bring him down!' Hermione took a breath. 'Anna, I think the real reason you're so angry is Dumbledore never told you any of this himself.'

'You're right,' Harry said. 'But look what he asked from us! Risk our lives! But don't expect me to explain anything, just trust me blindly, trust that I know what I'm doing, trust me even though I don't you! Never the whole truth!'

'He loved you,' Hermione whispered. 'I know he loved you.'

'He had a funny way of showing it,' Harry said shaking her head. 'This mess he left us in, is not love. It's the Dursleys all over again! Only this time I'm dragging people down with me.' Harry, got up, turning the heat off to the cooker fully. 'I'll start the watch. I'm no longer hungry.'

...

'Where are we?' Harry asked looking around. She thought that they were going to head for somewhere more sheltered. Not another forest.

'The Forest of Dean,' Hermione said. 'I came camping here once, with my parents.'

Snow lay on the trees all around, and it was bitterly cold, they were protected from the wind. They spent most of the day inside the tent, huddled for warmth. Fresh snow drifted down on them in the afternoon. By night Harry would change into her Animagus form, and keep watch. After two nights of little sleep, Harry's senses seemed more alert than usual. Their escape from Godric's Hollow had been so narrow.

Several times, she jerked awake, while in her Animagus form. She thought she heard movement amongst the trees. When she thought, she heard the noise again, she changed back. She could sense no magical presence and their protective charms had worked for weeks; why would they break now?

A bright silver light appeared right ahead of her, moving through the trees, the light drifting towards her. The source of the light stepped out from behind a tree. It was a silver-white doe, moon-bright and dazzling, making her way soundlessly over the frozen ground. She stepped towards Harry, Harry stared at the creature, filled with wonder, not at her strangeness, but her inexplicable familiarity. She felt that she had been waiting for her to come. Though Harry did not know to whom she belonged, had some member of the Order wanted to find her, where they themselves in trouble. Harry continued to gaze at the silver doe until she turned away.

For one trembling, second, she hesitated. Caution murmured: it could be a trick, a lure, a trap. But instinct, an overwhelming instinct, told her this was not, so she set off in pursuit. Deeper and deeper through the trees, the doe led her, sure when she stopped, she allowed Harry to approach her properly. And then she would speak, and the voice would tell Harry what she needed to know. At last, she came to a halt, the doe turned her beautiful head towards her once more, and she broke into a run, but as Harry neared her, she vanished.

Harry lit her wand, afraid of what was to come. Was she about to be attacked? Had the doe enticed her into an ambush? Was she imaging that somebody stood beyond the reach of the wand-light, watching her? Harry held her wand higher. Nobody ran out at her, no flash of green light burst from behind a tree. Why then had the doe led Harry to this spot? Something gleamed in the light of the wand and Harry spun about, but all that was there, was a small frozen pool, its cracked black surface glittering as she raised the wand to examine it. She moved forwards cautiously and looked down. The ice reflected her distorted shadow and the beam of wand-light, but deep below the thick, grey carapace, something else glinted. A great silver cross... her heart skipped a beat: she dropped to her knees, a glint of deep red, let up in the wand-light ... the sword of Gryffindor was lying at the bottom of the forest pool.

Harry knew somehow without even attempting to Summon the sword, that she would have to retrieve the sword herself. She glanced around at the surrounding trees, she was convinced, that nobody was going to attack her. Where was the person who had sent the doe? Harry cracked the ice surface of the pool. As far as she could judge it was not too deep but she would have to submerge herself completely to retrieve it. She did not strip off her clothes, knowing she'd be able to dry herself, neither did she take off the locket, not wanting to lose it.

The cold was agony, as the icy water hit her skin. Never being a strong swimmer, Harry pushed through the water to the bottom and reached out, groping for the sword. Her fingers closed around the hilt; she pulled it upwards. Then something closed around her neck. The chain of the Horcrux had tightened and was slowly constricting her wind pipe. Harry tried to push herself back to the surface, thrashing, suffocating she scrabbled at the strangling chain, her frozen fingers unable to loosen it, she was going to drown, there was nothing left, nothing she could do, and darkness loomed ...

Choking and retching, soaking and colder than she had ever been in her life, face down in the snow. Somewhere close by, another person was panting and coughing and staggering around, she raised a shaking hand to her neck, the chain was gone: someone had cut her free. Then a panting voice spoke from over her head.

'Are - you - bloody mental?'

Shock gave Harry the strength to pull herself up at the sound of the voice. Shivering violently, she staggered to her feet. Stood before her was Ron, glaring slightly, dressed but drenched to the skin, the sword of Gryffindor in one hand and the Horcrux dangling from its broken chain the other.

'Why the hell,' panted Ron, holding up the locket, 'didn't you take this thing off before you dived?'

'Didn't want to lose it.' Harry coughed, staring at him, she could not believe her eyes. 'How comes you're here?'

'Well, I've - you know - come back. If -' he cleared his throat, 'if that's OK?'

Harry continued to stare at him, she had not expected him to come back, to return. Yet here he was, and he had just saved her life. Ron looked down at his hands. He seemed momentarily surprised to see the things he was holding.

'Oh yeah, I got it out,' he said unnecessarily, 'that's why you jumped in right?'

Harry nodded, not understanding something. 'How did you get here? How did you find us?'

'Long story,' Ron said. 'I've been looking for you for hours, and I was thinking I'd have to kip under a tree and wait until morning when I saw that deer coming, and you following it.'

'Did you see anyone else?'

'No - I,' Ron hesitated, glancing at two trees growing close together some yards away, 'I did think I saw something move over there, but I was running to the pool at the time, because you'd gone in and hadn't come up, so I wasn't going to make a detour - didn't you sense anything? - Hey!'

Harry was already hurrying to the place Ron had indicated. The two oaks grew close together, there was a gap of only a few inches between the trunks at eye-level, an ideal place to see, but not be seen. Harry could see no signs of footprints, it was not possible - if someone had been there, she could have sensed them. She walked back to where Ron stood waiting.

'Anything there?'

'No,' Harry said, shaking her head, defeated.

'So how did the sword get in the pool?'

'Whoever cast the Patronus must have put it there.'

They both looked at the silver sword.

'You reckon this is the real one?' asked Ron.

'Only one way to find out,' Harry said watching the locket; it was twitching. Harry knew the thing inside was agitated, it had sensed the presence of the sword and had tried to kill Harry rather than let her possess it. She placed it onto a rock, Ron offered her the sword, Harry shook her head. 'It has to be you.'

'Me?' Ron looked shocked.

'It's how the magic works - I had to pull it from the Hat, to use it - you pulled it out of the lake, it has to be you.'

Ron bewilderingly looked from the sword to Harry, though he did not question her.

'I'm going to open it,' Harry said, 'whatever is in there will put up a fight. The part of Riddle in the diary tried to kill me, so stab it, straight away.'

'How are you going to open it?' Ron asked.

'I'm going to ask it to,' Harry said unhelpfully.

'Are - are you sure, it's got to be me?'

Harry nodded. 'I'm sure - ready?'

Ron looked reluctant but nodded.

'On three,' Harry said looking down at the locket. 'One ... two ... three ... _open.'_

Harry heard the hiss escape from her mouth and the golden doors of the locket swung wide with a click. Behind both of the glass windows within a blinked a living eye, dark and handsome as Tom Riddle's eyes had been before he turned them scarlet and slit-pupilled.

Ron raised the sword in his shaking hands: the point dangled over the swivelling eyes, then out from the eyes appeared black smoke. Harry heard the sword drop to the floor, Harry too, was shocked by the sight in front of her. The black smoke formed a cloudy bodily shape - hers.

' _Go ahead! It's all I'm worth.' Riddle-Harry said. 'Kill me! I should be dead! I shouldn't be here!'_

Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Ron staring at her.

 _'We'd all be better off with me! I've caused so many deaths! All of them are my fault! I'll cause your death ... you know it's true ... end it now ... go on kill me!'_

'Ron ... just stab it.' Harry shouted.

 _'Don't listen to her ... stab her ... kill her ... end it! End it all! No one else has to die. You can live ... your family can be safe ...'_

Harry sighed in relief as she heard the sword being picked up.

'It's over ... for you, that is ... and nothing will change that.' Ron said, lifting the sword up again. 'I'm not going to kill Harry, not after everything.'

The black smoke shifted, this time to a small child-like form, naked, bruised and bandaged, Harry did not have to estimate the age of the copy, it was unmistakably her seven-year old self.

 _'She never told you about me though... never about me. Go on ask her ... ask her what happened to me. She never told you how she got the name, Harry. Pathetic really, isn't it? Not even knowing how to say your own name! Didn't even know what her name was ... she just a FREAK! Go on kill her! Let her die ... like she should have done all those years ago - she's just a worthless little freak. She doesn't deserve to live -'_

Ron ran forwards, the sword flashed, plunged: there was a clang of metal and a long-drawn-out scream. Her seven-year-old self-was gone, the shattered remains of the locket on the flat rock. The sword clanged as Ron dropped it, he was breathing heavy.

'You're not a freak,' he panted, 'you've never been a freak.'

Harry, turned her head, not looking at him, she heard him sit down next to her, a hand squeezed her shoulder.

'We gathered bits ... though you wouldn't tell us. We thought, you'd got over it, over them, and that's why you didn't talk about your past -' Ron sighed. 'I didn't understand - before I left. I didn't expect you to have the answers, I just didn't realise that you did. That you expected so much from yourself, so much so, you looked down at yourself. That's what frustrated me, I've never known you act like that, not once. George even said he could count the times he has seen you cry on one hand.'

'I'm sorry I left. I know I was a - a -'

'You made up for it tonight,' Harry said softly, 'Getting the sword. Finishing off the Horcrux. Saving my life.'

'That makes me sound a lot cooler than I was,' Ron mumbled.

'Stuff like that always sounds cooler than it really was,' Harry said. 'I've been trying to tell you that for years.'

Simultaneously, with grins on their faces, they hugged each other.

'Now, all we've got to do is find the tent again.' Harry said, waving her wand directed towards themselves, drying their clothes. 'At least we'll be warm now.'

It was not difficult to find the tent, and it took a short time to find. Harry could not wait to wake Hermione, Ron lagged a little behind her, as Harry approached Hermione, who was fast asleep under her blankets.

'Hermione!'

She stirred, then sat up quickly, pushing her hair out of her face.

'What's wrong? Anna? Are you all right?'

'It's OK, everything's fine. More than fine. There's someone here.'

'What do you mean? Who-?' She saw Ron, who stood there holding the sword. Hermione slid out of her bunk and moved towards Ron. Ron gave a weak, hopeful smile and half-raised his arms. Hermione launched herself forwards and started punching every inch of him that she could reach.

'Ouch - ow - gerroff! What the -? Hermione - OW!'

'You complete arse - Ronald Weasley!' She punctuated every word with a blow: Ron backed away, shielding his head as Hermione advanced.

'You - crawl - back - here - after - weeks - and - weeks - oh, give me your wand, Anna?'

'Calm down, Hermione,' Harry said.

'I will not calm down!' she screamed. 'Give me your wand! Give it to me!'

'Hermione please -'

'Don't you tell me what to do!' she screeched. 'Don't you dare! And YOU!' Hermione was pointing at Ron in dire accusation. 'I came after you! I called you!'

'I know,' Ron said. 'Hermione, I'm sorry, I'm really -'

'Oh, you're sorry! You came back after weeks - weeks - and you think it's all going to be all right if you just say sorry?'

'Well, what else do you want me to say?'

'Oh, I don't know!' Hermione yelled.

'Hermione - please - Ron just saved my -'

'I don't care!' she screamed. 'I don't care what he's done! Weeks and weeks, we could have been dead for all he knew -'

'I knew you weren't dead!' Ron bellowed. 'Anna's all over the _Prophet,_ all over the radio they're looking for you everywhere, all these rumours and mental stories, I knew I'd hear straight off if you were dead, you don't know what it's been like -'

'What has it been like for you?'

'I wanted to come back the minute I'd Disapparated, but I walked straight into a gang of Snatchers, Hermione, and I couldn't go anywhere!'

'A gang of what?' Harry asked as Hermione threw herself into a chair.

'Snatchers,' Ron said. 'They're everywhere, gangs trying to earn gold by rounding up Muggle-borns and blood traitors, there's a reward from the Ministry for everyone captured. I was on my own and I look like I might be school age, they got really excited, thought I was a Muggle-born in hiding 'cause of the disguise. I had to talk fast to get out of being dragged to the Ministry.'

'What did you tell them?'

'Told them I was Stan Shunpike. The first person I could think of.'

'And they believe that?'

'They weren't the brightest. One of them was definitely part troll, the smell of him ... anyway, they had a row about whether I was Stan or not. It was a bit pathetic, to be honest, but there were still five of them, and they'd taken my wand. Then two of them got into a fight and while the others were distracted I managed to hit the one holding me in the stomach, grabbed his wand, Disarmed the bloke holding mine and Disapparated. I didn't do it so well, Splinched myself -' Ron held up his right hand to show two missing fingernails, '- and I came out miles from where you were. By the time I got back to that bit of the riverbank where we'd been ... you'd gone.'

'Gosh what a gripping story,' Hermione said sarcastically, 'You must have been simply terrified. Meanwhile, we went to Godric's Hollow and, let's think what happened there, Anna? Oh yes, Riddle's snake turned up, nearly killing us and then Riddle himself turned up and missed us by about a second.'

'What?' Ron said gaping from her to Harry, but Hermione ignored him.

'One thing I would like to know, though,' she said. 'How exactly did you find us tonight? That's important. Once we know, we'll be able to make sure we're not visited by anyone else we don't want to see.'

Ron glared at her, then pulled a small silver object from his jeans pocket. 'This.'

'The Deluminator? Hermione asked.

'It doesn't just turn the lights on and off,' Ron said. 'I don't know how it works or why it happened then and not any other time because I've been wanting to come back ever since I left. But I was listening to the radio, on Christmas morning, and I heard ... I heard Anna.'

'You heard me on the radio?' Harry asked.

'NO! I heard you coming out of my pocket. Your voice ... came out of the Deluminator.'

'And what had I said?'

'My name and you said something about it being my problem ...'

Harry and Hermione exchanged a look. They both knew what he was talking about, it was the first time either of them had mentioned his name out loud.

'So, I took it out,' Ron went on, looking at the Deluminator, 'and it didn't seem any different, or anything, but I was sure I heard you. So, I clicked it and the light went out in my room, but another light appeared right outside the window. It was a ball of light, kind of pulsing, and bluish, like that light you get around a Portkey, you know?'

'Yeah,' Harry and Hermione said together.

'I knew this was it,' said Ron. 'I grabbed my stuff together and went out into the garden. The little ball of light was hovering there, waiting for me, and when I came out it bobbed along a bit and I followed it - and well it went inside me.'

'Sorry?'

'It sort of floated towards me,' Ron said, 'right to my chest, and then - it went straight through. And once it was inside me I knew what I was supposed to do, I knew it would take me where I needed to go. So, I Disapparated and came out on the side of a hill. There was snow everywhere ...'

'We were there,' Harry said. 'We spent two nights there.'

'Yeah, well, your protective charms work, because I couldn't see you and I couldn't hear you. I was sure you were around though, so in the end, I got in my sleeping bag and waited for one of you to appear. I thought you'd show yourselves when you packed up the tent.'

'No actually,' said Hermione, 'We've been Disapparating under Disillusion Charms as an extra precaution.'

'Well I stayed on that hill all day,' Ron said. 'I kept hoping you'd appear. But when it started to get dark I knew I must have missed you, so I clicked the Deluminator again, the blue light appeared again, and I Disapparated and arrived here, in these woods. I still couldn't see you, so I just had to hope one of you would show - and Anna did. Well, I saw the doe first obviously.'

'You saw what?'

They explained what happened, and the story of the silver doe and the sword in the pool unfolded.

'It must have been a Patronus!' Hermione said. 'Couldn't you see who it was casting it? Didn't you see anyone? Anna, could you not feel a magical presence around? And they led you to the sword! I can't believe this! Then what happened?'

Ron explained how he watched Harry dive into the pool and had waited for her to resurface; how he had realised that something was wrong, dived in and saved Harry, then returned for the sword. He got as far as the opening of the locket, then hesitated and Harry cut in.

'-and Ron stabbed it with the sword.'

'And ... and it went? Just like that?'

'Well, it screamed - it put up a fight - or tried to. Thought it could convince Ron to kill me.' Harry said, throwing the locket in her direction. She picked it up and examined its punctured windows.

'Did you say you got away from the Snatchers with a spare wand, Ron?'

'Oh - yeah.' He tugged open a buckle on his rucksack and pulled a short dark wand out of its pocket. 'I'd figured it's always handy to have a backup.'

'You were right,' Harry said. 'I broke Hermione's, by accident.'

'You're kidding?' Ron looked from Harry to Hermione to the wand. 'On second thought - I might keep hold of this - no offence but your bloody scary witch, Hermione!'


	119. Chapter 119

Ron filled Harry in on everything he had discovered about the wider wizarding world during his weeks away; whilst Hermione chose to glare at him.

'And I know how the Death Eaters found us so quickly,' he told Harry, after explaining the many desperate attempts of Muggle-borns to evade the Ministry.

'You do?'

'Yeah - your name is Taboo - Lady Potter is safe - Harry or Anna is as well, but your full name has been jinxed.' Ron said 'They've been tracking people using it, 'cause most of the Order calls you by your first name. You were right about his name, you can't use it either! Using either of them breaks protective enchantments, it causes some kind of magical disturbance.'

'My name - but - oh god!'

'I know. They nearly got Kingsley!'

'You're kidding?'

'Nope, a bunch of Death Eaters cornered him, but he fought his way out. He's on the run now, just like us,' Ron said, 'You don't reckon Kingsley could have sent that doe?'

'His Patronus is a lynx ...'

'Oh yeah ...' Ron said, then he faced her looking a little bit embarrassed. 'You don't reckon it was Dumbledore, who sent the doe.'

'Dumbledore is dead Ron, I saw it happen. And again, his Patronus wasn't a doe.'

'Patronuses can change though, yours did.'

Harry sighed, 'Yes they can ... but if Dumbledore was alive, why wouldn't he show himself? Why not just hand over the sword?'

'Search me! Same reason he didn't give it to you while he was alive? Same reason he left you an old Snitch and Hermione a book of kids' stories?'

Harry rolled her eyes, 'Just because he knew that you would want a way back. But I dunno ... he didn't leave us with much to go on.' she sighed. 'Speaking of Dumbledore have you heard what Skeeter wrote about him?'

'Oh yeah,' Ron said, 'people are talking about it quite a lot. If things were different it'd be huge news, Dumbledore being pals with Grindelwald, but now it's just something to laugh about for people who didn't like Dumbledore. I don't know if it's a big deal though, he was really young when they -'

'Our age,' Harry corrected, 'But still -'

Ron changed the subject. 'I forgot to tell you, there's this one programme, that tells the news like it really is. All the others are on Riddle's side, and are following the Ministry line, but this one ... wait until you hear it, it's great. Only they can't do it every night, they have to keep changing locations in case they're raided, and you need a password to tune in ... trouble is, I missed the last one ...'

'Sounds ... interesting.' Harry said, watch Ron tap his wand on top of the radio, muttering random words under his breath.

Hermione climbed down from her bunk.

'If it's annoying you, I'll stop!' Ron said, eyeing Hermione nervously.

'I want to see Xenophilius Lovegood.'

'Why?'

Wordlessly, Hermione handed over The Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore. Harry saw a photograph of the original letter that Dumbledore had written to Grindelwald. And then she saw it Dumbledore had replaced the 'A' of Albus with a tiny version of the same triangular mark inscribed upon The Tales of Beedle the Bard.

'It keeps cropping up, doesn't it?' Hermione said. 'It's got to be important! We need to find out what the sign means.'

Harry nodded. 'OK, we'll go - but if this blows up in our faces like Godric's Hollow -'

'It won't be like that,' Ron said, 'Lovegood's on your side, Harry, The Quibbler's been for you all along, it keeps telling everyone they've got to help you!'

'I see one problem -' Harry said, 'We don't know where they live.'

'You might not, but I do,' Ron said, 'they don't live far from my place. Dunno exactly where, but mum and dad always point towards the hills whenever they mention them. Shouldn't be hard to find.'

They had an excellent view of the village of Ottery St Catchpole from the breezy hillside to which they Disapparated next morning. They stood for a minute or two looking towards The Burrow, seeing it made Harry miss George.

'It feels weird, being this near, but not going to visit,' Ron said.

'Well, it's not like you haven't just seen them. You were there for Christmas,' Hermione said coldly.

'I wasn't at The Burrow!' Ron said. 'Do you think I was going to go back there and tell them all I'd walked out on you? Ginny might have been understanding, but she would have ignored me for ages - and George, he would've killed me -'

'Where were you then?'

'Bill and Fleur's new place. Shell Cottage. Bill's always been decent to me. He wasn't impressed when he heard what I'd done, but he didn't go on about it. He knew I was sorry. None of the rest of the family knows I was there. Bill told mum he and Fleur weren't going home for Christmas because they wanted to spend it alone. You know, first holiday after they were married. I don't think Fleur minded.' Ron turned his back on The Burrow. 'Let's try up here.'

They walked for a few hours, Harry was hidden by the Disillusionment Charm.

'Aha!' Ron shouted, pointing upwards, towards the top of the hill, where a most strange-looking house rose Vertically against the sky.

Ron's legs were the longest and he reached the top of the hill first. When Harry and Hermione caught up with him, panting and clutching stitches in their sides, they found him grinning broadly.

'It's theirs,' Ron said. 'Look.'

Three hand-painted signs had been tacked to a broken-down gate. The first read 'The Quibbler. Editor: X. Lovegood', the second, 'Pick Your Own Mistletoe', the third, 'Keep Off the Dirigible Plums'.

The gate creaked as they opened it. The zigzagging path leading towards the front door was overgrown with a variety of odd plants.

'You better take off the spell, Anna,' Hermione said, 'it's you Mr Lovegood wants to help, not us.'

Harry did as she suggested, then Hermione knocked three times upon the door. Barely ten seconds passed, then the door was flung open and there stood Xenophilius Lovegood. His long, white, hair was dirty and unkempt.

'What? What is it? Who are you? What do you want?' he cried, first looking at Hermione, then Ron, and finally upon Harry, upon which his mouth fell.

'Hello, Mr Lovegood,' Harry said, holding out her hand. It felt odd noticing the tattoo upon it, but for this, she needed to be recognised, 'I'm Lady Potter, but you can call me Harry.'

Xenophilius did not take Harry's hand.

'Would it be OK, if we came in?' Harry asked. 'There's something we need to ask you.'

'I ... I'm not sure that's advisable,' he whispered. 'Rather a shock ... my word ... I ... I'm afraid I don't really think I ought to -'

'It won't take long,' Harry said, dropping her hand, unsure on Mr Lovegood's behaviour.

'I - oh, all right then. Come in, quickly.'

They were barely over the threshold when Xenophilius slammed the door shut behind them, he led them to a living room that was also a workplace.

'Why have you come here?'

Before Harry could speak, Hermione let out a cry of shock. 'Mr Lovegood - what's that?' she was pointing at an enormous grey spiral horn, not unlike that of a unicorn.

'It is the horn of a Crumple-Horned Snorkack,' Mr Lovegood said.

'No, it isn't!'

'Hermione!' Harry muttered, 'now's not the time -'

'But it's an Erumpent horn! It's Class B Tradeable Material and its extraordinary dangerous thing to have in a house!'

'How do you know that? Ron said, edging away from the horn.

'There's a description in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them! Mr Lovegood you need to get rid of it straight away, don't you know it can explode at the slightest touch?'

'Now is not the time, Hermione -' Harry said more firmly. 'We came for help - remember.'

'Ah,' Mr Lovegood said. 'Help. Hmm. Yes. The thing is ... helping Lady Potter ... rather dangerous ...'

'Aren't you the one who keeps telling everyone it's their first duty to help, Harry?' Ron said, 'In that magazine of yours?'

'Er - yes I have expressed that view-'

'-so, it's for everyone else to do, but not you, personally?' Ron said.

Xenophilius did not answer, he kept swallowing, his eyes darting between the three of them. Harry had the impression that he was undergoing some painful internal struggle.

'Where's Luna? It's the Christmas holidays, she should be here, right?' Hermione said. 'Let's see what she thinks.'

'Luna is down at the stream, fishing for Freshwater Plimpies. She ... she will like to see you. I'll go and call her and then - yes, very well. I shall try to help you.'

He disappeared down the staircase and they heard the front door open and close. They looked at each other.

'Luna's got ten times his guts. cowardly old wart.' Ron said.

'He's probably worried about what'll happen if the Death Eaters find out I was here.'

'I agree with Ron,' Hermione said. 'Awful old hypocrite, telling everyone else to help you and trying to worm out of it himself. And for heaven's sake keep away from that horn.'

Harry crossed to the window on the far side of the room. She could see a stream, a thin, glittering ribbon lying below them at the base of the hill. They were very high up; a bird fluttered past the window as she stared in the direction of The Burrow.

'Now,' Mr Lovegood said upon his return, 'how may I help you, Lady Potter.'

'Well, I'd like to know more about that symbol you were wearing at Bill and Fleur's wedding, Mr Lovegood.'

Xenophilius raised his eyebrows. 'Are you referring to the sign of the Deathly Hallows?'

Harry turned to look at Ron and Hermione, neither of them seemed to have understood what Xenophilius had said either.

'The Deathly Hallows?'

'That's right,' Mr Lovegood said. 'You haven't heard of them? I'm not surprised. Very, very few wizards believe. One uses the symbol to reveal oneself to other believers, in hope that they might help one with the Quest.'

'I'm sorry,' Harry said, 'But I still don't quite follow.'

'Well, you see, believers seek the Deathly Hallows.'

'But what are the Deathly Hallows?' Hermione asked.

'I assume that you are all familiar with "The Tale of the Three Brothers?"

Harry said, 'No,' but Ron and Hermione both said, 'Yes.'

Xenophillius nodded gravely. 'Well, well, Lady Potter, the whole thing starts with "The Tale of the Three Brothers" ... I have a copy somewhere ...' He glanced vaguely around the cluttered room, but Hermione said, 'I've got a copy, Mr Lovegood, I've got it right here.' And she pulled out The Tales of Beedle the Bard from the beaded bag.

'The original?' enquired Mr Lovegood, when she nodded, he said. 'Well then, why don't you read it aloud? Much better way to make sure we all understand.'

'Er ... all right,' Hermione said nervously, she opened the book, and Harry saw that the symbol they were investigating headed the top of the page.

 _"There were once three brothers who were travelling along a lonely road at twilight. In time, the brothers reached a river too deep to wade through and too dangerous to swim across. However, these brothers were learned in the magical arts, and so they simply waved their wands and made a bridge appear across the treacherous water. They were halfway across it when they found their path blocked by a hooded figure. And Death spoke to them.'_

 _'He was angry that he had been cheated out of three new victims, for travellers usually drowned in the river. But Death was cunning. He pretended to congratulate the three brothers upon their magic and said that each had earned a prize for having been clever enough to evade him. So the oldest brother, who was a combative man, asked for a wand more powerful than any in existence: a wand that must always win duels for its owner, a wand worthy of a wizard who had conquered Death! So Death crossed to an elder tree on the banks of the river, fashioned a wand from a branch that hung there, and gave it to the oldest brother.'_

 _'Then the second brother, who was an arrogant man, decided that he wanted to humiliate Death still further, and asked for the power to recall others from Death. So Death picked up a stone from the riverbank and gave it to the second brother, and told him that the stone would have the power to bring back the dead.'_

 _'And then Death asked the third and youngest brother what he would like. The youngest brother was the humblest and also the wisest of the brothers, and he did not trust Death. So he asked for something that would enable him to go forth from that place without being followed by Death. And Death, most unwillingly, handed over his own Cloak of Invisibility.'_

 _'Then Death stood aside and allowed the three brothers to continue on their way and they did so, talking with wonder of the adventure they just had, and admiring Death's gifts. In due course, the brothers separated, each for his own destination. The first brother travelled on for a week or more and reaching a distant village, sought out a fellow wizard with whom he had a quarrel. Naturally, with the Elder Wand as his weapon, he could not fail to win the duel that followed. Leaving his enemy dead upon the floor, the oldest brother proceeded to an inn, where he boasted loudly of the powerful wand he had snatched from Death himself, and of how it made him invincible. That very night, another wizard crept upon the oldest brother as he lay, wine-sodden, upon his bed. The thief took the wand and, for good measure, slit the oldest brother's throat. And so Death took the first brother.'_

 _'Meanwhile, the second brother journeyed to his own home, where he lived alone. Here he took out the stone that had the power to recall the dead and turned it thrice in his hand. To his amazement and his delight, the figure of the girl he had once hope to marry before her untimely death, appeared before him. Yet she was sad and cold, separated from him as by a veil. Though she returned to the mortal world, she did not truly belong there and suffered. Finally, the second brother, driven mad with hopeless longing, killed himself so as truly to join her. And so, Death took the second brother for his own.'_

 _'But though Death searched for the third brother for many years, he was never able to find him. It was only when he had attained a great age that the youngest brother finally took off the Cloak of Invisibility and gave it to his son. And then he greeted Death as an old friend, and went with him gladly, and, equals, they departed this life."_

'Well, there you are, those are the Deathly Hallows.' Mr Lovegood said. 'The Elder Wand, The Resurrection Stone and the Cloak of Invisibility.'

'But there's no mention of the words "Deathly Hallows" in the story,' Hermione said.

'Well, of course not,' said Mr Lovegood. 'That is a children's tale, told to amuse rather than to instruct. Those of us who understand these matters, however, recognise that the ancient story refers to three objects, or Hallows, which if united, will make the possessor Master of Death.'

'When you say "master of Death" -' Ron said.

'Master, Conqueror. Vanquisher. Whichever term you prefer.'

'But then ... do you mean ...' Hermione said slowly, 'that you believe these objects - these Hallows - actually exist? We all know that there are such things as Invisibility Cloaks. They are rare, but they exist!'

'Ah but the third Hallow is a true cloak of invisibility. I mean to say that it is not a travelling cloak imbued with a Disillusionment Charm, no spells like that would fade. We are talking about a cloak that really and truly renders the wearer completely invisible, and endures eternally, giving constant and impenetrable concealment, no matter what spells are cast at it. So yes of course I believe ... though the creator of the Hallows was hardly death ...' he said, 'No, that was also changed for amusement ...' he chuckled. 'Merlin sure knew what he was doing.'

'Who?' Harry said, breathing hard. 'Who created them.'

'Oh Harry - please - you can't believe -' Hermione stopped upon seeing her face. Harry just received a shock, though she had not heard the tale before, she knew fully too well that these items existed, for she had spoken with the person who had created them.

'The Elder Wand, Mr Lovegood.' Harry said, 'Do you happen to know what happened to it.'

'No one knows,' Mr Lovegood said, 'Not truly the trail goes cold. Due to the way it passes from hand to hand.'

'Mr Lovegood, does the Peverell family have anything to do with the Deathly Hallows?'

'Everything! Why the three brothers in the story were actually the three Peverell brothers, Antioch, Cadmus and Ignotus! The original Guardians of the Hallows.'

'When you say guardians?' Harry said.

'Merlin bestowed them upon the brothers.'

'But of the Elder Wand had to be won - then it wouldn't work - because the oldest brother never won the wand.'

'And there in-lies the mystery.'

Harry turned to Ron and Hermione. 'I think we best be going now - company is arriving and I don't think it's Luna.'

'What-?'

'I've already told you. She down at bottom Bridge, fishing for Plimpies.'

'If that was true,' Harry said simply, 'I would have sensed her magical presence there upon our way up. Nice try Mr Lovegood, but next time, don't try lying to an Empath.'

'Please - they took my Luna,' he whispered. 'Because of what I've been writing. They took my Luna and I don't know where she is, what they've done to her. But they might give her back to me if I - if I -'

'Hand over Harry?' Ron finished for him. 'No deal, we're leaving.'

'They'll be here at any moment. I must save Luna. I cannot lose Luna. You must not leave.' Mr Lovegood said and he spread his arms in front of the staircase.

'Don't make us hurt you, get out of the way Mr Lovegood.'

'HARRY!' Hermione screamed.

Figures on broomsticks were flying past the windows. As the three of them looked away from him, Xenophilius drew his wand. Harry realised their mistake just in time: she cast a Shield wandlessly. Xenophilius's Stunning Spell bounced off the shield soaring across the room and hit the Erumpent Horn. There was a colossal explosion. Half buried in rubble Harry tried to raise herself: she could barely breathe or see for dust. Half the ceiling had fallen in. Xenophilius had been blasted off his feet and fallen back down the spiral stairs. The door downstairs crashed open.

'Didn't I tell you there was no need to hurry, Travers?' said a rough voice. 'Didn't I tell you this nutter was just raving as usual.'

'No ... no ... upstairs ... Potter!'

'I told you last week, Lovegood, we weren't coming back for anything less than some solid information! Remember last week? When you wanted to swap your daughter for that stupid head dress? And the week before?'

'No - no I beg you!' sobbed Xenophilius. 'It really is Potter! Really!'

'And now it turns out you only called us here to try and blow us up!'

'The place looks like it's about to fall in, Selwyn,' said a second cool voice. 'The stairs are completely blocked. Could try clearing it? Might bring the place down.'

'You lying piece of filth,' shouted the wizard named Selwyn. 'You've seen Potter in your life, have you? Thought you'd lure us here to kill us, did you? And you think you'll get your girl back like this?'

'I swear ... I swear ... Potter's upstairs!'

 _'Homenum Revelio!_ '

Harry heard Hermione gasp, and she had the odd sensation that something was swooping over her.

'There's someone up there all right, Selwyn.'

'It's Potter, I tell you, it's Potter!' Xenophilius sobbed.

'Come on,' Harry whispered, 'we've got to get out of here.'

'All right,' breathed Hermione.

'Ron put the Cloak on!' Harry said, handing it over.

'Me? But you-'

'Now Ron - Hermione just wait – any, second now!' Harry said, grabbing her hand. She did not tell Hermione what she was waiting for. Xenophilius's white face appeared over the top of the sideboard.

'Obliviate!' Harry cried, pointing her wand first into his face, then at the floor beneath them, 'Deprimo!'

Harry blasted a hole in the sitting-room floor. They fell like boulders, Hermione holding on to her hand for dear life, there was a scream and she glimpsed two men trying to get out of the way as vast quantities of rubble and broken furniture rained all around them. Harry felt a pull, her body twisting mid-air and the thundering of the collapsing house rang in her ears as Hermione dragged them into darkness.

...

'Are you crazy or just plain stupid?' Ron raved. They seemed to have landed in the corner of a field at dusk, Hermione was already running in a circle around them, casting the protection spells.

'Just crazy!' Harry panted. 'I'd hoped if the Death Eaters saw me before we left, they would know Xenophilius hadn't been lying!'

'Oh - why hide me though?' Ron asked.

'You're supposed to be in bed with Spattergroit, Ron! They kidnapped Luna because her father supported me! What would happen to your family if they knew you're with me?'

'What about Luna? Reckon she's, all right?'

'Luna's tougher than she looks. She's probably teaching whoever she's with all about Wrackspurts and Nargles.' Harry said.

'I hope you're right,' Hermione said. 'I'd feel sorry for Xenophilius if -'

'-if he hadn't just tried to sell us to the Death Eaters, yeah,' Ron said.

They put up the tent and retreated inside it.

'Oh, why did we go there?' Hermione groaned. 'Anna, you were right, it was Godric's Hollow all over again, a complete waste of time! The Deathly Hallows ... such rubbish ... although actually,' a sudden thought seemed to have occurred to her, 'he might have made it all up, mightn't he? He probably doesn't believe in the Deathly Hallows at all, he just wanted to keep us talking until the Death Eaters arrived!'

'I don't think so,' Ron said. 'It's a damn sight harder making stuff up under pressure than you'd think. I found that out when the Snatchers caught me. It was much easier pretending to be Stan because I knew a bit about him than inventing a whole new person. Old Lovegood was under loads of pressure, trying to make sure we stayed put. I reckon he told us the truth, or what he thinks is the truth, just to keep us talking.'

'Well, I don't suppose it matters,' Hermione sighed. 'Even if he was being honest, I have never heard such a nonsense in all my life. And you, if you-' she rounded on Harry, 'knew he was keeping us there - why didn't you say something sooner.'

'Because,' Harry said, 'The Hallows are very much real.'

'But -' Hermione said stunned.

'"The Tale of the Three Brothers" might be just a story, but the Hallows - they're real, and very much so.'

'How -?'

'Yeah mate, how do you know that?'

Harry sighed, and closed her eyes. 'I met the person who created them. Last year, whilst I was blaming myself for Sirius death. I - I - I was Soul Calling - and someone answered; it wasn't Sirius.' And so, Harry told them everything she could remember.

'Bloody hell -' Ron exclaimed. 'Why didn't you say anything?'

'I dunno - first I was a bit weirded out - spoke with Remus and he told me that it was rare - and that just made me feel - like a fr-' Harry noticed Ron's glare and changed the word, 'different. And I was already strange - with my Empathy, I didn't need another thing.'

Ron changed the subject, to which, Harry was grateful. 'So that Peverell bloke who's buried in Godric's Hollow, you don't know anything about him?' he asked them.

'No,' Hermione replied. 'I looked him up after I saw the mark on his grave if he'd been anyone famous or done anything important, I' sure he'd be in one of our books. The only place I've managed to find the name "Peverell" is Nature's Nobility: A Wizarding Genealogy. I borrowed from Kreacher. It lists the pure-blood families that are now extinct in the male line. Apparently, the Peverells was one of the earliest families to vanish.'

'"Extinct in the male line"?' Ron repeated.

'It means the name has died out,' Hermione said, 'centuries ago, in the case of the Peverells. They could still have descendants, though, they'd just be called something different.'

'Marvolo Gaunt!' Harry said, remembering the filthy old man shoving an ugly ring in the face of a Ministry official.

'Sorry?'

'Marvolo Gaunt, Riddle's grandfather! In the Pensieve with Dumbledore! Marvolo Gaunt said he was descended from the Peverells!'

Ron and Hermione looked bewildered.

'The ring, the ring that became the Horcrux, Marvolo Gaunt said it had the Peverell coat of arms on it!'

'The Peverell coat of arms,' Hermione said, 'The family crest? Could you see what it looked like?'

'No,' Harry said. 'I only ever saw it after Dumbledore had destroyed it.'

'So you reckon that Gaunt had a Hallow?'

'Why not?' Harry said. 'Marvolo Gaunt was an ignorant old git, all he cared about was his ancestry. If that ring had been passed down through the centuries, he might not have known what it really was. There were no books in that house, and he wasn't the type to read fairy tales to his kids - what if the ring - the stone in ring - what if it was the Resurrection Stone -'

Ron's mouth fell open. 'Blimey - but would it still work if Dumbledore broke it -'

'Maybe -? Magic is limited but if the stone itself didn't break, then it might.'

'Anna?'

But Harry hardly heard Hermione as she pulled at her Invisibility Cloak, the cloth supple as water, light as air. She had never seen anything equal to it in her seven years in the wizarding world. The Cloak was exactly what Xenophilius had described: a cloak that really and truly renders the wearer completely invisible

'Dumbledore had my Cloak, the night my parents died!' Harry said. 'My mum told Sirius, Dumbledore borrowed the Cloak! This is why! He wanted to examine it because he thought it was the third Hallow! Ignotus Peverell is buried in Godric's Hollow ... he's got to be my ancestor! And if Grindelwald meet Dumbledore there - he would have seen the grave, and the sign upon it.'

'Harry,' Hermione said, but Harry was too busy rummaging for the letter. 'Read it! Dumbledore had the Cloak! Why else would he want it? He didn't need a Cloak, Hermione!' Something fell to the floor and rolled, she dislodged the Snitch when she pulled out the letter. She picked it up. 'IT'S IN HERE! He left in the ring - it's in the Snitch!

'You - you reckon?'

Harry could not understand why Ron looked taken aback. It was so obvious so to her. She was in possession of two of the Hallows, and the third -

'That's what he's after. Riddle's after the Elder Wand.'

It all made sense, Voldemort was not seeking a new wand; he was seeking an old wand. But Voldemort had been raised in a Muggle orphanage. Nobody could have told him The Tales of Beedle the Bard when he was a child. So, then Voldemort knew of the wand but did not know of its origin. Had Ollivander told him?

'Anna,' Hermione tried again, 'If Dumbledore really wanted you to have them - wouldn't he have just told you?'

'But he usually let me find out stuff for myself. He let me try my strength, take risks. This feels like the kind of thing he'd do.'

...

The weeks crept on, Harry was working through her new self-absorption trying to figure out where the final Hallow was. Ron spent the evenings tapping his wand on the wireless, muttering words under his breath. But it was not until March, that Ron got lucky.

'I've got it, I've got it! Password was "Albus"!' he said, moving the wireless so it sat in-between them.

' ... and welcome back to Potterwatch -'

Harry coughed, 'Potterwatch?' she stuttered. 'They called it Potterwatch!'

'Didn't I tell you that?' Ron said, Harry shook her head.

'- we apologise for our temporary absence from the airwaves, which was due to a number of house-calls in our area by those lovely Death Eaters.'

'That's Lee Jordan!' Hermione said.

'I know!' Ron beamed. 'Cool, eh?'

'.. now found ourselves another secure location,' Lee was saying, 'and I am pleased to tell you that a few of our regular contributors have joined me here this evening. Evening boys!'

'Hi.'

'Evening River.'

'"River", that's Lee,' Ron explained. 'They've all got code names, but you can usually tell -'

'Shh!'

'But before we hear from Royal, Romulus and Regius,' Lee went on, 'let's take a moment to report those deaths that the Wizarding Wireless Network News and the Daily Prophet don't think important enough to mention. It is with great regret that we inform our listeners of the murders of Ted Tonks and Dirk Cresswell. A goblin by the name of Gornuk was also killed. It is believed that Muggle-born Dean Thomas and a second goblin both believed to have been travelling with Tonks, Cresswell and Gornuk, may have escaped. If Dean is listening, or if anyone has knowledge of his whereabouts, his parents and sisters are desperate for news.'

'Meanwhile, in Gaddley, a Muggle family of five has been found dead in their home. Muggle authorities are attributing the deaths to a gas leak, but members of the Order of the Phoenix inform me that it was the Killing Curse - more evidence, as if it were needed, of the fact that Muggle slaughter is becoming more than a recreational sport under the new regime.'

'Finally, we regret to inform our listeners that the remains of Bathilda Bagshot have been discovered in Godric's Hollow. The evidence is that she died several months ago. The Order of the Phoenix informed us that her body showed unmistakable signs of injuries inflicted by Dark Magic. Listeners, I'd like to invite you now to join us in a minute's silence in memory of Ted Tonks, Dirk Cresswell, Bathilda Bagshot, Gornuk and the unnamed, but no less regretted, Muggles murdered by the Death Eaters.'

Silence fell, and Harry, Ron and Hermione did not speak. Half of Harry wanted to hear more, but she was afraid of what might come next.

'Thank you,' Lee said. 'And now we return to our regular contributor Royal, for an update on how the new wizarding order is affecting the Muggle World.'

'Thanks, River,' said an unmissable voice, deep, measured, reassuring.

'Kingsley!' Ron burst out.

'We know!' Hermione said, hushing him.

'Muggles remain ignorant of the source of their suffering as they continue to sustain heavy casualties,' said Kingsley. 'However, we continue to hear truly inspirational stories of witches and wizards risking their own safety to protect Muggle friends and neighbours, often without their knowledge. I'd like to appeal to all our listeners to emulate their example, perhaps by casting a protective charm over any Muggle dwellings in your street. Many lives could be saved if such simple measures are taken.'

'And what would you say, Royal to those listeners who reply that in these dangerous times, it should be "wizards first"?' Lee asked.

'I'd say that it's one short step from "wizards first" to "pure-bloods first", and then to "Death Eaters", we're all human, aren't we? Every human life is worth the same and worth saving.'

'Excellently put, Royal, you've got my vote for Minister for Magic if we ever get out of this mess,' said Lee. 'And speaking of mess, we'll have a quick word with Romulus.'

'Evening River,' said another familiar voice; Ron started to speak, but Hermione waved him off.

'We know it's Remus.' she said.

'Romulus, do you maintain as you have every time you've appeared on our programme, that Lady Potter is planning something?'

'I do,' Remus said. 'Though it is unclear as into what that plan may be. We know for certain that Lady Potter, Anna, Harry, whatever you may refer to her as, was at the Ministry of Magic. For she aided the escape of several Muggle-borns, whilst causing chaos for those at the scene. Her magical presence was felt at Godric's Hollow, though it is unclear as into why she was Bathilda Bagshot's house. There seems to be no pattern as into what she is doing.'

'Is there any advice or anything, you would like to say to Harry if you knew that she was listening, Romulus?' Lee asked.

'I'd tell Anna … that we're all with her in spirit,' Remus said, 'And I'd tell her to follow those excellent instincts. Which are always good and nearly always right. And to remember - to remember that she is Toujours Pur.'

'Nearly always right,' Hermione repeated.

'Oh, didn't I tell you?' Ron said in surprise. 'Bill told me Remus is living with Tonks again! And apparently, she's getting pretty big too.'

'Now over to Regius, for our popular feature: Pals of Potter.'

'Hello, River,'

Harry's heart felt as though it stopped. Tears of relief poured down her cheek. How she had missed that voice. How she missed who it belonged to.

'Regius, do you continue to remind us, that Lady Potter is still alive?'

'Yes, of course,' George said firmly. 'There is no doubt at all that her death would be proclaimed as widely as possible by the Death Eaters if it happened because it would strike a deadly blow at the morale of those resisting the new regime. The "Girl Who Lived" remains a symbol of everything for which we are fighting: the triumph of good, the power of innocence, the need to keep resisting.'

'Besides that fact, and despite the rumours - none of which are true. Lady Potter is an Empath people, please do try to remember that, before providing us with false statements. My poor heart can't quite handle it.'

There was a deep chuckle. 'She just loves keeping you on your toes, Regius.'

'Don't I know it.' George grumbled.

'How about an update on those friends of Lady Potter's who are suffering for their allegiance?' Lee said.

'Well, as regular listeners will know, several of the more outspoken supporters of Lady Potter have now been imprisoned, including Xenophilius Lovegood, erstwhile editor of The Quibbler -' George said.

'At least he's still alive!' Ron muttered.

'We have also heard within the last few hours that Rubeus Hagrid -' all three of them gasped, '-well-known gamekeeper at Hogwarts School, has narrowly escaped arrest within the grounds of Hogwarts, where he is rumoured to have hosted a "Support Harry Potter" party in his house. However, Hagrid was not taken into custody, and is, we believe on the run.'

'I suppose it helps when escaping from Death Eaters if you've got a sixteen-foot-high half-brother?' Lee asked.

'Definitely an advantage,' George agreed. 'May I add that while we here at Potterwatch applaud Hagrid's spirit, we would urge even most devoted of Lady Potter's supporters against following Hagrid's lead. "Support Harry Potter" parties are unwise in the present climate.'

'Indeed, they are, Regius,' Lee said, 'so we suggest that you continue to show your devotion to the girl with the lightning scar by listening to Potterwatch! And now let's move to news concerning the wizard who is proving just as elusive as Lady Potter. We like to refer to him as the Chief Death Eater, and here to give us his views on some of the more insane rumours circulating about him, I'd like to introduce our new correspondent: Rodent.'

'"Rodent"?' said yet another familiar voice, much like his brothers.

'I'm not being "Rodent", no way, I told you I wanted to be "Rapier"!' Fred said. 'Much cooler.'

'Fine, "Rapier", could you please give us your take on the various stories we've been hearing about the Chief Death Eater?'

'Yes, I can River,' Fred said. 'As our listeners, will know, unless they've taken refuge at the bottom of a garden pond or somewhere similar, You Know Who's strategy of remaining in the shadows is creating a nice little climate of panic. Mind you, if all the alleged sighting of him are genuine, we must have a good nineteen You Know Who's running around the place.'

'Which suits him, of course,' Kingsley added. 'The air of mystery is creating more terror than showing himself.'

'Agreed. So, people, let's try and calm down a bit. Things are bad enough without inventing stuff as well. For instance, this new idea that You Know Who can kill with a single glance from his eyes. That's a Basilisk, listeners. One simple test: check whether the thing that's glaring at you has got legs. If it has it's safe to look into its eyes. Although if it is really You Know Who, that's likely to be the last thing you'll ever do.'

'Added to that, listeners - the last Basilisk known to have been in existence was destroyed years ago, by non-other than Lady Potter herself.' George said.

'And the rumours that he keeps being sighted abroad?' Lee asked.

'Well, who wouldn't want a nice little holiday after the hard work he's putting in?' Fred asked. 'Point is, people, don't get lulled into a false sense of security, thinking he's out of the country. Maybe he is, maybe he isn't, but the fact remains he can move faster than Severus Snape confronted with shampoo when he wants to, so don't count on him being a long way away if you're planning on taking risks. I never thought I'd hear myself say it, but safety first!'

'Thank you for those wise words, Rapier,' said Lee. 'Well listeners, that brings us to the end of another Potterwatch. We don't know when it will be possible to broadcast again, but you can be sure we shall be back. Keep twiddling those dials: the next password will be "Mad-Eye". Keep each other safe: keep faith. And Lady Potter wherever you may be, know that we are behind you all the way. Goodnight.'

The radio's dial twirled and the lights behind the tuning panel went out. Harry, Ron and Hermione were still beaming.

'Good, eh?'

'Brilliant almost makes up for them naming it, Potterwatch,' Harry said.

'It's so brave of them,' Hermione sighed. 'If they were found ...'

'Well they have to keep on the move, don't they? Like us.' Ron said.

'Did you hear what Fred said?' Harry said excitedly. 'He's abroad! He's still looking for the wand, I knew it!'

'Harry-'

'Come on, Hermione, why are you so determined not to admit it?'

'Because it frightens me - a wand that can't be beaten. Do you realise what Vol-'

'HERMIONE, NO!'

'-demort could do with the Elder Wand.'

Ron leapt to his feet. 'The name is Taboo! Quick cast the protection spells - they'll find us -'

But Ron stopped talking, and Harry knew why. The Sneakscope on the table had lit up and begun to spin; Harry could sense magical presences nearby, and they could hear voices coming nearer and nearer: rough excited voices. Ron pulled out the Deluminator from his pocket and clicked it: their lamps went out.

'Come out of there with your hands up!' came a rasping voice through the darkness. 'We know you're in there! You've got half a dozen wands pointing at you and we don't care who we curse!'

 ** _A.N. Just a quick word, this will be my last update for a little while as I will be on holiday next week. I'll update as soon as I get back, but you'll have to wait until then. Kx. Oh and I chose Regius for George's code name because it means Royal. It was in honour of the nickname Harry gave him; Prince Charming._**


	120. Chapter 120

**_A.N. So I'm back from holiday, sorry for the long wait, took me a little while to write. Enjoy. As always any mistakes are my own, Kx_**

* * *

Harry looked round at the other two, now mere outlines in the darkness. She was grateful that she had used some of the cream she had made that hid her lightning bolt scar and the Black family crest tattoo. Harry quickly cast a Disillusionment Charm upon her bag, stuffed her wand into the bag, then unknown hands dragged Harry roughly out of the tent, before she could stop them.

'Get off them!' Ron shouted, as he was wrestled. Harry couldn't quite see through the crowd around him, but heard the unmistakable sound of knuckles hitting flesh: Ron grunted in pain and Hermione screamed, 'No! Leave him alone, leave him alone!'

'Your boyfriend's going to have worse than that done to him if he's on my list,' said a raspy voice from behind Harry. Her stomach turned over. She knew who this was: Fenrir Greyback, the werewolf who was permitted to wear Death Eater robes in return for his hired savagery.

'Search the tent!' said another voice.

'What's your name?' Greyback asked Harry.

'Dudley.'

'And your first name?'

'Anna - Anna Dudley.'

'Check the list, Scabior,' Greyback said, and he moved to look at Ron. 'And what about you?'

'Stan Shunpike.'

'Like hell you are,' said the man called Scabior. 'We know Stan Shunpike, 'e's put a bit of work out way.' There was another thud.

'I'd Bardy,' Ron said, and Harry could tell that his mouth was full of blood. 'Bardy Weadley.'

'A Weasley?' Greyback rasped. 'So, you're related to blood traitors even if you're not a Mudblood. And lastly, your pretty little friend ...'

'Easy Greyback,' Scabior said.

'Oh, I'm not going to bite just yet. We'll see if she's a bit quicker at remembering her name than Barny. Who are you girly?'

'Penelope Clearwater,' Hermione said.

'What's your Blood Status?'

'Half-blood,' Hermione said.

'Easy enough to check,' Scabior said. 'But the 'ole lot of 'em look like they could be 'Ogwarts age-'

'We're not!' Harry said.

'You're not, are you?' said Scabior. 'And you decided to go camping? And you thought, just for a laugh, you'd use the Dark Lord's name?'

'It was an accident!' Hermione said.

'Accident, you say?' There was jeering laughter.

'You know who used to like using the Dark Lord's name,' Greyback growled. 'The Order of the Phoenix. Mean anything to you?'

'Doh.'

'Well, they don't show the Dark Lord proper respect, so the name's been Tabooed. We'll see. Bind them up with the other two prisoners!'

Someone yanked Harry by the hair, dragged her a short way, pushed her down into a sitting position, then started binding her back-to-back with other people. Once the man walked away, Harry whispered to the others.

'Anyone else still got a wand?'

'NO,' Ron and Hermione said from either side of her.

'This is my fault, I said the name, I'm sorry -'

'Hermione? Ron?' Harry?'

It was a new, but familiar voice, and it came from directly behind Harry.

'Dean?'

'It is all of you! If they find out who they've got -! The Snatchers, they're only looking for truants to sell for gold -'

'Not a bad little haul for one night,' Greyback said from the distance. 'A Mudblood, a runaway goblin and three truants. You checked their names on the list yet, Scabior?'

'Yeah. There's no Anna Dudley on 'ere, Greyback.'

'Interesting,' said Greyback. 'That's interesting.'

He came over and crouched beside Harry, 'So you're not wanted, then Anna? Or are you on that list under a different name? What house were you in at Hogwarts?'

'Slytherin,' Harry said.

'Funny 'ow they all thinks we wants to 'ear that,' jeered Scabior. 'But none of 'em can tell us where the common room is.'

'It's in the dungeons,' Harry replied. 'You enter through the wall. It's full of skulls and stuff and it's under the lake, so the lights' all green.'

There was a short pause.

'Well, well, looks like we really 'ave caught a little Slytherin.'

More than they knew, Harry thought, but she wasn't a Gryffindor for nothing.

'Good for you, Anna, 'cause there aren't a lot of Mudblood Slytherins. Who's your father?'

'He works at the Ministry,' Harry said, 'Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes.'

'You know what, Greyback,' said Scabior. 'I think there is a Dudley in there.'

'Well, well,' said Greyback, 'If you're telling the truth, you've got nothing to fear from a trip to the Ministry. I expect your father'll reward us just for picking you up.'

'Hey!' came a shout from the tent. 'Look at this, Greyback!'

A man came out of the tent, holding the sword of Gryffindor.

'Ve-e-ry nice,' Greyback said, taking the sword. 'Oh, very nice indeed. Looks goblin-made, that where did you get this?'

'Found it,' Harry said, well it wasn't exactly a lie.

''Ang on a minute, Greyback! Look at this, in the _Prophet!'_

As Scabior said it, Harry's scar burned. She saw a towering building, a grim fortress, jet black and forbidding; Voldemort's thoughts had become clear again; he was gliding towards the gigantic building with a sense of calmly euphoric purpose ... with huge effort, Harry pulled herself back to her surroundings.

 _'"'Ermione Granger,"'_ Scabior was saying, _'"Mudblood who is known to be travelling with Lady Potter".'_

Harry's scar burned in the silence, though Harry's scar and tattoo were covered up, they had not had a chance to apply any form of disguise for Hermione or Ron. Greyback moved away from Harry, crouching down in front of Hermione…

'You know what, little girly? This picture looks a hell of a lot like you.'

'It isn't! It isn't me!'

Hermione's terrified squeak was as good as a confession.

 _'" ... known to be travelling with Lady Potter",'_ Greyback repeated. 'Well this changes things, doesn't it?'

Nobody spoke: Harry sensed the gang watching, frozen. Greyback got up and took a couple of steps back towards Harry, crouching down again, he pulled her roughly forwards and tugged at her right wrist. Pushing her back forcefully, staring at her forehead.

'Well, well, no tattoo and no scar, Anna,' Greyback said, 'or is it pronounced An-ah? Umm, Lady Potter?'

'I'm no "Lady",' Harry said and she spat in his face.

Greyback wiped his face, then slapped her face. Images were now breaking through to her mind -

 _... he was gliding around the high walls of black fortress- looking up, looking up to the topmost window, the highest tower - time to fly -_

'Where are we taking them - the Ministry?'

'To hell with the Ministry,' Greyback growled. 'They'll take all the credit, and we won't get a look in. I say we take her straight to You Know Who.'

'Will you summon 'im? 'Ere?' said Scabior.

'No,' Greyback snarled, 'I haven't got - they say he's using the Malfoy's place -'

Harry mind whirled, Draco! She could help him if they led them straight there.

'-as a base. We'll take the girl there.'

And she knew why Greyback was not calling Voldemort. He might be allowed to wear death Eater robes, but only Voldemort's inner circle were branded with the Dark Mark: Greyback had not been granted this highest honour.

Harry's scar seared again -

 _... and he rose into the night, flying straight up to the window at the at the very top of the tower ... the window was the merest slit in the black rock, not big enough to enter ... a skeletal figure was just visible through it, curled beneath a blanket ... dead, or sleeping ...?_

'Are you sure it 'er? 'Cause if it ain't, Greyback, we're dead.'

'Who's in charge here?' Greyback roared. 'I say that's Potter, that's a hundred Galleons right there! But if you're too gutless to come along, it's all for me, and with any luck, I'll get the other girl thrown in!'

'All right!' said Scabior. 'All right, we're in! And what about the rest of 'em, Greyback, what'll we do with 'em?'

'Might as well take the lot. We've got two Mudbloods, that's another ten Galleons. The rubies in the sword, if they're real.'

The prisoners were dragged to their feet.

'Hold on. I'll take Potter.'

They Disapparated, pulling the prisoners with them. Her scar seared painfully

 _...as he forced himself through the slit of a window and landed, lightly inside the cell-like-room ... the emaciated figure stirred beneath its thin blanket and rolled over towards him, eyes opening in a skull of a face... the frail man sat up, sunken eyes fixed upon him, upon Voldemort, and then he smiled. Most of his teeth were gone ..._

 _'So, you have come. I thought you would ... one day. But your journey was pointless. I never had it.'_

 _'You lie!'_

'We've got Potter,' Greyback roared at the gates. 'We've captured Lady Potter.'

The gates swung open.

'Come on!' Greyback said to the men, and the prisoners were shunted through the gates and up the drive.

'What is this?' said a woman's cold voice.

'We're here to see He Who Must Not Be Named!' Greyback rasped.

'Who are you?'

'You know me! Fenrir Greyback! We've caught Potter!

Greyback seized her and dragged her towards the light pouring out from the doorway.

'There is no scar or tattoo upon her, ma'am, but it's 'er!' piped up Scabior. 'And this 'ere, see this other girl? The Mudblood who's been travelling around with 'er, ma'am.'

Narcissa Malfoy was scrutinising her. 'Bring them in.'

Harry and the others were shoved and kicked up stone steps, into a hallway lined with portraits.

'Follow me,' said Narcissa, leading the way across the hall. 'My son, Draco, is home for his Easter holidays. If that is Potter, he will know.'

A crystal chandelier hung from the walls. A figure from a chair in front of the marble fireplace rose as the prisoners were forced into the room.

'What is this?'

Long ago Harry would have dreaded hearing the familiar, drawling voice of Lucius Malfoy, but she could not do anything to inform him that it was truly her, both of their covers would be blown. Draco on the other hand - well - refused out-rightly to betray her.

'They say they've got Potter,' said Narcissa. 'Send for Draco.'

A door in the distance opened, Draco appeared a few moments later, bruised and slightly bloody. He looked rather thin and very pale.

'You called for me _Mother_?'

'Come here, Draco,' Narcissa ordered. 'And tell us, is this Potter?'

Draco caught Harry's eye. She had to hand it to him, he did not flinch or even give off any hint that she was projecting over solely to him.

'I don't know - I can't be sure.' Draco replied

'Look at her carefully Draco - think of what this could mean, if you identity her, the Dark Lord will be forgiving.'

Lucius came closer to Harry, 'There is no scar - you have no evidence, this girl is a remarkable look-alike.'

'We had better be certain, completely sure that it is Potter, then, before we summon the Dark Lord.'

'What about the Mudblood then?' Greyback growled. 'Her picture was in the _Prophet_! She's known to be travelling with Potter!'

A drawing room door behind Harry opened. A woman spoke, 'What's is this? What's happened, Cissy?'

Bellatrix Lestrange walked slowly around the prisoners, and stopped, staring at Hermione.

'But surely, this is the Mudblood friend of Potter's? This is Granger?'

'Yes, it's Granger,' Narcissa said, 'And besides her, we think, Potter! Potter and her friends.'

'Potter?' Bellatrix shrieked, and she backed away, to take in Harry better. 'Are you sure? Well, then, the Dark Lord must be informed at once!'

She dragged back her left sleeve: Harry saw the Dark Mark burned into the flesh of her arm, and knew she was about it touch it, to summon her beloved master -

'I was about to call him!' Lucius said, his hand closed upon Bellatrix's wrist, preventing her from touching the Mark. 'I shall summon him, Bella, Potter has been brought to my house, and it is therefore upon my authority -'

'Your authority!' she sneered, and there went any time Lucius Malfoy was trying to bide them. 'You lost your authority when you lost your wand, Lucius! How dare you! Take your hands off me!'

'This is nothing to do with you, you did not capture the girl -'

'Begging your pardon, Mr Malfoy,' interjected Greyback, 'but it's us that caught Potter, and it's us that'll be claiming the gold -'

'Take your gold, filthy scavenger,' Bellatrix laughed, 'What do I want with gold? I seek the honour of his - of -'

She stopped speaking, her dark eyes fixed upon something. Lucius threw her hand from his.

'Don't summon him,' Bellatrix shrieked. 'Don't touch it, we shall all perish if the Dark Lord comes now!' And she strode off out Harry's vision. 'What is that?'

'Sword,' grunted an out-of-sight Snatcher.

'Give it to me.'

'It's not yours, Missus, it's mine, I reckon I found it.'

There was a loud bang and flash of light: Harry knew that the Snatcher had been Stunned.

'What d'you think you're playing at, women?'

Bellatrix did not answer, she merely Stunned them all and forced Greyback to his knees. 'Where did you get this sword?' she asked him.

'How dare you?' he snarled, 'Release me, woman!'

'Where did you get this sword?' she repeated, 'Snape sent it to my vault in Gringotts!'

'It was in their tent,' Greyback rasped.

'Cissy, we have a serious problem,' Bella said, releasing Greyback. 'If it is indeed Potter, she must not be harmed, the Dark Lord wishes to dispose of Potter himself ... but if he finds out ... I must ... I must know ...' she paused. 'The prisoners must be placed in the cellar, while I think what to do!'

'This is my house, Bella, you don't give orders in my-'

'Do it! You have no idea of the danger we are in!' shrieked Bella.

'Take the prisoners down to the cellar, Greyback.' Narcissa said.

'Wait,' Bellatrix said sharply. 'All expect ... expect for the Mudblood.'

'No!' Ron shouted. 'You can have me, keep me!'

Bellatrix hit him across the face. 'If she dies under questioning, I'll take you next. Blood traitor is next to Mudblood in my book. Take them down-stairs, Greyback, Draco too, his honour-bound after all, we wouldn't want him interfering - make sure they are secure but do nothing more to them - yet.'

She threw Greyback's wand to him, then took a silver knife from under her robes. She cut Hermione free from the other prisoners, then dragged her by the hair into the middle of the room while Greyback forced the rest of them to shuffle across to another door. Harry could feel Ron shaking, they were forced down a steep flight of stairs, still tied back-to-back. Draco was also bound, walking down beside them. At the bottom was a heavy door. Greyback unlocked it, then forced them into a dank a musty room and left them in total darkness. The door slammed shut, but it did not stop the noise coming through, as they heard a terrible, drawn-out scream from directly above.

'HERMIONE!' Ron bellowed.

'Ron, quiet please, we need to get out of -'

'Harry?' came a whisper through the darkness. 'Ron? Is that you?'

'Luna?'

'Yes, it's me! Oh no, I didn't want you to be caught!' she said, 'Wait ... there's an old nail we use if we need to break anything ... just a moment ... Mr Ollivander, have you got the nail?'

'Luna don't worry about the nail,' Harry said, 'I've got my wand, and in my bag is a knife that unpick any lock or undo any knot.'

'Oh, well that would help.' she said.

From upstairs, they heard Bellatrix's voice, as Luna rummaged around to find Harry's bag.

'I'm going to ask you again! Where did you get this sword? Where?'

'We found it - we found it - PLEASE!' Hermione screamed.

Ron struggled harder, that Harry slipped.

'Ron, stay still, please!' Luna whispered. 'I can't see what I'm doing -'

'My pocket!' said Ron. 'In my pocket, there's a Deluminator, and it's full of light!'

A few seconds later, there was a click and the luminescent spheres the Deluminator had sucked from the lamps in the tent flew into the cellar: unable to re-join their source they floated mid-air. Harry could now see Luna, and the motionless figure of Ollivander the wand maker curled up on the floor. Looking around she could now see the other prisoners, that were tied to them: Dean and the goblin she recognised as Griphook.

'Oh, that's much better, thanks, Ron, hello Dean,' Luna said, and she began to locate Harry's invisible bag again.

'You are lying, filthy Mudblood!' came Bellatrix's shrieked voice. ' You've been inside my vault at Gringotts! Tell the truth, _tell the truth_!'

Another terrible scream.

'What else did you take? What else have you got? Tell me the truth or I swear, I shall run you through with this knife!'

'There!'

Harry felt the ropes fall away, she turned around to see Ron looking around the cellar, looking up at the low ceiling. Griphook sank on to the cellar floor. Ron was now trying to Disapparate without a wand.

'There's no way out,' Draco said, now also free from his robes. 'The cellar is completely escape-proof.'

Hermione was screaming again.

'What else did you take, what else? Answer me! CRUCIO!'

Harry turned to Draco, 'Do you know what magic the exit is sealed with?'

Draco blinked at, 'Look, Harry, the Dark Lord sealed it himself, when the door closes, those down here are trapped in!'

'What magic, Draco?' Harry asked again as Hermione screamed once more.

'Blood, he used his own Blood.'

Harry smirked, 'OK guys we're about to get out,' and she pulled her wand from her bag, cast a silencing spell towards the ceiling. She looked over Ollivander and Griphook, they were too injured to escape, but she couldn't leave without Hermione, how she wished she could Disapparate like an - 'Dobby!'

There was a crack, and the elf appeared before her.

'Mistress!' the elf squeaked.

'Man, am I glad to see you, can you Disapparate out of the cellar? And take humans and a goblin with you?'

'Yes, Mistress.'

'Good, take Mr Ollivander and Griphook, and take - take them to -'

'Bill and Fleur's,' Ron said. 'Shell Cottage on the outskirts of Tinworth!'

'Take Dean and Luna too,' Harry added.

'Of course, Mistress.'

'Harry, we want to help you!' Luna said.

'We can't leave you here,' said Dean.

'Go, we'll be fine.' Harry said. 'Go! We'll follow, just go!'

Dean took hold of Griphook, Luna held Mr Ollivander's hand, before taking Dobby's. There was another crack, and they were gone.

'So, what's the plan now? Going to leave without Granger? I didn't expect that!' Draco said.

'Of course, not!' Harry said, 'I'm going to break through the door so we can rescue her!'

'Harry, didn't you hear me?'

'I heard you all right,' Harry replied, cutting her wrist slightly, so she drew blood, heading towards the heavy door. 'It was the Dark Lord who thought he was so clever.' She grazed the cut against the door and felt the blood magic lift. 'Idiot used my blood to bring himself back, didn't he?'

Draco looked at her in awe, Ron shook his head.

'You'd think I'd used to your madness, by now,' Ron muttered.

'Stay behind me! Oh, and I might have to hurt your parents' sorry, Draco, and grab the sword,' Harry said, and she blasted the door open. The first thing Harry caught sight of was Hermione lying at Bellatrix's feet. She was barely stirring.

Several things happened at once, Bellatrix looked up upon their entrance, while Harry cast wandlessly at her with such force she flew backwards and Bellatrix's wand flew from her hand, Ron caught it, Stunning Lucius Malfoy. Draco had sprinted towards the Snatchers, as jets of light flew from Narcissa's and Greyback's wand. Harry dealt with them next, she ran forwards between them, dodging the spells that were being fired with ease ... they had not noticed her plan, instead of hitting her, their spells hit each other, knocking them both out.

'Let's go!' Harry said, making her way back to the others. Draco was now holding their stolen wands and the sword in his hands. Ron gathered up Hermione, into his arms. Disappearing moments later. Leaving just Draco and Harry behind.

'Traitor!' Bellatrix screamed, now on her feet again, knife in her hands. Harry's scar seared with pain as she gripped Draco's hand ...

 _'Kill me, then, Voldemort, I welcome death! But my death will not bring you what you seek ... there is so much you don't understand ... you will not win, you cannot win! That wand will never be yours -'_

 _And Voldemort's fury broke: a burst of green light filled the prison room -_

'You will pay!' Bellatrix screamed, hazily Harry focused, her thoughts on Bill and Fleur's ... as Bellatrix throw the knife at where they were vanishing -

They hit solid earth, she smelt salty air, but something was wrong, her vision was again blurring.

'Weasley!' came a shout from beside her. 'Harry's hurt! A knife! There's blood everywhere! Quickly!' shouted a panicked voice, she could barely make out, before darkness overtook her.

...

 _'Why didn't you tell me!' Harry rounded on the man as soon as she appeared in the grassy field. 'Why didn't you tell me, who you were?'_

 _The man sighed, 'I had for a long time, disliked my name, which is why I chose to use my middle name. Then I became famous from it. I did not want my own descendant to know me by that name. It felt dishonest.'_

 _'Dishonest!' Harry repeated. 'You changed everything about you – your appearance – your name – just so that no one would recognise you.'_

 _The man shrugged. 'Think of me, what you must, it does not change things. I did as I thought was best.'_

 _Harry shook her head, 'You created weapons, and Voldemort is going to get his hands on one of them! How could you give away a wand like that!'_

 _'The wand does not work like that,' he said, 'it must be won, Harry, for one to be its master.'_

 _'I still don't get it,' she said calmly, 'I would have never kept secrets like that!'_

 _'Maybe not,' he replied, 'but you've kept them. Don't you think, that it might be time to share them.'_

 _'You don't know me,' Harry said, 'You might be able to see, from whatever this place is, but that does mean you know me.'_

 _'This place, this Plane, is a place for wondering souls to come - a lot like limbo, but it has its difference, those who come here, cannot move on. Not until their propose has been complete ... like mine ... and each time, you have visited here, it is because I led you here ... including the time you were seven. Do you remember your first trip here?'_

 _Of course, she did, and he knew it._

 _'Remember the reason as into why you were here?' Eugene said, raising his eyebrows, 'Tell them! It is time you let go. Learn to heal, and rise reborn to become the person you long to be, the leader you want to be. Resurrect and lead.'_

...

'She should be awake by now!' said a concerned voice.

George's voice, her brain supplied, which meant they had made it. They had got out. Her eyes opened slowly. George was standing above her, Fleur standing on the other side.

'Hermione?' she gasped.

'She's fine,' George's voice said, his hand now gripping hers.

'Good!' Harry replied, she tried to squeeze his hands back but found no strength to do so. 'George - I - I'm sorry.'

'Don't be, you're fine, I was just ... worried.'

'I broke my promise.'

'Wasn't your fault,' he replied, brushing her hair from her face, 'Draco told us what happened, there was only so much you could do.'

'I have - I need,' she said sleepily.

'Rest now,' he said, 'Talk later.'

'OK.'

She woke again, and she knew hours must have gone by, it was now dark outside. This time, she was able to move herself. She had been resting in a small box room. Testing her balance, she pushed herself off the bed onto her feet. Harry opened the door and heard Bill's voice.

'... lucky Ginny was on holiday. If she'd been at Hogwarts, they could have taken her before we reached her. Now she's safe too.' he looked and saw Harry. 'I've been getting them all out of The Burrow. Moved everyone to Muriel's. The Death Eaters know Ron's with you now, they bound to target the family - don't apologise,' he added at the sight of Harry's expression. 'It was always a matter of time, Dad's been saying so for months. We're the biggest blood traitor family there is.'

'Fidelius Charm?' Harry asked Bill nodded.

'Dad's Secret Keeper. And we've done it on this cottage too; I'm Secret Keeper here. None of us can go to work, but that's hardly an important thing now. Once Ollivander and Griphook are well enough, we'll move them to Muriel's too. There isn't much room here, but she's got plenty. Griphook's legs are on the mend: we should be able to move -'

'No,' Harry said, 'I need to talk with them both first. It's important,' she added as George opened his mouth. 'Ron and Hermione, if she's able to, should come with me. But I need to talk to Ollivander and Griphook, privately and separately.'

'Harry, what the hell is going on?' Bill asked. 'You turn up injured, with a half-conscious goblin, Hermione looks as though she's been tortured, Ron's refused to tell me anything, all we got out of Draco was how you were hurt.'

'I can't tell you,' Harry said, 'You know Dumbledore left us a mission. It's not safe to tell you now.'

Bill hesitated, 'All right. Who do you want to speak with first?'

Harry paused, deep in thought: Horcruxes or Hallows?

'Griphook,' Harry said.

'Come with me then.'

'I'll get Ron and Hermione, send them up,' George said, 'Just - take it easy yeah?'

'Tell them to bring the wands up, the ones Draco took.'

Harry followed Bill and waited, outside of the room for Ron and Hermione.

'How are you?' Harry asked Hermione when they appeared. 'You were amazing -'

Hermione gave a weak smile.

'What are we doing now?' Ron asked.

'You'll see. Come on.' She knocked before she entered, Griphook was resting upon the bed.

'I'm sorry to disturb you,' Harry said when the door closed, 'How are your legs?'

'Painful,' he replied. 'But mending.'

'You probably don't remember -' Harry began.

'-that I was the goblin who showed you to your vault, the first time you ever entered, Gringotts?' Griphhok said. 'I remember, Lady Potter, it was no coincidence, though even amongst goblins, you are very famous.'

'Yeah, you've had a few dealings with me - well Sirius on my behalf,' Harry replied.

'You are an unusual witch, Lady Potter.'

Harry shrugged it off.

'You rescued a goblin.'

'It was the right thing to do. I could not leave you there,' Harry said, 'but I'm hoping you might repay my kindness.'

'I cannot give you gold, Lady Potter.'

'I have no need for gold,' Harry replied, 'It's a vault I need to get into.'

'Anna -' Hermione said, but she was cut off by Griphook.

'Break into a Gringotts vault?' Griphook repeated, 'It is impossible.'

'Nothing is impossible; besides, it has been done. The same day I met you, my birthday seven years ago.'

'The vault in question was empty at the time,' he snapped. 'It's protection was minimal.'

'Well the vault I need to get into isn't empty, and I'm guessing its protection will be powerful,' Harry said. 'It belongs to the Lestranges.'

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw, Hermione and Ron swapped astonished looks.

'You have no chance,' Griphook said flatly. 'No chance at all. _"If you seek beneath our floors, a treasure that was never yours"_ -'

 _'"Thief, you have been warned beware -"_ Harry said. 'I know, I remember. But I'm not after gold, I'm not taking anything for personal gain. Can you believe that.'

'If there was a witch of whom I would believe that did not seek personal gain,' Griphook said, 'it would be you, Lady Potter. Goblins are not used to the protection or respect you have shown this night. Not from wand carriers.'

'I'm a rare breed,' Harry replied. 'I do not believe in treating people, goblins or creatures differently.'

'But as the Dark Lord becomes ever more powerful, your race is set still more firmly above mine! Gringotts falls under wizarding rule, but who amongst those permitted to carry wands protest?'

'We do!' Hermione said. 'We protest! And I'm hunted quite as much as any goblin, Griphook! I'm a Mudblood!'

'Don't call yourself -' Ron muttered.

'Why shouldn't I?' Hermione said. 'Mudblood and proud of it! I've got no higher position under this new rule than you have, it was me they chose to torture.' As she spoke, she pulled aside the neck of the dressing gown to reveal a thin cut Bellatrix had made. 'That elf, the one that helped rescue you, did you know that he is a free elf? And it was Anna that freed Dobby! We've wanted elves to be freed for years!'

'What do you seek within the Lestranges' vault?' he asked, after a momentary silence. 'The sword that lies within is fake. I believe the Snatchers took the real one from you.'

'You saw that then?' Harry said. 'Will you help us. We haven't got a chance without a goblin's help. You're our one chance.'

'I shall ... think about it.'

'Thank you,' Harry said, 'We'll let you rest now.'

'Little git,' Ron whispered. 'He's enjoying keeping us hanging.'

'Anna,' Hermione whispered, 'are you saying what I think you're saying? There's a Horcrux in the Lestranges' vault?'

'Yes,' Harry said. 'Bellatrix was terrified thinking we'd been there. Why? What did she think we'd seen, what else did she think we might have taken?'

'But I thought we were looking for places Riddle's been, places he's done something important?' Ron said looking baffled. 'Was he ever inside the Lestranges' vault?'

'I don't know whether he ever was inside Gringotts,' Harry replied. 'He never had gold there when he was younger because nobody had left him anything. He would have seen the bank, the first time he went. I think he would have envied anyone who had a key to a Gringotts vault. I think he'd have seen it as a real symbol of belonging to the wizarding world. Don't forget he trusted Bellatrix and her husband, they were his most devoted servants before he fell.'

'I don't think he'd told Bellatrix what it was, though. He never told Lucius about the diary. He probably told her it was a treasured possession and asked her to place it in her vault. The safest place in the world for anything you want to hide, Hagrid told me ... expect for Hogwarts.'

Ron shook his head, 'You really understand him.'

'Bits,' Harry corrected, 'I just wish I understood - but we'll see. Come on - Ollivander now.'

Ollivander was lying on a twin bed when they entered the room.

'Sorry to disturb you,' Harry said.

'My dear girl,' Ollivander said feebly, 'You rescued us. I thought we would die in that place. I can never thank you ... never thank you ... enough.'

'I just called for a friend,' Harry replied, 'But I do require some help.'

'Anything, anything,' he replied weakly.

'Wands?' Harry said to Ron and Hermione, and Hermione pulled them out from the pocket of the dressing gown. 'Could you identify one?' she asked of him.

He took the first of the wands and held it close to his faded eyes. 'Walnut and dragon heartstring,' he said. 'Twelve and three-quarter inches. Unyielding. This wand belonged to Bellatrix Lestrange.'

'You say "belonged", as though wands have feelings,' Harry said, 'Like they can think for themselves.'

'The wand chooses the wizard or witch,' Mr Ollivander said, 'That much has always been clear to those of us who have studied wandlore.'

'A person can still use a wand that hasn't chosen them, though,' Harry said.

'Indeed, if you are any wizard or witch at all you will be able to channel your magic through almost any instrument. The best results, however, must always come where there is the strongest alliance between the wand and the owner. These connections are complex. An initial attraction, and then the mutual quest for experience, the wand learning from the person, the person from the wand.'

'But wands - they can change their alliance - can't they - if they are won.'

'A conquered wand will usually bend its will to its new master.'

'So, it isn't necessary to kill the previous owner to take true possession of a wand?'

Ollivander swallowed, 'Necessary? No, I should not say that it is necessary to kill.'

'There are legends, though,' Harry said, 'Or I should say legend, about a wand that has passed from hand to hand by murder.'

Ollivander turned pale, 'Yes, only the one wand, I believe.'

'And Riddle is interested in it, isn't he?' Harry asked.

'H-how?' Ollivander croaked. 'How do you know this?'

'He wanted you to tell him how to overcome the connection between our wand,' Harry said.

'You must understand, he tortured me. I had no choice but to tell him what I knew, what I guessed.'

'I understand,' Harry said, holding up a hand. 'You told him about the twin cores? You told him to borrow another wand! But it didn't work. Mine still beat him, it beat the burrowed wand. Do you know why?'

Ollivander shook his head. 'I had ... never heard of such a thing. Your wand performed something unique that night. The connection of twin cores is incredibly rare, yet why your wand snapped the other one, I do not know ...'

'Because,' Harry said, just figuring it out, 'I was not frightened by the magic that the cores shared, of what happened that night he returned. You said yourself, the wand learns from the person as the person learns from the wand. That night, Riddle was terrified, terrified ... my wand, my courage won. I think my wand developed knowledge of his skill and was embedded by my courage ... so that when I faced him again - my wand recognised my enemy. No borrowed wand would have stood a chance. But you did not know that, so you told him about the other wand, the wand that changes hands by murder.'

'How?'

Harry did not answer.

'Yes, he asked,' whispered Ollivander. 'He wanted to know everything I could tell him about the wand known as the Elder Wand. The Dark Lord had always been happy with the wand he brought from my shop - until he discovered the connection of the twin cores. Now he seeks another, more powerful, wand, as the only way to conquer yours.'

'The wand won't work for him, he won't have won it. He'll need to get to someone else first.'

'You know - you know where the wand is?' Ollivander said.

Harry smirked, 'I can hazard a good theory, and they're always - well almost always - correct.'

'The Dark Lord no longer seeks the Elder Wand only for your destruction, Lady Potter. He is determined to possess it because he believes it will make him truly invulnerable.'

'Then he is the idiot, Dumbledore, thought him to be.' Harry replied. 'You told him Gregorovitch had it, didn't you?'

'It was a rumour, years ago, years before you were even born.' Ollivander said. 'I believe Gregorovitch himself started it. You can see how good it would be for business: that he was studying, and duplicating, the qualities of the Elder Wand!'

'Yes, I can see that. Thank you for telling me this. Get some rest.'

Ron and Hermione led her down the staircase.

'So, who has the wand, Harry?' Ron asked. 'The Elder wand?'

'Dumbledore,' Harry said, 'The wand, is at Hogwarts.'

'But - how?'

'Dumbledore duelled Grindelwald, Ron and defeated him, and he took the wand. Grindelwald was the thief who stole it from Gregorovitch, he would have easily heard about it, if the man had been boosting,' Harry said, 'And Riddle has worked that out.'

'Let's go then,' Ron said.

'No,' Harry said, 'Dumbledore gave us a mission, we're going to destroy the Horcruxes. That's why I spoke with Griphook first.'

Hermione smiled softly at her, they entered the sitting room. Harry looked around noticing two people were already gone.

'Where's Luna and Dean?' Harry asked.

'Already gone ahead,' Bill replied, 'Why did you need to speak with them too?'

It sounded like resentment, but Harry brushed it off. She looked around once more at their faces, from Bill to Fleur, George, Draco, Ron and Hermione, the faces of the people she called family, friends or something much more. 'No,' she said, 'I want to talk to all of you.'

Surprised gazes exchanged from one face to another, whilst Harry crossed the room and sat beside George.

'It's not like I don't trust any of you, you must understand, and the moment it is safe to do so, I'll let you all in.' she began, 'and to prove my point, that I do trust each and every one of you in this room, I'm going to tell you something, something I've never told you before.'

The surprised faces were baffled now.

'What?'

'I'm going to tell you a story,' Harry said. 'My story ... and please once I get started, don't stop me or interrupt, I don't think you're going to like hearing what I am about to tell you. And I really only want to do this once, so yeah.' Harry said, 'Before I start, this, however, you should know, it's how most Muggle fairy-tale starts.' The exchanges glances at each other had not stopped, but Harry continued. 'Once upon a time ...'

She told them everything, every detail she could remember, about her childhood. The Dursleys never wanting her, the endless chores ... Dudley beating her up or any friend she had ever made. Not knowing her own name, or to be correct the pronunciation of her name, for a very long time; how she always thought it had been a freak until she started primary school. How her nickname came about because she herself, couldn't even pronounce her own name. The punishments; whether she had used magic or not, the hunger, the dirty water washes, her cupboard; which had been her room for almost eleven years.

'The only time it was really bad, was when I was seven, Dudley and his gang beat me up. It had been snowing that day, and they left me out in the cold. That was the first time I ever recall using magic.' It had been the first time she had Soul Called, but she didn't need to tell them that. Harry looked round seeing so many emotions written on their faces.

'And these are the type of people, you asked me to be your Secret Keeper for?' George said, finally, completely outraged.

'Yeah,' Ron said. 'Wait - George? - George is your Secret Keeper!'

And just like that, everything had turned back to normal, as laughter erupted. Harry wasn't so sure as into why Ron was so surprised, but then, it's not like she'd told them that.


	121. Chapter 121

Harry woke feeling slightly warm and to the sounds of soft snoring. Slowly she lifted her head from George's chest, they had fallen asleep, on the sofa, just like back at The Burrow, when he had his ear cursed off. Automatically, Harry reached out to touch his regrown one but stopped herself, she couldn't bring herself to, she didn't want to run the risk of waking him. Poor bloke had hardly slept over the last few days.

She was still scared though, the enormity of her decision not to race Voldemort to the wand, her mind was full of doubts, doubts Ron kept voicing when they were together. What if Dumbledore had wanted them to work out the symbol in time to get the wand. But Harry had no answers, there were moments when she wondered whether it had been outright madness not to try to prevent Voldemort breaking open the tomb. But she, herself, would have never been able to break Dumbledore's grave.

''Arry,' Fleur's voice softly called.

'Yeah,' she whispered back, turning to the doorway, Ron and Hermione were also awake, looking up from sleeping bags; which had been laid out on the floor. Draco was asleep on a small sofa.

'Griphook wants to speak with you. 'E eez in ze smallest bedroom, 'e says 'e does not want to be over 'eard.'

'Thanks,' Harry said, gesturing to Ron and Hermione.

Griphook was waiting for them when they finally entered.

'I have reached my decision, Lady Potter,' he said, once the door closed. 'Though the goblins of Gringotts will consider is base treachery. I have decided to help you -'

'But?' Harry said, sensing there was more to it.

'-in return,' he said, 'for payment.'

'And what exactly do you want?'

'I want the sword, the sword of Gryffindor.'

Harry smiled slightly, 'Somehow, I'd already figured that.' she paused, given the impression she was thinking it over. 'Fine.'

'I have your word, Lady Potter, that you will give me the sword of Gryffindor if I help you?'

'Yes.' Harry said

'Then shake,' he said, holding out his head. Harry took it and shook it. 'So, we begin!'

'After breakfast,' Harry said. They walked out of the room.

'Are you mental?' Ron said, 'The sword, you're giving him the sword! When we still need -'

Harry held up her hand, 'I never said that he got to keep the sword, Ron. I said I would give him the sword.'

'Anna - you'd be breaking -' Hermione said.

'No I wouldn't be,' Harry replied, 'besides that sword is embedded with magic, that even Griphook can only just begin to understand. No, he can have the sword, but he will never be able to keep it.'

Once they started, it was like planning to break into the Ministry all over again. They settled to work in the bedroom.

'I have visited the Lestranges' vault only once,' Griphook said, 'on the occasion, I was told to place inside it the false sword. It is one of the most ancient chambers. The oldest wizarding families store their treasures at the deepest level, where the vaults are largest and best protected ...'

They remained shut in the smallest room for hours at a time. Slowly the days stretched into weeks. There was problem after problem to overcome, and they only had so much Polyjuice Potion left.

'There's only enough left for one,' Hermione said.

'That's all we need,' Harry said, 'we'll disguise Ron and I'll go under the Cloak with Griphook.'

By April, they were ready to act. Mr Ollivander was well enough to send on to Muriel's. Draco was accompanying him. Dobby was to escort them over.

'Well, Harry,' Draco said awkwardly, 'Thanks.'

'No worries,' Harry said, hugging him. She looked at Ollivander. 'Goodbye, Mr Ollivander. It has been an honour.'

'My dear girl,' Ollivander said, 'the honour has been mine.'

Bill walked them out, returning a few moments later to help Fleur set up for dinner. Harry turned her head before they heard a bang on the front door when they began to clear up. Everyone's heads turned towards it. Bill turned his wand upon the door.

'Who is it?' Bill called.

'It is I, Remus John Lupin!' a voice called. 'I am a werewolf, married to Nymphadora Tonks, and you, the Secret Keeper of Shell Cottage, told me the address and bade me come in an emergency!'

'Remus,' Bill muttered, and he ran to the door and wrenched it open.

Remus was white-faced, wrapped in a travelling cloak, his greying hair windswept. He straightened up, looked around the room, making sure of who was there, his eyes sought out Harry's, though he cried loudly to them all, 'It's a boy! We've named him Ted, after Dora's father!'

Hermione shrieked. 'Wha-? Tonks - Tonks has had the baby?'

'Yes, yes, she's had the baby!' Remus shouted. All around the table came cries of delight, sighs of relief.

'Yes - yes - a boy,' Remus said again, he seemed dazed by his own happiness. He strode around the table and hugged Harry.

'You'll be godmother, Anna?' he said, as he released Harry.

'You - you sure?' Harry said, stunned.

'Yes, of course - Dora agrees, no one better -'

'But - I - yeah - I -'

Remus chuckled, a hand squeezed her shoulder. Harry was grateful, as she felt at a loss for words. Bill was hurrying to fetch wine and Fleur was persuading Remus to join them for a drink.

'I can't stay long, I must get back,' he said beaming at them all. He turned to Harry. 'You seem - different -' he said simply, Harry caught the glances across the table, word had got back to him then, that she had told everyone.

Harry nodded, she felt like a weight had been lifted from her. She looked down at the tattoo on her wrist. It was like she had accepted herself, every part of herself. 'I feel like I know myself now like I know who I really am,' she tried to explain.

Remus smiled slightly, 'Like you've found your own sense of self-worth.'

Harry's eyes caught his, though he had voiced his problem with himself, she never had. 'I was always better at giving advice than taking it.'

Bill handed out some goblets; they all stood and raised them high in a toast.

'To Teddy Remus Lupin,' Remus said, 'a great wizard in the making!'

'To Teddy,' Harry said, 'A Marauder in the making.'

Remus choked on his drink, glancing at her.

'What - I'm his godmother, it's my prerogative to teach him the ways,' Harry said defensively.

''Oo does 'e look like?' Fleur enquired.

'I think he looks like Dora, but she thinks he is like me. Not much hair. It looked black when he was born, but I swear it's turned ginger in the hour since. Probably be blonde by the time I get back. Andromeda says Tonks's hair started changing colour the day she was born.' He drained his goblet, 'Sorry Bill ... I must get going,' he said refusing the top-up, he got to his feet and pulled his cloak back around himself. 'Goodbye, goodbye - I'll try and bring some pictures in a few days' time - they'll all be so glad to know that I've seen you -'

He fastened his cloak and made his farewells, hugging the women and grasping hands with the men, then, still beaming, he returned into the night.

'Godmother, Harry!' Bill said as they walked into the kitchen together. 'A real honour! Congratulations!'

Harry laughed. 'I didn't do anything - Dora did.'

Bill closed the door as Harry went to pick up the empty goblets, it shut out the voices of the others who were still continuing to celebrate even in Remus's absence.

'I wanted a private word, actually, Harry. It hasn't been easy to get an opportunity with the cottage full of people.' Bill hesitated. 'Harry, you're planning something with Griphook.'

Harry did not say anything, she merely waited.

'I know goblins. I've worked for Gringotts ever since I left Hogwarts. And far as there can be friendship between wizards and goblins, I have goblin friends - or at least, goblins I know well, and like.' he said, again he hesitated. 'Harry, what do you want from Griphook, and what have you promised him in return.'

'Nothing, I can't give him,' Harry said, 'As for what I want - I can't tell you that, sorry.'

'Then I have to say this,' Bill went on. 'If you have struck any kind of bargain with Griphook, and most particularly if that bargain involves treasure, you must be exceptionally careful. Goblin notions of ownership, payment and repayment are not the same as human ones.'

'So, when he asked me to give him something, he meant that he wanted to keep it,' Harry said, it was more a statement than a question.

'What do you mean?'

'Griphook asked me to hand over something, which I have no trouble in doing. He never said anything about keeping it.' Harry repeated, smirking. 'You forget, Sirius and I had dealings with goblins in the past. Sirius taught me that if you ever wanted to out smart a goblin, to always take their words at face value, not the meaning behind them. Goblins believe everything is at face value, see. You have to say exactly what you want, for you to get what you want. Griphook asked me to hand something over, and that's exactly what I am going to do.'

Bill looked stunned.

'There's always a fine print, Bill,' Harry said, 'It's about reading the fine print and knowing how to get out of it.'

'You're one smart witch.'

Harry shrugged, 'I have my moments.'

...

Their plans were made, their preparations complete, Hermione had plucked a black hair from the sweater she had been wearing at Malfoy Manor.

'And you'll be using her wand,' Harry said, 'so I reckon you'll be pretty convincing.'

Hermione looked frightened of the wand as she picked it up. 'I hate this thing,' she said in a low voice. 'I really hate it. It feels wrong ... it's like a bit of her.'

'It'll probably help you get in character, though,' Ron said. 'Think what that wand's done!'

'But that's my point!' Hermione said.

Harry knew exactly what she meant, Harry had been debating snapping the wand, for it had tortured Neville's parents and killed her godfather. The bedroom door opened and Griphook entered.

'We've just been checking the last-minute stuff. We've told Bill and Fleur we're leaving tomorrow, and told them not to get up to see us off.'

They had been very firm on this point because Hermione would need to transform before they left, and the less Bill and Fleur knew or suspected the better. They had also explained that they would not be returning. As they lost their old tent, Bill had lent them another one. It was now packed inside the beaded by, which, Harry was impressed to learn, Hermione had protected by simply stuffing it into her sock.

They rose early the next morning, Harry kissed a sleeping George upon his cheek, before Harry and Ron crept out of the room, and waited for Griphook and Hermione to appear in the garden. The dawn was chilly, but there was little wind now it was May. Then the sound of a door closing made her look round. Bellatrix Lestrange was striding across the lawn, accompanied by Griphook. Hermione transformed Ron's appearance. They walked to the boundary wall, where the Fidelius Charm stopped working. Harry bent down and let Griphook, climb up onto her back. He wasn't heavy, but she annoyed by his death-like grip; Hermione threw the Invisibility Cloak over them.

They turned on the spot, seconds later Harry opened her eyes and stared down Charing Cross Road. The bar of the Leaky Cauldron was nearly deserted. Tom, the landlord, was polishing glasses behind the bar counter.

'Madam Lestrange,' Tom murmured.

'Good Morning,' Hermione said. Harry felt like hitting the palm of her hand against her head. Two minutes in and Hermione was going to blow it if she kept this up.

'Too polite,' Harry whispered when they got out into the tiny backyard. 'Treat people like scum!'

'OK, OK!'

Hermione drew out the wand and tapped a brick. At once the bricks began to whirl and spin: a hole appeared in the middle of them, to form the archway to the narrow-cobbled street that was Diagon Alley. More shops than ever were boarded-up, though several new establishments dedicated to the Dark Arts had been created since her last visit. Her own face glared down at her from posters plastered over many windows.

'Why, Madam Lestrange!'

Harry whirled around, recognising the voice from the Lovegood house.

'He's another Death Eater!' Griphook breathed.

'Travers,' Harry muttered under breath, and she relayed the information into Hermione's ear.

'Travers,' Hermione greeted. 'How are you?'

'Well, I confess I am surprised to see you out and about, Bellatrix?'

'Really? Why?' Hermione said.

'Well,' he coughed, 'I heard that the inhabitants of Malfoy Manor were confined to the house, after the ... ah ... escape.'

'The Dark Lord forgives those who have served him most faithfully in the past,' Hermione said, in a magnificent impression of Bellatrix's most contemptuous manner. 'Perhaps your credit is not as good with him as mine is, Travers.'

Though the Death Eater looked offended, he seemed less suspicious. That'a girl, Harry thought proudly. If they could fool a Death Eater, then surely, they would be able to fool the goblins.

'So, what brings you and your - friend? - forgive me I do not recognise him - to Diagon Alley?'

'This is Dragomir Despard,' Hermione introduced Ron, they had decided that a fictional foreigner was the safest cover for Ron to assume. 'He speaks very little English, but he is in sympathy with the Dark Lord's aims. He has travelled from Transylvania to see our new regime.;

'Indeed? How do you do, Dragomir?'

''Ow you?' Ron said, holding out his hand.

'As for my visit, I need to visit Gringotts,' Hermione said.

'Alas, I also,' Travers said. 'Shall we?' he said gesturing Hermione forwards.

Hermione had no choice but to fall into step beside him as they walked along the cobbled street towards where the snowy-white Gringotts stood. A watchful Death Eater was the very last thing they needed, especially if the real Bellatrix was not meant to be out in public. Two wizards stood outside the entrance, both clutching long, thin golden rods. Probity Probes, which Harry knew detected spells of concealment and hidden magical objects. Once Travers had stepped through, Harry non-verbally Confunded both guards. It worked, they were able to go straight past the guards.

The long counter was manned by goblins sitting on high stools serving the first customers of the day. Hermione allowed Travers to step ahead of her on the pretext of explaining features of the hall to Ron. The goblin in front greeted Travers and examined the key, which was given back to him. Then Hermione stepped forwards.

'Madam Lestrange!' the goblin said, evidently startled. 'Dear me! How - how may I help you today?'

'I wish to enter my vault,' Hermione said.

The goblin recoiled a little. Harry glanced around. Not only was Travers hanging back, but several other goblins had looked up to stare at Hermione.

'You have ... identification?' asked the goblin.

'Identification ... I hardly think that is necessary!' Hermione said.

' _They know!'_ Griphook whispered in Harry's ear. _'They must have been warned there might be an impostor!'_

'Your wand will do, Madam,' the goblin said. He held out a hand, and Harry realised that the goblins of Gringotts were aware that Bellatrix's wand had been stolen.

 _'Act now!'_ whispered Griphook, _'the Imperius Curse!'_

Harry's heart skipped a beat, an Unforgivable Curse, was she capable of casting one effectively enough? The last time she tried ... well ... she had been very angry. She raised her wand under the Cloak, pointed it at the goblin and whispered, _'Imperio!'_ A curious sensation shot down Harry's arm, a tingling warmth that seemed to flow from her mind, down to the wand, and the curse it had just cast.

The goblin took Bellatrix's wand, examined it closely and said, 'Ah, you have had a new wand wand made, Madam Lestrange!'

'What -?' Hermione said.

'A new wand?' Travers said, approaching the counter again; still the goblins all around were watching. 'But how could you have done, which wandmaker did you use?'

Harry acted without thinking: pointing her wand at Travers, she Condunded him.

'Oh, yes, I see,' said Travers, looking down at Bellatrix's wand, 'yes, very handsome. And is it working well? I always think wands require a little breaking in, don't you?'

Hermione looked bewildered but did not question the bizarre turn of events. The goblin behind the counter clapped his hands and a younger goblin approached.

'I shall need the Clankers,' he told the goblin, who dashed away and returned a moment later with a leather bag that seemed full of jangling metal. 'Good, good! So, if you follow me, Madam Lestrange,' said the goblin from behind the counter, hopping down off his stool. 'I shall take you to your vault.'

'Wait- Bogrod!'

Another goblin came scurrying around the counter. 'We have instructions,' he said, bowing at Hermione, 'forgive me, Madam Lestrange, but there have been special orders regarding the vault of Lestrange.' He whispered in Bogrod's ear, but the Imperiused goblin shook him off.

'I am aware of the instructions. Madam Lestrange wishes to visit her vault ... very old family ... old clients ... this way please ...'

And still clanking, he hurried towards one of the many doors leading off the hall.

'We're in trouble they suspect,' Harry said, as the door slammed behind them and she pulled off the Invisibility Cloak. Griphook jumped down from her shoulders; Bogrod did not show the slightest surprise at her sudden appearance. 'I had to Confund, Travers and he's under the Imperius,' Harry explained.

'What do we do?' Ron asked. 'Shall we get out now, while we can?'

'If we can,' Hermione said, looking back towards the door into the main hall.

'We have to,' Harry conceded.

'Good! So, we'll need Bogrod to control the cart; I no longer have the authority.' Griphook said.

Harry made Bogrod summon a cart, she was sure she could hear shouting behind them in the main hall as they climbed into it. The cart moved off with a jerk, gathering speed: they hurtled forwards, then the cart began twisting and turning through the labyrinthine passages, sloping downwards all the time. They were deeper than Harry had ever been within Gringotts; they took a hairpin bend at speed and saw ahead of them, with seconds to spare, a waterfall pounding over the track. Griphook shouted, but there was no breaking: they zoomed through it. Water filled her eyes and mouth: she could not see or breathe: then with a lurch, the cart tipped over and they were thrown out of it. Harry heard the cart smash against a passage wall, heard Hermione shriek something and felt herself glide back towards the ground as though weightless, landing painlessly on the rocky passage floor.

'Cushioning Charm,' Hermione said, as Ron pulled her to her feet: she was no longer Bellatrix, she stood there in her overlarge robes, sobbing wet and completely herself; Ron was red-haired and beardless again.

'The Thief's Downfall!' Griphook said, clambering to his feet, looking at the deluge on the tracks, which Harry knew now, had been more than water. 'It washes away all enchantments, all magical concealment! They know there are impostors in Gringotts, they have set off defences against us!'

Hermione checked she still had her beaded bag, and Harry made sure that she had not lost her Invisibility Cloak. She turned to see Bogrod shaking his head in bewilderment: The Thief's Downfall seemed to have lifted the Imperius Curse.

'We need him,' Griphook said, 'we cannot enter the vault without a Gringotts goblin. And we need the Clankers!'

 _'Imperio!'_ Harry said again, Bogrod submitted once more to her will, as Ron hurried to pick up the leather bag of metal tools.

'Anna, I think I hear people coming!' Hermione said, and she cast a Shield Charm to break the flow of enchanted water.

'Good thinking,' Harry said, 'OK, let's get going, led the way Griphook.'

'How are we going to get out again?' Ron asked as they hurried on foot into the darkness after the goblin.

'We'll think of ...' Harry stopped talking, they had turned a corner and saw something for which Harry had been prepared, but which brought all of them to a halt.

A gigantic dragon was tethered to the ground floor in front of them, barring access to four or five of the deepest vaults in the place. Its scales were pale and flaky during its long incarceration under the ground; its eyes were milkily pink: both rear legs bore heavy cuffs from which chains led to enormous pegs driven deep into the rocky floor. Its wings were spiked, folded close to its body. It turned its head towards them, it roared, opened its mouth and spat a jet of fire that sent them running back up the passageway.

'It's partially blind,' Griphook panted, 'but even more savage for that. However, we have the means to control it. It has learned what to expect when the Clankers come. Give them to me.'

Ron passed the bag to Griphook and the goblin pulled out a number of metal instruments that when shaken made a loud ringing noise.

'You know what to do,' Griphook told Harry, Ron and Hermione. 'It will expect pain when it hears the noise: it will retreat, and Bogrod must place his palm upon the door of the vault.'

The advanced around the corner again, shaking the Clankers and the noise echoed off the rocky walls. The dragon let out another roar, then retreated. Harry could see it trembling, and as they drew near she saw scars made by vicious slashes across its face and guessed that it had been taught to fear hot swords when it heard the sound of the Clankers. Harry turned her wand upon Bogrod. The goblin obeyed, pressing his palm to the wood, and the door of the vault melted away to reveal a cave-like opening crammed from floor ceiling with golden coins and goblets, silver armour.

'Search fast!' Harry said as they hurried inside the vault.

She has described Hufflepuff's cup to Ron and Hermione, but if it was the other, unknown Horcrux that resided in this vault, she did not know what it looked like. She barely had time to look around, however, before there was a muffled clunk from behind them: the door had reappeared sealing them inside the vault, and they were plunged into total darkness.

'No matter, Bogrod will be able to release us!' Griphook said as Harry lit her wand. Its beam fell upon glittering jewels, she saw the fake sword of Gryffindor lying on a high shelf. Ron and Hermione had lit their wands too and were now examining piles of objects surrounding them.

'Anna, could this be -? Aargh!'

Hermione screamed in pain and Harry turned her wand on her in time to see a jewelled goblet tumbling from her grip: but as it fell it split, and became a shower of goblets, so that a second later, with a great clatter, the floor was covered in identical cups rolling in every direction.

'It burned me!' Hermione moaned.

'They have added Gemino and Flagrante Curses!' said Griphook. 'Everything you touch will burn and multiply, but the copies are worthless - and if you continue to handle the treasure, you will eventually be crushed to death by the weight of expanding gold!'

'Could have just said, don't touch anything,' Ron grumbled.

'OK, just look around!' Harry said, 'Remember the cup is small and gold, it's got a badger engraved on it, two handles - otherwise see if you can spot Ravenclaw's symbol anywhere -'

They directed their wands into every nook and crevice, turning cautiously on the spot. It was impossible not brush up against anything. Harry's wand light passed over shields and goblin-made helmets set on shelves rising to the ceiling. Higher and higher she raised the beam until suddenly it found an object that made her heart skip.

'It's up there!'

Ron and Hermione pointed their wands too so that the golden cup sparkled: the cup that belonged to Helga Hufflepuff.

'And how the hell are we going to get up there!' Ron said.

 _'Accio cup!'_ Hermione cried, who had forgotten in her desperation, what Griphook had told them during their planning sessions.

'No use, no use!' Griphook snarled.

'Well, what do we do then?' Harry said, irritably, 'if you want the sword, then you'll have to help us more than - wait! Can I touch with the sword? Hermione, give it here!'

Hermione fumbled inside her robes, drew out the beaded bag, rummaged for a few seconds, then removed the shining sword. Harry seized it by the hilt and touched the tip of the blade to a silver flagon nearby, which did not multiply.

'OK, OK, now ... if I could just put the sword through a handle - but how to get up there?'

The shelf on which the cup reposed was out of reach for any of them, even Ron who was tallest. They heard the dragon roar on the other side of the vault door, and the sound of clanking growing louder and louder. They were trapped now: there was no way out except through the door, and a horde of goblins seemed to be approaching on the other side.

'Hermione?' Harry said as the clanking grew louder.

She raised her wand, pointed it at Harry and whispered, _'Levicorpus!'_

Hoisted into the air by her ankle, Harry hit a suit of armour and replicas burst out of it, filling the cramped space. With screams of pain Ron and Hermione and the two goblins were knocked aside into other objects, which also began to replicate. Half buried in a rising tide of red-hot treasure, they struggled and yelled as Harry thrust the sword through the handle of Hufflepuff's cup, hooking it on to the blade.

 _'Liberacorpus!'_ Harry yelled, and with a crash, she landed on the surface of the swelling treasure, and the sword flew out of her hand.

'Get it!' Harry yelled, fighting the pain of hot metal on her skin, 'Where's the sword? It had the cup on it!'

The clanking on the other side of the door was growing deafening - it was too late -

'There!'

It was Griphook who had seen it and Griphook who lunged, the goblin never expected them to keep their word. He seized the hilt of the sword and swung it out of Harry's reach. The tiny cup, skewered by the handle on the sword's blade, was flung into the air. Harry dived and caught it, and although she could feel it scalding her, she did not relinquish it, even as countless Hufflepuff cups burst from her fist, raining down upon her as the entrance of the vault opened again, and she found herself sliding uncontrollably on an expanding avalanche, that bore her, Ron and Hermione into the outer chamber.

Despite the pain from the burns covering her body, Harry shoved the cup into her robes, Harry looked around for Griphook, but he was gone. He had sprinted for cover amongst the surrounding goblins, brandishing the sword and crying, 'Thieves! Thieves! Help! Thieves!' He vanished into the midst of the advancing crowd, all of whom were holding daggers and who accepted him without question. Slipping on the hot metal Harry scrambled to her feet and knew the only way out was through. Full of anger, Harry, wandlessly, Stunned the crowd of goblins, Ron and Hermione joined in, some toppled over, but others advanced, and Harry felt several magical presences approaching.

The tethered dragon let out a roar, a gush of flame flew over the goblins: the wizards fled, doubled-up, back the way they had come, and inspiration came to Harry, that or she truly was mental. Pointing her wand at the thick cuffs chaining the dragon, she yelled, _'Relashio!'_ The cuffs broke open with loud bangs.

'Come on!' Harry yelled, still shooting Stunning Spells at the advancing goblins she sprinted towards the blind dragon.

'Anna - what are you -?' Hermione asked.

'Climb on!'

The dragon had not realised that it was free: Harry's foot found the crook of its hind leg and she pulled herself up on its back. The scales were hard, the dragon did not even seem to feel her. She stretched out an arm; Hermione hoisted herself up; Ron climbed on behind them, and a second later the dragon became aware that it was untethered. It reared, Harry clutched as tightly as she could as the wings opened, knocking the shrieking goblins aside, and it soared into the air. It dived towards the passage opening.

'We'll never get out, it's too big!' Hermione screamed, but the dragon opened its mouth, flame blasted the tunnel, whose floor and ceiling cracked and crumbled. The dragon had fought its way through by sheer force. Then she heard Hermione yelling, _'Defodio!'_

Hermione was helping the dragon enlarge the passage way, carving out the ceiling as it struggled upwards. Harry and Ron copied her, blasting the ceiling apart. They passed the underground lake, and the dragon seemed to sense freedom and space ahead of it. At last, by their combined force and the dragon's strength, they blasted their way out of the passage into the marble hallway. Goblins and wizards shrieked and ran for cover, the dragon had room to stretch its wings: turning its head towards the cool outside air it could smell beyond the entrance, it took off, and with Harry, Ron and Hermione still clinging to its back, it forced its way through the doors, it staggered into Diagon Alley and launched itself into the sky.

...

They had no way of controlling the dragon, and as it could not see where it was going, Harry knew that if it turned sharply they would find it impossible to cling on. But they climbed higher and higher, London unfurling below them. Behind her, whether from delight or fear Ron kept swearing at the top of his voice, and Hermione seemed to be caught between laughing and crying. After five minutes or so, Harry lost the dread that the dragon was going to throw them off, for it seemed its only intention was to get as far away as possible, but the question of how and when they were to dismount remained rather frightening. She had no idea how long dragons could fly, nor how this particular dragon, which could barely see, would locate a good place to land. She glanced around constantly, wondering how long before Voldemort would know that they had broken into the Lestranges' vault. How soon would the goblins notify Bellatrix? How quickly would they realise what had been taken? And when they did ... Voldemort would know ... would know that they were hunting Horcruxes.

The dragon climbed until they were flying through wisps of clouds, on and on they flew, over countryside parcelled out in patches of green and brown, over roads and rivers.

'What do you reckon it's looking for?' Ron yelled.

'No idea,' Harry shouted back. Her hands were numb with cold. The sun slipped lower in the sky, and still, the dragon flew, cities and towns gliding out of sight beneath them.

'Is it my imagination,' Ron shouted, 'or are we losing height?'

Harry looked down, Ron was right, the landscape grew larger and more detailed. Lower and lower the dragon flew, in great spiralling circles, honing in, it seemed upon one of the smaller lakes.

'Jump when it gets low enough?' Harry suggested. 'Into the water, before it realises we're here.'

They agreed, Hermione a little faintly, Harry knew she hated heights. As soon as Harry saw the underbelly of the dragon reflected on the surface of the water, she shouted, 'NOW!'

She let go, sliding from the dragon and plummeted, feet first, towards the surface of the lake, she hit the water hard, plunging into freezing green, reed-filled world. She kicked towards the surface and emerged panted. the dragon seemed to not have noticed anything: it was already fifty-feet away. As Ron and Hermione emerged, the dragon flew on, its wings beating hard, and landed at last on a distant bank. Harry Ron and Hermione headed for the opposite shore. Hermione collapsed, coughing and shuddering. Though Harry could have happily done the same, she drew out her wand, cast Drying Charms upon themselves and began casting the usual protective spells around them. When she finished, she joined the others. Both of them had red burns all over their faces and arms, and their clothing was singed away in places. They were wincing as they dabbed essence of dittany on their many injuries. Hermione handed Harry the bottle, along with her own bag, and pulled out bottles of pumpkin juice she had brought with them. She pulled out some robes for herself so that she could change.

'Well,' Ron said, turning around, so his back faced them, 'we got the Horcrux.'

'Did you know ... that Griphook would -?'

'I guessed ...' Harry answered, 'that's why I asked only for a way in. I figured we'd have to make our own way out, anyway.' She pulled the Horcrux from the pocket of her robes and set it down on the grass in front of them.

'At least we can't wear it this time,' Ron said.

Hermione looked across the lake, where the dragon was still drinking. 'What'll happen to it, do you think? Will it be all right?'

'You sound like Hagrid,' Ron said. 'It's a dragon, it can look after itself. It's us we need to worry about.'

'What do you mean?'

'Well, I hate to break this to you.' Ron said, 'but I think they might have noticed we broke into Gringotts.'

All three of them started to laugh, it was difficult to stop once they started.

'What are we going to do though?' Hermione said finally, 'He'll know ... won't he?'

'Yeah ...' Harry agreed, 'He'll know ...'

'Maybe they'll be too scared to tell him?' Ron said hopefully, 'Maybe they'll cover it up-'

The sky, the smell of lake, the sound of Ron's voice was extinguished. Suddenly he was standing in a dimly lit room, and a semi-circle of wizards faced him, knelt at his feet was a small, quaking figure.

'What did you say to me?' His voice full of fury. 'Say it again!'

'M- my Lord,' the goblin stammered, 'm-my Lord ... we t-tried t-to stop them ... impostors, my Lord ... broke into the Lestranges' vault ...'

'Impostors? What impostors? I thought Gringotts had ways of revealing impostors? Who were they?'

'It was ... the Potter girl and t-two accomplices ...'

 _'And they took?'_ he said. 'Tell me! _What did they take?'_

'A ... a small golden cup my Lord ...'

The scream of rage, of denial, left him, he was crazed, it could not be true, it was impossible, nobody had ever known: how could the girl have discovered his secret? The Elder Wand slashed through the air and green light erupted through the room, the kneeling goblin rolled over, dead. Next to other bodies, of his kind. Alone amongst the dead, he stormed up and down, his treasures passed before him - the diary was destroyed and the cup stolen. What if Potter knew of the others? Had she traced the others? Was Dumbledore the root of this? Dumbledore, who had always suspected him. But surely if the girl had destroyed any of the Horcruxes, he, Lord Voldemort, would have known, would have felt it? True he had not felt the diary, but he thought that was because he had no body to feel, being less than a ghost ... surely the others were safe ...

But he must know, he must be sure ... He paced the room, and pictures blurred in his brain: the lake, the shack, and Hogwarts - The girl could not have known that he had hidden the ring in the Gaunt shack. No one had ever known him to be related to the Gaunts, he had hidden the connection ... Dumbledore ... Dumbledore had known his middle name ... Dumbledore might have made the connection, perhaps that was the least safe ... The lake, surely impossible ... though Dumbledore might have known of his past misdeeds through the orphanage. And Hogwarts, as for the school: he alone knew where in Hogwarts he had stowed the Horcrux because he alone had plumbed the deepest secrets of the place ... that Horcrux was safe, it would be impossible for Potter to enter Hogsmeade without detection, let alone the school. Nevertheless, he should alert Snape to the fact the girl might try to re-enter the castle ... to tell Snape why would be foolish, it had been a grave mistake trusting Bellatrix and Malfoy: their stupidity and carelessness had proven how unwise it was to trust.

He should visit the Gaunt shack first then, and take Nagini with him: he would not be parted from the snake anymore ... and he strode from the room, through the hall and out into the dark ...

Harry's eyes flew open as she brought herself back. Hermione and Ron were looking down at her, with worried looks. 'He knows and he's going to check on them, and the last one ..' she said scrambling to her feet, 'is at Hogwarts. I knew it! I knew it!'

'What?'

'I saw him find out about the cup, he's seriously angry ...' Harry said, slightly stunned, 'and worried... he's scared … he's actually scared ... he doesn't know how we know. He's on his way to check on the ring. He thinks the Hogwarts one is safest, because Snape is there, and it will be difficult getting in.'

'Where? Where in Hogwarts? Did you see?' Ron asked.

'No, he was concentrating on warning Snape, he didn't think about where he hid it -'

'Wait!' Hermione cried, as Ron picked up the Horcrux and Harry pulled out the Invisibility Cloak. 'We need a plan .. we can't just go rushing in -'

'We've got to go,' Harry said, 'Can you imagine what he's going to do once he realises the ring and locket are gone? He'll go mental, and head straight for the Hogwarts one. He'll move it.'

'How are we going to get in?'

'Hogsmeade, it's the only way, ancient magic will take to long ... took us hours last time to walk through the Forest,' Harry said, 'we'll work out a way around the protection once we're there. Get under the Cloak, Hermione, I think we should stick together, this time.'

'But we don't really fit -'

'It'll be dark, no one's going to notice our feet.'

The flapping of enormous wings echoed across the water: the dragon had drunk its fill and risen into the air. They paused to watch it climb higher and higher into the darkening sky until it vanished over a nearby mountain. Then Hermione walked forwards, standing between Ron and Harry. Harry pulled the Cloak down as far as it would go, and together they turned on the spot into crushing darkness.


	122. Chapter 122

Harry's feet touched the road she saw the familiar Hogsmeade High-Street: dark shop fronts, and the curve in the road ahead that led off towards Hogwarts, and light spilling from the windows of the Three Broomsticks, as she relaxed her grip, it happened. The air was rent by a scream, and she knew immediately that their appearance had caused it. As Harry glanced at Ron and Hermione, the door of the Three Broomsticks burst open and a dozen cloaked and hooded Death Eaters dashed into the street, their wands aloft.

Harry seized Ron's wrist as he raised it, there were too many of them to Stun: attempting it would give away their position. One of the Death Eaters waved his wand and the scream stopped.

 _'Accio Cloak!'_ roared another Death Eater.

The Cloak made no attempt to escape, the Summoning Charm had not worked upon it. Though she already had known that, it wasn't her fault that the Death Eaters were stupid enough to try Summoning a Hallow.

'Not under your wrapper, then, Potter?' yelled the Death Eater who had tried the charm, and then to his fellows, 'Spread out. She's here.'

Six Death Eaters run towards them: Harry, Ron and Hermione backed away as quickly as possible, down the nearest side street and the Death Eaters missed them by inches. They waited in the darkness, listening to the footsteps running up and down.

'Let's just leave!' Hermione whispered. 'Disapparate now!'

'Great idea,' Ron said, but before Harry could say anything a Death Eater shouted, 'We know you're here, Potter, and there's no getting away! We'll find you!'

'Shit!' Harry hissed, so much for getting out, 'They were ready for us, they set up a trap, spell to tell them we'd arrived, and I reckon they've placed an Anti-Disapparating hex -'

'What about the Dementors?' called another Death Eater. 'Let 'em have free rein, they'll find her quick enough!'

'The Dark Lord wants Potter dead by no hand but his -'

'- an' Dementors won't kill her! The Dark Lord wants Potter's life, not her soul. It will be easier to kill if she's been kissed first!'

There were noises of agreement. Dread filled Harry: to repel Dementors they would need to produce Patronuses, which would give them away.

'We're going to have to try to Disapparate, it's the only way!' Hermione whispered.

Even as she said it, she felt the unnatural cold begin to steal over the street. Light was sucked from the environment, in the darkness, Hermione grabbed her arm, together the three of them turned on the spot. The air seemed to have become solid: they could not Disapparate; the Death Eaters had cast their charms well. The cold was bitting deeper and deeper into Harry's flesh. They retreated down the side street, groping their way along the wall, trying to not make a sound. Then round the corner, Dementors came gliding, ten or more of them, only visible due to being denser than their surroundings. They seemed to be coming more quickly now, sensing the fear close by -

She raised her wand: she could not, would not suffer the Dementor's Kiss. Her thoughts firmly fixed upon George, she whispered, _'Expecto Patronum!'_ The silver Bali Myna burst from her wand and swooped towards the Dementors: the Dementors scattered and there was a triumphant yell from somewhere out of sight.

'It's here, down there, down there, I saw her Patronus!'

The Dementors had retreated, light was returning again, and the footsteps of the Death Eaters were becoming louder, but before Harry could decide what to do, there was a grinding of bolts nearby, a door opened and a rough voice said, 'Potter, in here, quick!'

She obeyed without hesitation: the three of them hurtled through the open doorway.

'Upstairs, keep the Cloak on, keep quiet!' muttered a tall figure, passing them on his way into the street and slamming the door behind him. Harry looked around, releasing that they were in the Hog's head. They ran behind the counter and through a second doorway, which led to a rickety staircase, they climbed as fast as they could. The stairs opened on to a sitting room with a threadbare carpet and a small fireplace, above which hung a single large oil painting of a blond girl.

Shouts reached them from the street below. Still wearing the Invisibility Cloak, they crept towards the window and looked down. Their saviour, whom Harry now recognised as the Hog's Head's barman, was the only person not wearing a hood.

'And I'm telling you,' he bellowed, 'you need your eyes checking! You sent Dementors down my street, so I sent a Patronus back at 'em! I'm not having them near me.'

'No I saw Potters -'

'You stink of alcohol ... how do you know what you saw?'

'Curfew's been broken, you heard the noise,' a Death Eater replied. 'Someone was out in the street against regulations -'

'If I want to put out my cat, I will, and be damned to your curfew!'

'You set off the Caterwauling Charm?'

'What if I did? Going to cart me off to Azkaban? Kill me for sticking my nose out my own front door? Do it, then, if you want. But I hope for your sakes you haven't pressed your little Dark Marks and summoned him. He's not going to like being called here for me and my cat, is he now?'

'Don't worry about us,' a Death Eater said, 'worry about yourself, breaking curfew!'

'And where will you lot traffic potions and poisons when my pub's closed down? What'll happen to your little side-lines then?'

'Are you threatening -?'

'I keep my mouth shut, it's why you come here, isn't it?'

'I still say I saw Potter's Patronus!'

'Like I said ... you need your eyes checked.'

'All right, we made a mistake,' said the second Death Eater. 'Break curfew again and we won't be so lenient!'

The Death Eaters strode back towards the High Street. Harry drew the curtains shut, then pulled the Cloak off them. They could hear the barman below, re-bolting the door to the bar, then climbing the stairs. The barman entered the room.

'You bloody fools,' he said gruffly, looking from one to the other of them. 'What were you thinking, coming here?'

'Thank you,' Hermione said relieved, 'we can't thank you enough. You saved our lives.'

The barman grunted, he seemed oddly familiar. Harry approached him, looking up into his face, trying to see past the long stringy, wire-grey hair and beard. Behind his lenses were the eyes of a piercing brilliant blue ...

'You're Aberforth,' Harry said, it wasn't a question.

He neither confirmed nor denied it, he turned away lighting lamps, not looking at any of them. He left the room returning moments later with a large loaf of bread, some cheese and a pewter jug of mead, which he sat down on a small table in front of them.

'Right then,' Aberforth said when they had eaten. 'We need to think of the best way to get you out of here. Can't be done at night, you heard what happens if anyone moves outdoors during darkness. I reckon you wait until daybreak, when curfew lifts, then put on your Cloak and set off on foot. Get out of Hogsmeade, up to the mountains, you'll be able to Disapparate from there. Might see Hagrid. He's hiding in a cave up there with Grawp ever since they tried to arrest him.'

'We're not leaving!' Ron said, 'We've got to get into Hogwarts, that's what we came here for in the first place.'

'Don't be stupid,' said Aberforth.

'We've got to,' Hermione repeated.

'What you've got to do,' Aberforth said, 'is to get as far from here as you can.'

'No Mr Dumbledore,' Harry said firmly, 'You don't understand. There is not much time. We've got to get into Hogwarts. Your brother - wanted us -'

'My brother wanted a lot of things,' said Aberforth, 'and people had a habit of getting hurt while he was carrying out his grand plans. You should get out of the country. Forget my brother and his plans. He's gone where none can hurt him, and you don't owe him anything.'

Harry stared at Aberforth, silence consumed the room for lingering moments that left like an age.

'You're right,' Harry sighed, 'I don't. I don't owe him anything.'

Hermione gasped, Ron looked bewildered.

'But nothing! Nothing will stop me from getting into that castle.' Harry said hotly. 'Nothing will stop me from completing the task he gave me! I'm not doing this for your brother! I'm doing this for everyone, not just one person.'

'Give your job to someone else!'

'I can't. It's got to be me. Dumbledore explained it all -'

'Oh, did he now? And did he tell you everything, was he honest with you?' Aberforth snapped. 'Did he once mention her name?' he said pointing at the painting. 'I knew my brother. He learned secrecy at our mother's knee. Secrets and lies, that's how we grew up, and Albus ... he was a natural.'

'That's your sister, Ariana?' Hermione said timidly.

'Yes,' Aberforth said. 'Been reading Rita Skeeter, have you?'

'Elphias Doge mentioned her to us,' Harry said.

'Old berk. Thought the sun shone out of my brother's every orifice, he did. Well, so did plenty of people, you three included by the looks of it.'

'Professor Dumbledore cared about Harry, very much,' Hermione replied.

'Did he?' Aberforth said. 'Funny thing, how many of the people my brother cared about very much, ended up worse state than if he left them alone.'

'That's a really serious thing to say!' Hermione said. 'Are you talking about your sister?'

Aberforth glared at her: his lips twitched. Then he burst into speech.

'My sister was six years old, when she was attacked, set upon by three Muggles boys. They'd seen her doing magic, spying through our garden hedge: she was a kid, she couldn't control it. What they saw scared them I expect. They forced their way through, and when she couldn't show them the trick, they got carried away trying to stop her doing it.'

'It destroyed her, she was never right again. She wouldn't use magic but she couldn't get rid of it: it turned inwards and drove her mad, it exploded out of her when she couldn't control it, at times she was strange and dangerous. But mostly sweet, scared and harmless. My father went after the bastards that did it and attacked them. He got locked up for it. He never said why he'd done it because if the Ministry had known what Ariana had become, she would have been locked up in St Mungo's for good. Unbalanced as she was, we had to keep her safe, and quiet. We moved house, put it about she was ill, and my mother looked after her, and tried to keep her calm and happy.'

'When she was fourteen ... she had one of her rages, and my mother wasn't as young as she was ... I wasn't there ... it was an accident. Ariana couldn't control it. But my mother was killed. And that put a stop to my brothers's plans. Stopped him from going on his trip with Doge. The pair of 'em came home for my mother's funeral and Doge went off on his own, Albus settled down as head of the family, Ha! I'd have looked after her, I told him so, I didn't care about school, I'd stayed home and done it. He told me to finish my education, and that he'd take over. Bit of a comedown for Mr Brilliant, there's no prizes for looking after your half-mad sister. He did all right for a few weeks ... 'til he came.'

'Grindelwald. And last, my brother had an equal to talk to, someone as bright and talented as he was. Looking after Ariana took a back seat, while they were hatching all their plans for a new wizarding order, and looking for Hallows. Grands plans for the benefit of all wizardkind, and if one girl got neglected, what did it matter, when Albus was working for the greater good? After a few weeks of it, I'd had enough. It was nearly time for me to go to Hogwarts, so I told 'em, both of 'em, face to face, I told him, you'd better give it up now. You can't move her, she's in no fit state, you can't take her with you. He didn't like that ...'

'Grindelwald didn't like that at all. He got angry. Told me what a stupid little boy I was, trying to stand in the way of him, and my brilliant brother ... didn't I understand, my poor sister wouldn't have to be hidden once they'd changed the world, and led the wizards out of hiding, and taught Muggles their place? There was an argument ... I pulled out my wand, and he pulled out his, I had the Cruciatus Curse used on me by my brother's best friend - and Albus was trying to stop him, and then all three of us were duelling, and the flashing lights and bangs set her off, she couldn't stand it - I think she was trying to help, but she didn't really know what she was doing, and I don't know which of us did it, it could have been any of us - and she was dead.'

'I'm so ... I'm so sorry,' Hermione whispered.

Aberforth grunted, then after a moment, he said, 'How can you be so sure Potter, that my brother wasn't more interested in the greater good than in you? How can you be sure you aren't dispensable, just like my little sister? The Order of the Phoenix is finished. You Know Who's won, it's over, and anyone who's pretending different is kidding themselves.'

Harry sighed, getting to her feet. 'Thank you for the food ... I can see that we're just wasting our time. We'll find another way in to the castle in the morning.' She turned to Ron and Hermione, gesturing for them to get up. Harry turned around as they reached the door. 'He knew,' she said softly, 'he knew of the pain it caused - so much so it ate at him. The night he died ... he drank a potion and spoke to someone who wasn't there - begging them to take his life instead.' she snorted, 'He even knew ... he knew, which of you had done it -'

'Impossible!'

'You'd think so ... but not if you had access to a mirror that could show you, your hearts' desire. He knew what had happened ... your brother admitted few things to me, though he did admit that he made mistakes. But he knew it was best not to dwell on what was unreachable.' Harry said softly. 'Now we need to get into Hogwarts. If you can't help us, we'll wait until daybreak, leave you in peace and find a way in ourselves. If you can help us - now would be a great time to mention it.'

Aberforth remained fixed in his chair, gazing at Harry. At last, he got to his feet, walked around the table and approached the portrait of Ariana, and said, 'You know what to do.'

She smiled, turned and walked away, not as people in portraits usually did, out of the sides of their frames, but along what seemed a tunnel behind her.

'I can see what they meant about you,' Aberforth said, looking at Harry, 'there's no one quite like you.'

'Sorry? Who?'

'You'll see. There's only one way in now,' Aberforth explained. 'You must know they've got all the old secret passageways covered at both ends, Dementors all around the boundary walls, regular patrols inside the school. The place has never been so heavily guarded.'

A tiny dot had reappeared at the end of the painted tunnel, and now Ariana was walking back towards them, growing bigger and bigger as she came. But there was somebody else with her now, someone taller than she was, who was limping along looking excited. His hair was longer than Harry had ever seen it: he appeared to have suffered several gashes to his face and his clothes were ripped and torn. Larger and larger the two figures grew until, only their heads and shoulders filled the portrait. Then the whole thing swung forwards on the wall like a little door, and a tunnel entrance was revealed. And out of it, clambered the real Neville Longbottom.

'Harry!' he roared with delight, hugging her. 'I knew you'd come! I knew it!'

'Neville - what the - how -?'

But Neville had spotted Ron and Hermione, and with yells of delight was hugging them too. The longer Harry looked at him, the worse he appeared: one of his eyes were swollen, there were gouge marks on his face, and his general air of unkemptness suggested that he had been living rough.

'Neville, what happened to you?'

'What? This?' Neville dismissed his injuries.

'Sound like someone we know?' Ron muttered to Hermione, looking at Harry.

Neville gave a sheepish look, scratching his head. 'It's nothing though. You should see Seamus, he's much worse. You'll see. Shall we get going? Oh,' he turned to Aberforth, 'Ab, there might be a couple more people on the way.'

'Couple more?' Aberforth repeated. 'What d'you mean a couple more, Longbottom? There's a curfew and Caterwauling Charm on the whole village!'

'I know that's why they'll be Apparating directly here,' Neville grinned. 'Just send them down the passage when they get here, will you? Thanks a lot.'

Neville held out his hand to Hermione and helped her climb up on to the mantelpiece and into the tunnel; Ron followed, Harry addressed Aberforth.

'I don't know how to thank you. You saved our lives.'

Aberforth shook his head. 'Just look after them.'

Harry climbed up Neville helping her up on to the mantelpiece and through the hole behind Ariana's portrait. There were smooth steps on the other side; it looked as though the passage had been there for years.

'How long's this been here?' Harry asked. 'It's not one of the passageways I knew about.'

'The other passageways were sealed off before the start of the year,' Neville said. 'There's no chance of getting through any of them, not with curses over the entrances and Death Eaters and Dementors waiting at the exits. This tunnel popped up ... never mind, that ... is it true? Did you break into Gringotts? Did you escape on a dragon? It's everywhere, everyone's talking about it, Terry Boot got beaten up by Carrow for yelling about it in the Great Hall at dinner!'

'Yeah, it's true,' Harry said.

Neville laughed gleefully, 'What happened to the dragon?'

'We released it into the wild,' Ron said, 'Hermione wanted to keep it -'

'Ron!' Hermione said shoving his shoulder.

'But what have you been doing? People have been saying you've just been on the run, but Draco came back, told us you were up to something.'

'Yeah, we've been up to something,' Harry said, 'But tell us about Hogwarts, Neville, we haven't heard anything.'

'It's been ... it's not Hogwarts anymore,' Neville said, the smile fading from his face. 'Do you know about the Carrows?'

'The two Death Eaters who teach here?'

'They do more than teach. They're in charge of all discipline. They like punishment, the Carrows.' Neville said. 'They made Umbridge look tame. The other teachers are supposed to refer us to the Carrows if we do anything wrong. They don't though, if they can avoid it. They hate them as much as we do. Amycus the bloke, he teaches, what used to be Defence Against the Dark Arts. We're supposed to practise the Cruciatus Curse on people who've earned detentions -'

 _'What?'_

'Yeah, that's how I got this one,' he said pointing at a deep gash in his cheek. 'I refused to do it. Crabbe and Goyle love it though, first time they've ever been top in anything, I expect. Alecto, Amycus's sister, teaches Muggle Studies, which is compulsory. We've all got to listen to her explain how Muggles are like animals, and how they drove wizards into hiding, and how the natural order is being re-established. I got this one,' he pointed to another slash in his face, 'for asking her how much Muggle blood she and her brother have got.'

'Blimey Neville,' Ron said.

'You didn't hear her,' Neville said. 'You wouldn't have stood for it either. The thing is, it helps when people stand up to them, it gives people hope. I used to notice that when you did it, Harry. They don't want to spill too much pure blood, so they'll torture us a bit if we're mouthy but they won't kill us. The only people in danger are the ones whose friends and relatives on the outside are giving trouble. As you know, they get taken hostage.' he pulled out a golden coin from his pocket, 'Luna managed to get a message to me ... these have been great Hermione. Carrows never rambled how we were communicating, it drove them mad. We used to sneak out at night and put graffiti on the walls: _Dumbledore's Army, Still Recruiting_ , stuff like that. Snape hated it, especially when we changed the name.'

'You changed the name?' Harry said.

'Yeah,' Neville grinned, 'You'll see.'

'So, what do you mean "used to"?' Ron asked.

'Well, it more difficult as time went on. We lost Luna at Christmas, then Ginny at Easter, there was only so much Draco could do, the four of us were sort of leaders. The Carrows seemed to know I was behind a lot of it, so they came down on me hard, and then Michael Corner got caught releasing a first-year they'd chained up, and they tortured him pretty badly. That scared people off.'

'No kidding,' Ron muttered.

'Yeah, well, I couldn't ask people to go through that, so we dropped those kinds of stunts. But we were still fighting, doing underground stuff, right up until a couple of weeks ago. That's when they decided there was only one way to stop me, and they went for Gran.'

'They what?' Hermione said.

'Yeah, well you can see their thinking, kidnapping kids to force their relatives to behave. It was only a matter of time before they did it the other way around.' Neville chuckled deeply. 'They bit of more than they could chew. Little old witch living alone, they probably thought they didn't need to send anyone particularly powerful. Anyway, Dawlish is still in St Mungo's and Gran's on the run. She sent me a letter, telling me she was proud of me, that I'm my parents' son and to keep it up.'

'Cool,' Harry said.

'Yeah, only thing, once they realised they had no hold over me, they decided Hogwarts could do without me after all. I don't know what they're planning to kill me or send me to Azkaban, either way, I knew it was time to disappear.'

'But,' Ron said, looking confused, 'aren't we heading straight back to Hogwarts?'

'Course,' Neville said. 'You'll see. We're here ... give me a second - Ron first, Hermione, then you Harry, all right?'

They turned a corner and there ahead of them was the end of the passage. A flight of steps led to a door. Neville pushed it open and climbed through. As they followed, Harry heard Neville call out to unseen people: 'Ladies and gentleman of Potter's Resistance, I present to you, Ronald Weasley -' Harry heard several shouts, 'Hermione Granger -', excitement was in the air, 'and the ever honourable Lady Potter.'

Harry emerged into the room beyond the passage to the loudest welcoming, of several screams and yells. She was engulfed, hugged, by what seemed to be a small army.

'OK, OK, calm down!' Neville called, and the crowd back away, Harry was able to take in their surroundings.

She did not recognise the room at all, though she had an idea into where they were. It was enormous and looked like the interior of gigantic ship's cabin. Multicoloured hammocks were strung from the ceiling and from the ceiling and from a balcony that run around the dark wood-panelled and windowless walls, which were covered in bright tapestry hangings of the four Hogwarts Houses. There were bulging bookcases, a few broomsticks propped against the walls, and in the corner a large wooden-cased wireless.

'This can't be the Room of Requirement!'

'Yeah, surpassed itself, hasn't it?' Neville said. 'The Carrows were chasing me, and I knew I had just one chance for a hideout: I managed to get through the door and this is what I found! Well, it was a lot smaller ... but it expanded from there as more people joined.'

'And the Carrows can't get in?' Harry said, looking around for a door.

'No,' Seamus said, his face was bruised and puffy. 'It's a proper hideout, as long as one of us stays in here, they can't get in, the door won't open. It's all down to Neville.'

'Loopholes!' Neville explained, 'Learnt that from you, Harry. That's how the tunnel turned up, I got hungry. I went through it and met Aberforth. He's been providing us with food ever since because, for some reason, that's the one thing the Room doesn't do.'

'Food's one of the five exceptions to Gamps's Law of Elemental Transfiguration,' Ron announced to the room, 'What?' he said when he was greeted with astonishment, 'I've been with the smartest witch of our age - and Miss Theorist Genius!'

'So, what's the plan Harry?' Seamus asked.

Harry looked around for the first time as an excited murmur broke out, she recognised many familiar faces, all from the DA; the Patil twins, Lavender Brown, Blaise Zabini, Astoria and Daphne Greengrass, Terry Boot, Ernie Macmillian, Anthony Goldstein, Michael Corner, along with new ones too. But before she could answer, she felt a terrible pain in her scar, the Room vanished, and she was standing inside a ruined shack, and the rotting floorboards were ripped apart, a golden box lay open and empty beside the hole. Harry pulled herself, back to where she stood, Ron was holding her up.

'He knows,' Harry told them, 'And he's pissed.'

'It'd be quicker if we tell them, ask for help,' Hermione suggested, 'If he knows ... what's the harm?'

'We don't have to tell them everything...' Ron added.

The tunnel door distracted her as it opened, George, Fred, Luna, Dean, Ginny, Cho and Lee Jordan came through it.

'Princess, you and I are going to have serious words ... my poor heart, what were you thinking? Breaking into Gringotts?' George said.

Harry laughed, greeting him with a hug, 'I just like keeping you on your toes ... gets you back for Potterwatch, though.'

'Aberforth's getting ratty,' Fred said, 'says his bar is not a railway station.'

'Well, Neville got the word out to us,' Luna said, 'Did anyone contact the Order?'

'Yeah ... soon as I got the word,' Lee Jordan grinned, 'They're on their way.'

'So, An-ah,' Fred said, Harry rolled her eyes, 'What's the plan?'

A door burst open from behind, closing again quickly, for a moment wands raised in the direction, until the person cancelled the spell upon themselves, making them visible for all to see. Draco looked sombre as he faced the room.

'Snape knows you're here,' he said, 'And he's called a meeting for the whole school ... in the Great Hall.'

Harry returned his sombre look with a grin of her own.

'Oh, no!' George groaned, 'that's your "I'm up to something" smile.'

'What?' Harry said defensively, 'I just think it's a good idea to go. After all, we wouldn't want to keep the Headmaster waiting now, _would we?_ '

...

The Great Hall was darker than usual, the fires around the Hall burned lowly.

'Many of you,' Snape began, 'are surely wondering why I have summoned you here at this hour.' He gave a short pause, before continuing, 'It has come to my attention, that earlier this evening, Lady Potter was sighted in Hogsmeade.'

'Now...' silence fell as he spoke again, 'I mention this in the hopes that truth will not be supplanted by rumour. For myself and a few select members of staff, this comes as little surprise. We have for some time considered Lady Potter's return not only to be possible but inevitable. Consequently, we have put many measures in place to defeat any attempt that Lady Potter might make to breech this walls. But know this. Should anyone - student or staff - attempt to aid Lady Potter, that person will be punished in a manner consistent with the severity of their transgression.'

Snape stepped forwards walking down the middle of the parted students, 'Now, then ... if anyone here as knowledge of Lady Potter's movements this evening ... I invite them to step forward now.'

Out from the crowd footsteps were heard, a single student stepped forward. 'Yeah ... I know of her movements,' the voice sneered.

'Draco ... I should have known...'

'Yeah, you should have ... but it's too late for that now.' The doors to the Great Hall burst open. 'There's been a bit of a security breech ...' Gasps sounded throughout the hall, as members of the Order of Phoenix stood in the doorway, and the real Draco Malfoy stood beside them.

Snape raised his wand, but Harry was too quick for him, she deflected his spell, Harry cancelled the spell upon herself as Hermione and Ron revealed themselves, Stunning Alecto and Amycus with prefect timing. Students swiped to the sides of the Hall, as Snape fired another spell at her, moving backwards. This one held more power behind it, Harry put up a powerful shield. This duel would be no ordinary battle ... not when it involved two Empaths. It was Harry who sent the next curse, with such force, the Great Hall itself trembled. Back and forth spells were fired between them, but Harry had grown since he taught her how to control her Empathy ... she knew emotions drove her - especially anger, and she had never been so angry. The next chance she got she blasted him from his feet, Snape flew backwards awkwardly out of the window, his arm hit the window and his wand flew from his hand. By the time, she reached the window, Snape had disappeared into the night. She would have gone after him, but there were more important things to do now. Voldemort was on his way. Harry picked up Snape's fallen wand from the floor.

Professor McGonagall stepped towards her, taking notice of her Slytherin attire, but disregarded it, 'You better have a good reason to be here -'

'Voldemort's on his way!' Harry said, 'We've got to the younger students out! There's not much time!'

'That does not explain why you are here,' she replied back sternly.

'We're looking for something ... something that will destroy Voldemort, and it's hidden here ... in the castle,' Harry panted, 'the thing is, I don't know where. I only know that it will be small, and it will belong to Ravenclaw.'

'That is not much to go on,' she said, 'what do you need?'

'Time, and as much of it that you can give me,' Harry said. 'Oh, Draco and Luna.' she addressed them, 'I'm going to need you.'

'How are we meant to evacuate if Hogwarts is about to enter a state of siege, with the Dark Lord at the gates, and with the Floo Network under observation and Apparition impossible within the grounds -'

'There's a way,' Harry said and she explained about the passageway into the Hog's head.

'Very well ... ' she said looking around and addressed the Hall. 'We are going to evacuate ... which will be over seen by Mr Filch, Madam Pomfrey. Prefects organise your house and take your charges, in an orderly fashion ... we need to put in place every protection of which we are capable, while Potter does what she needs to do.'

'You realise, of course, that nothing we do will be able to keep out You Who Know indefinitely?' Professor Flitwick said

'But we can hold him up.'

Many of the students looked petrified. Ernie Macmillion stood out from the Hufflepuff students, 'And what if we want to stay and fight?'

There was a smattering applause. Professor McGonagall looked towards Harry, who merely shrugged.

'If you of age, you may stay,' Professor McGonagall said hesitantly, and a disappointed groan from the younger members of the DA broke out. Harry rolled her eyes.

'Alright, younger members of the DA can help with the evacuation ... and protect the younger students ... Ginny Weasley and Luna Lovegood ... will be in charge! No arguments!'

'What do you want us to do?' Kingsley said.

'Someone should get to the three highest Towers,' Harry said, 'They'll have a good overview, to work spells from ... maybe a ground team to organise defence of the entrances ... and the secret passageways -'

'Sounds like a job for us,' Fred said, indicating to himself and George.

'Oh,' Harry said, pulling out of her bag, another bag, which was full off Potion bottles. 'You'll be needing this, _Cretura Potio Sommum,_ works on Giants!' Kingsley, rolled his eyes and took it from her, and started handing them out.

Professor McGonagall raised her wand and cried, ' _Piertotum locomotor!'_ The statues and suits of armour jumped from their plinths and from the echoing crashes from the floors above, Harry knew that their fellows throughout the castle had done the same. 'Hogwarts is threatened!' she shouted. 'Man the boundaries, protest us, do your duty to our school!'

'Cool!' Harry said, as the clattering horde of moving statues stampeded from the Hall. And a bewildered looking Percy Weasley stepped into the Hall.

'Am I too late? I only just found out so -' Percy spluttered into silence. Evidently, he had not expected to run into his family. There was an awkward silence in which Percy and the other Weasleys looked at each other.

'I was a fool!' Percy said suddenly, 'I was an idiot, I was a pompous prat, I was a - a -'

'Ministry-loving, family-disowning,' George supplied.

'Power hungry moron,' Fred finished.

Percy swallowed. 'Yes, I was.'

'Well, you can't say fairer than that,' Fred said, holding out his hand to Percy.

Mrs Weasley burst into tears, she ran forwards, and pulled Percy into a strangling hug, while he returned it, he eyed his father. 'I'm sorry dad.' Mr Weasley blinked rather rapidly, then he too hurried to hug his son.

'What made you see sense, _finally_?' George enquired.

'It's been coming for a while,' Percy replied, 'But I had to find a way out and it's not easy at the Ministry, they're imprisoning traitors all the time. I managed to make contact with Aberforth, and he tipped me off, that Hogwarts was going to make a fight of it, so here am I.'

Harry scar seared with pain again the Great Hall vanished: he was looking through the iron gates, with winged boars on pillars at either side, looking through the dark grounds towards the castle, which was ablaze with lights Nagini lay draped over his shoulders. Harry pulled herself back to someone calling her name.

'Potter?' McGonagall asked.

A different voice echoed throughput the Hall. It was high, cold and clear; there was no telling where it had come from.

'I know that you are preparing to fight.' it said, 'Your efforts are futile, You cannot fight me. I do not want to kill you. I have great respect for the teachers of Hogwarts. I do not want to spill magical blood.'

There was silence in the Hall, the kind of silence that pressed against the eardrums, which seemed too huge to be contained by walls.

'Give me Harianna Potter,' Voldemort said, 'and none shall be harmed. Give me Harianna Potter and I shall leave the school untouched. Give me Harianna Potter and you will be rewarded. You have until midnight.'

The silence swallowed them all again. Every head turned, every eye in place seemed to have found Harry. A figure from the Slytherin students, she recognised as Pansy Parkinson, raised a shaking arm and screamed, 'But she's there! Potter's there! Someone grab her!'

Before Harry could speak or move herself there was massive movement. The DA, the Gryffindors had risen and stood facing the Slytherins, then the Hufflepuffs, turned against them, almost at the same moment, the Ravenclaws and Daphne, Blaise and Astoria, had moved so abruptly away from her, facing Parkinson with their wands drawn.

'Thank you, Miss Parkinson,' Professor McGonagall said. 'You will leave the Hall first with Mr Filch. If the rest of your house will follow.'

Only Daphne, Blaise and Draco remained as their fellow house members trooped out of the Hall. Slowly the four houses emptied. A number of Ravenclaw students remained, even more, Hufflepuffs stayed and half the Gryffindor house.

Kingsley checked his watch, 'We've got half hour until midnight people, so we need to act fast - we need to divide up the troops -'

'Get to it, Potter!' Professor McGonagall waved her off.

'Right - Ravenclaw common room ... I need clues,' Harry addressed Luna, who smiled dreamily at her.

Harry, looked around but Hermione and Ron had disappeared from the Hall, she sped from the Hall with Draco and Luna in tow.

'What are you looking for?' Luna said as she led the way up the stairs.

'Something that belonged to Ravenclaw ... small ... easily concealed ... have her eagle on it .. ever heard of an object?'

'There's her lost diadem,' Luna said, stopping on the stairs.

'Her what?'

'Lost diadem ... centuries ago they say, vanished with Ravenclaw herself. No one in living memory seen it.' Luna said.

'Great - just great!' Harry shouted as she began to run up the steps.

'Harry, you're going the wrong way,' Luna shouted.

'I am?' Harry spun around.

'Don't you get it ... no one in living memory,' Luna said, 'you need to speak with someone that's dead.'

...

When Luna led her to an isolated part of the castle, Harry did not stop to ask her the method behind her madness, for she had long ago learned to accepted it. She did not expect to be walking towards the grey lady, however, on her own. Luna had thought that it was best.

'Helena Ravenclaw?' Harry called softly as she neared the ghost. 'The ghost of Ravenclaw Tower? Rowena Ravenclaw's daughter?'

'Are you a friend of Luna's?' she turned, facing her.

'Yes,' Harry said, 'and she thought that you might be able to help me.'

'You seek my mother's diadem,' it was not a question,

'Yes!' Harry answered honestly. 'That's right.'

'Luna is kind, unlike so many of the others, but she was wrong! I can't help you!' she replied, and the ghost moved away from her.

'WAIT! Please!' Harry said, chasing after her, the ghost stopped. 'I want to destroy it!' she added softly, 'That's what you want too, isn't it, Helena? You want it destroyed?'

'Another swore to destroy it many years ago ... a strange boy ... with a strange name ...'

'Tom Riddle!'

'But he lied.'

'He's lied too many people!'

'I KNOW WHAT HE'S DONE! I KNOW WHO HE IS! HE DEFILED IT WITH DARK MAGIC!'

'I can destroy it, once and for all, only if you tell me where he hid it.' Harry said, 'You do know where he hid it? Don't you Helena? You just have to tell me ... please.'

'Strange ... you remind me of him a bit ... it's here, in the castle! In the place where everything is hidden! If you have to ask, you'll never know, if you know you need only ask.'

'Thank you,' Harry said, as the ghost disappeared, and she sped off to towards Luna and Draco. 'Luna you're amazing ... I'm going to take Draco now, if you see Ron and Hermione - tell them - tell I'll see them in a bit.'

'Harry where are we going?' Draco said as she led them back up the steps.

'I'd figured, you'd want a bit of payback ... so you're going to help me destroy something,' Harry replied.

She did not why she had not thought of it to begin with ... the night Riddle had asked for the job, he must have hidden the diadem on his way up to or down from Dumbledore's office; which was on the seventh floor. Lost in speculation, Harry turned a corner, only to be taken down by something large and furry.

'Hagrid!' Harry said, clambering to her feet. 'What the -?'

'Harry, you here! You're here!'

Hagrid stooped down, and bestowed upon Harry a rib-cracking hug, from over his shoulder, Harry saw a shattered window.

'Good boy, Grawpy!' Hagrid bellowed through the hole in the window. 'I'll see you in a moment, there's a good lad!'

Beyond the window in the dark night, Harry saw burst of light in the distance and heard a weird, keening scream. She looked down at her watch: it was midnight. The battle had begun.

'Blimey, Harry,' Hagrid panted, 'this is it. Time to fight?'

'Where did you came from, Hagrid?'

'Heard You Know Who from our cave,' Hagrid said. 'Voice carried, didn't it? "You got 'til midnight to give me Potter" Knew you must be here, knew what must be happening. So we come to join in.'

'Right will confer with one of the Professors, Draco and I have a job to do.' Harry said, 'We were just on our way there now.'

'Right you are, right you are,' he said, striding off down the flight of stairs.

They ran the rest of the way to the seventh floor.

'Potter!'

Aberforth Dumbledore stood blocking the entrance. 'I've got hundreds of kids thundering around my pub.'

'I know we're evacuating,' Harry said, 'Voldemort's -'

'-attacking because they haven't handed you over,' Aberforth said, 'I'm not deaf, the whole village heard him. And it never occurred to any of you to keep a few Slytherins hostage?'

'Who do you take me for?' Harry said, 'Voldemort?'

Harry rolled her eyes and entered The Room of requirement, Draco following behind her. It was empty expect for three women: Ginny, Tonks and an elderly witch wearing a moth-eaten hat; Neville's grandmother.

'Ah, Lady Potter,' she said, as if she'd been waiting for her, 'You can tell us what's going on.'

'Is everyone OK?' Ginny and Tonks asked together.

'As far as we know,' Harry said. 'Are there still people in the passage to the Hog's Head?'

'I was the last to come through,' Mrs Longbottom said. 'I sealed it, I think it unwise to leave it open now Aberforth has left his pub. Have you seen my grandson?'

'He's fighting,' Harry said.

'Naturally,' she said proudly, 'Excuse me, I must go assist him.'

Harry turned to Tonks, 'You should be with my godson.'

'I couldn't stand not knowing -' Tonks said. 'He's at my mother's, she'll look after him - Remus?'

'Grounds I think.' Without another word, Tonks sped off. 'Ginny, I need you to find Luna, then come back and guard this entrance - just in case.'

Harry and Draco stepped back outside, in the distance, it was clear fighting was going on.

'So, going to tell me, what we're up to?'

'We need the place where everything is hidden,' Harry said, addressing not only Draco but the Room itself. And the door materialised, the sounds of the battle died as they closed the door behind them. They were in a place where towering walls built of objects hidden by thousands of long-gone students.

'So, we're looking for a diadem,' Draco said looking around at the mess, 'and just exactly how are we meant to find it, in all this? Ask the Room for it?' he turned around, shouting in a laugh-like state, 'Please, please Room, give us a way to see where the diadem is.' he turned back to Harry, 'It's impossible Potter!'

But Harry was not really listening, she was looking, looking at something which was covered, only its clawed feet poked out from the beneath the sheet, Harry laughed. She couldn't believe it, she tore off the sheet and before her was the Mirror or Erised. 'Nothing is impossible ... not when you know where to look.'

Draco frowned at the mirror, 'Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyton wohsi.'

'I show not your face, but your heart's desire,' Harry said, staring at it, willing it to show her what she needed to know, her desire being wanting to destroy Voldemort. 'It's here ... look for a stone bust of an old man wearing a wig and tiara! It's standing on a cupboard ...'

They set off up adjacent aisles, deeper into the labyrinth she went, she recognised no other objects, she wondered why Dumbledore didn't think of this room, or if he had, had he not managed to find the Horcrux, but the mirror? There were so many unanswered questions, questions she'd probably never have the answer too. She stopped running, as right in front of her was a blistered old cupboard, and on top of it, the pock-marked stone warlock wearing a dusty, old wig, and what looked like an ancient, discoloured tiara. She had already stretched out her hand, when she heard a voice behind her, 'Hold it, Potter.'

Harry turned around, Crabbe and Goyle were standing behind her, shoulder to shoulder, wand pointing right at her. She almost cursed, of course, the Room would hide their presence, it was the Room of hidden things after all. She could not hear Draco anywhere. 'So how come you two aren't with Voldemort?' Harry asked.

'We're gonna be rewarded,' Crabbe said, 'We 'ung back, Potter. We decided not to go. Decided to bring you to 'im.'

'You know I could take both of you out, with my hands tied behind by back, right?' Harry laughed, 'So how did you get in?'

'We were in the corridor outside,' grunted Goyle. 'We can do Diss-lusion Charms now! And then you and Draco turned up in front of us and said you wanted the place where everything is hidden.'

'Harry?' Draco's voice echoed suddenly from the other side of the wall to her right. 'Are you talking to someone?'

Crabbe pointed his wand at the fifty-foot mountain of old furniture and shouted, _'Descendo!'_ The wall began to totter, then crumbled into the aisle next door, Harry heard innumerable objects crashing to the floor: she pointed her wand at the rampart, non-verbally finishing the spell, and it steadied.

'Harry?' Draco shouted, again from the other side of the junk. 'What's going on?'

'Harry?' Crabbe mimicked. 'What's going - no Potter! Crucio!'

Harry lunged for the tiara; Crabbe's curse missed her but hit the stone bust, which flew into the air, the diadem soared upwards and then dropped out of sight. A jet of scarlet light shot past Harry: Draco had run around the corner behind her and sent a Stunning Spell straight at Crabbe's head. It only missed because Goyle pulled him out of the way.

'Blood Traitor! _Avada Kedavra!'_

Draco dived aside, Harry was furious, that Crabbe had aimed to kill, she wiped all else from her mind. She shot a Stunning Spell at Crabbe, who lurched out of the way. Crabbe and Goyle were both now aiming for her, Harry Disarmed Goyle, who foolishly tried to retrieve it, Draco spun around the corner again and shot a full Body-Bind at Crabbe.

'It's here somewhere!' Harry yelled, pointing at the pile of junk into which the tiara had fallen.

A roaring billowing noise gave her a moment's notice, Crabbe was back on his feet, and he seemed to have no control over what he'd done. Flames of abnormal size were pursuing them, licking up the sides of junk bulwarks which were crumbling to soot at their touch.

 _'Aguamenti!'_ Draco bellowed, but the jet of water that soared from the tip of his wand evaporated in the air.

'RUN!'

Harry pushed past the stunned looking Goyle: Crabbe outstripped all of them, now looking terrified; Harry, Draco and Goyle pelted along in his wake, and the fire pursed them. This was not normal fire: as they turned a corner the flames chased them as though they were alive, sentient, intent upon killing them. The fire was mutating, forming a gigantic fiery beast. Crabbe and Goyle had vanished from view: Draco and Harry had stopped dead, the flames were circling closer and closer, and the heat was a solid as a wall around them.

'What do we do?' Draco bellowed over the flames.

'Here!'

Harry seized a pair of heavy-looking broomsticks from the nearest pile and threw one to Draco. Harry swung her leg over the second broom, and with hard kicks to the ground, they soared up into the air, missing the flames by inches. The smoke and heat were becoming overwhelming: below them the cursed fire was consuming the contraband of generations of hunted students. Harry could not see a trace of Crabbe or Goyle anywhere: she swooped as low as she could, but there was nothing but fire.

'Harry, let's get out!' Draco bellowed though it was impossible to see where the door was through the black smoke.

And then Harry heard a thin, piteous human scream from amidst the commotion, the thunder of devouring flame.

'It's too dangerous!' Draco yelled, but Harry wheeled in the air. She raked the firestorm below, seeking a sign of life ... and she saw them, perched on a fragile tower of charred desks, Harry dived. Goyle had seen her coming, and raised one arm, Harry gasped it, Goyle half jumped, half pulled himself onto the broom.

'Crabbe!' he shouted. Harry turned her head, Draco had followed her, but Crabbe had missed, falling into the flames below. There was nothing they could do, Harry speed up through the billowing black smoke, all around them the last few objects unburned by the flames were flung into the air: cups and shield, a sparkling necklace and an old discoloured tiara - Goyle screamed, Harry made a hairpin swerve and dived. The diadem seemed to fall in slow motion, turning and glittering as it dropped towards the flames, and then she caught it - Harry swerved again as the flames lunged at her, she soared upwards and straight towards the place where, she hoped, the door stood open. Draco had vanished, Goyle was screaming and holding onto Harry so tightly it hurt. Then through the smoke, Harry saw a rectangular patch on the wall and steered the broom towards it, and moments later clean air filled her lungs and they collided with the wall in the corridor beyond.


	123. Chapter 123

**_A.N. I'm sorry chapter much like the original - there was only so much I could change.._**

...

Goyle fell off the broom and lay face down, gasping, coughing and retching. Harry rolled over and sat up: the door to the Room of Requirement had vanished, and Draco sat panting on the floor. There was silence, apart from panting and coughing. Then a huge number of bangs shook the castle, the battle was still going on around held up the diadem, it was blackened with soot, A blood-like substance, seemed to be leaking from it. Suddenly she felt the thing vibrate violently, then break apart in her hands.

'Anna?' a voice called out.

Harry turned her head, Ron and Hermione were running along the corridor.

'And where the hell have the two of you been?'

'Chamber of Secrets,' Ron said, looking at the ghostly white-faced Goyle and Draco who was clutching at his sides.

'Chamber - _what?'_ Harry said stunned.

'It was Ron's idea!' Hermione said breathlessly. 'Wasn't it absolutely brilliant? There we were, wondering what to do, and I said to Ron, even if we find the other one, how are we going to get rid of it? We still hadn't got rid of the cup! And then he thought of it! The Basilisk!'

'Something to get rid of the - you know,' Ron said pointedly.

Harry's eyes dropped to the objects clutched in Ron and Hermione's arms: great curved fangs, torn she now realised, from the skull of a dead Basilisk.

'How did you get in?' Harry said, 'You need to speak Parseltongue!'

'He did!' Hermione whispered. 'Go on, show her, Ron!'

Ron made a strange, strangled hissing noise. 'It's what you did to open the locket. I had a few goes to get it right but,' he shrugged, 'we got there in the end.'

'He was amazing!' Hermione said. 'Amazing!'

'Hermione stabbed this time. Thought she should. She hasn't had the pleasure yet.' Ron said. 'So, what's up with you? Care to explain this?'

'This?' Harry gestured to the fallen brooms, Goyle and Draco, 'Is what happens when Crabbe sets the Room of Requirement on fire by using Fiendfyre - that,' she pointed to the broken remains of the diadem, 'was another one.'

'Sorry? Fiendfyre?'

'Cursed fire,' Hermione explained, 'It's another substance that can destroy - but I would never, ever dared use it, it's so dangerous. How did Crabbe know how to -?'

'Carrows,' Draco panted.

'That means,' Hermione whispered, 'there's just one left -'

But she broke off as yells and shouts and the unmistakable noises of duelling filled the corridor. Harry looked around and her seemed to fail: Death Eaters had penetrated Hogwarts. Fred and Percy had just backed into view, both of them duelling masked hooded men. Harry, Ron, Hermione and Draco ran forwards to help: jets of light flew in every direction and the man duelling Percy backed off, fast: then his hood slipped and they all saw a high forehead and streaked hair -

'Hello, Minister!' Percy bellowed, sending a jinx straight at Thicknesse, who dropped his wand and clawed sat the front of his robes, 'Did I mention I'm resigning?'

'You're joking Perce!' Fred shouted, as the Death Eater he was battling collapsed under the weight of three separate Stunning Spells. Thicknesse had fallen to the ground with tiny spikes erupting all over him. Fred looked at Percy with glee.

'You actually are joking Perce ... I don't think I've heard you joke since you were -'

The air exploded. They had been grouped together, with one Death Eater Stunned, the other Transfigured, in that moment, when the danger seemed temporarily, at bay, the world wrent apart. The corridor had subjected to a terrible attack, the cold air told her that the side of the castle had been blown away ... several things happened at once; 'No!' Harry screamed as she was thrown backwards ... for what seemed like an age, as the wall crumbled on top of them - but then, falling stone froze, mid-air - Harry hit solid wall, and darting to escape the wreckage three red-hair men ran past the frozen stones, barely making it before it began to fall once more, and Harry lost consciousness ...

Harry groaned, rubbing at her head - it hurt like hell.

'Hey, welcome back,' a voice said, lips kissing her own.

Harry's eyes opened, George's face came into view. 'What happened?' she asked, as she moved to take in her surroundings, she was now in the Great Hall.

'We using the Great Hall as a station - treat those gravely injured -' George said looking around, Harry too took in the sight of the bodies, many injured - she scrambled to her feet as her eyes set on the sight of Remus's body lying on the floor. Tonks in distress sitting besides him. Harry sank to her knees besides her, not believing it. George took her hand.

'We need to find out where he is,' Ron muttered, 'we've only got one left.'

It was so easy ... to easy to slip into Voldemort's mind. 'He's at the Shrieking Shack ... and its with him .. he wants Snape.' Harry said, '... the wand isn't working - he's going to kill him!' she got to her feet, looking towards Hermione and Ron, 'You coming or what?' she asked, 'We can't let him kill him, Snape needs to pay for what he's done!'

The pelted it out of the Great Hall, across the grounds, then zoomed directly at the trunk through the Willow's swaying branches. ' _Immobilious!'_ The tree froze, Harry wriggled into the earthy passage hidden in the tree roots. It was a much tighter squeeze than it had been the last time they entered it. The tunnel was low-ceilinged, Harry went first, her wand illuminated, expecting at any moment to meet barriers, but none came. They moved in silence, when the tunnel began to slope upwards and Harry saw a sliver of light ahead, Harry pulled out her Invisibility Cloak from her bag, and extinguished her wandlight, and continued on her hands and knees, as silently as possible, all her senses straining, expecting every second to be discovered, to hear a cold clear voice, see a flash of green light.

And then she heard voices coming from the room directly ahead them, only slightly muffled by the fact that the opening at the end of the tunnel had been blocked by what looked like an old crate. Harry edged up the opening to allowed Hermione and Ron into the small space, both slipped under the Cloak, as Snape spoke.

'... my Lord, their resistance is crumbling -'

'and it has done so without your help,' said Voldemort. 'Skilled wizard as you are Severus, I do not think you will make much difference now. We are almost there ..'

'Let me find the girl. Let me bring you, Potter. I know I can find her.'

Harry spotted the snake, but they could not attack her without giving away their positions.

'I have a problem, Severus,' Voldemort said.

'My Lord?'

Voldemort raised the Elder Wand, holding it delicately. 'Why doesn't it work for me, Severus?'

In the silence, Harry could hear the snake hissing.

'My - my Lord?' Snape said blankly. 'I do not understand. You - you have performed extraordinary magic with that wand.'

'No, I have performed my usual magic, I am extraordinary, but this wand ... no. It has not revealed the wonders it has promised. I feel no difference between this wand and the one I brought from Ollivander all those years ago,' Voldemort said, 'No difference at all.'

Snape did not speak. Harry could not see his face: she wondered whether Snape sensed the danger and was trying to find the right words.

'I have thought long and hard, Severus ... do you know why I have sought you out .. called you back from battle?'

'No, my Lord, but I beg you will let me return. Let me find Potter.'

'You do not understand Potter as I do. She does not need finding. Potter will come to me. I know her weakness, you see, her great flaw. She will hate watching the other struck down around her, knowing that it is for her that it happens. She will want to stop it at any cost. She will come.'

'But my Lord, she might be killed accidentally by another -'

'My instructions to my Death Eaters have been perfectly clear. Capture Potter. Kill her friends - the more, the better - but do not kill her. But is it you I wished to speak, Severus not Harianna Potter. You have been very valuable to me.'

'My Lord knows I seek only to serve him.'

'My concern, Severus at the moment, is what will happen when I finally meet the girl!'

'My Lord, there can be no question, surely-?'

'-but there is a question, Severus. There is,' Voldemort approached Snape, sliding the wand through his fingers, staring at Snape, 'Why did both wands I have used fail when directed at Harianna Potter?'

'I - cannot answer that, my Lord.'

'Can't you?' Voldemort said. 'My yew wand did everything of which I asked it, expect kill Harianna Potter. Twice it failed. Ollivander told me of the twin cores, told me to take another's wand. I did so, but Lucius's wand shattered upon meeting Potters. I sought a third wand. The Elder Wand. I took it from its previous master. I took it from the grave of Albus Dumbledore.'

And now Snape looked at Voldemort, and Snape's face was like a death mask. It was marbled white and so still.

'All this night, when I am on the brink of victory, I have sat here, wondering,' Voldemort said, 'wondering, why the Elder Wand refuses to be what it ought to be, refuses to perform as legend says it must perform for its rightful owner, and I think I have the answer.'

Snape did not speak.

'Perhaps you already know it? You are a clever man, after all. You have been a good faithful servant, and I regret what must happen.'

'My Lord -'

'The Elder Wand cannot serve me properly, because I am not its true master. The Elder Wand belongs to the wizard who killed its last owner. You killed Albus Dumbledore. While you live, the Elder Wand cannot be truly mine.'

'My Lord!' Snape protested.

'It cannot be any other way,' Voldemort said. 'I must master the wand, Severus. Master the wand, and I must master Potter at last.' and then he spoke in Parseltongue. _'Kill.'_

There was a scream. Harry saw Snape losing the little colour it had left, it whitened as his black eyes widened, as the snake's fangs pierced his neck, his knees gave way, and he fell to the floor. Voldemort turned away; there was no sadness in him, no remorse. Voldemort swept from the room without a backwards glance, taking the snake with him.

Harry was now looking through the tiny crack between crate and wall, she had slipped into Voldemort's mind again. It lifted into the air and drifted sideways, she pulled the Cloak off her and as silently as she could she pulled herself up into the room. She did not why she was doing it, why she was approaching the dying man: she did not know what she felt as she saw Snape's white face, and fingers trying to staunch the bloody wound at his neck, and looked down at the man she had once admired for teaching her how to control her powers, whose widening black eyes found Harry as he tried to speak. Harry bent over him, Snape seized her hand.

'Take ... it ... Take ... it …'

Something more than blood was leaking from Snape. Silvery blue, it gushed from his eyes, and Harry knew what it was - she Summoned an empty flask from her bag and filled it with the silvery substance. When the flask was full, Snape looked as though there was no blood left in him, his grip on Harry slackened.

'Look ... at ... me ...' he whispered. Green eyes found black, 'You have more than your mother's eyes ...' The hand holding Harry's thudded to the floor, and Snape moved no more.

...

They made their way back to the Great Hall, bringing Snape's body with them. Though they received odd looks, no one questioned them. Harry stared down at the man's body, and pulled out the flask she had stuffed into her robes, looking at the silvery substance, Snape's last words whirling through her mind ... you have more than your mother's eyes ... it didn't make any sense, none at all.

Voldemort's voice reverberated from the walls and floor, 'You have fought,' said the cold voice, 'valiantly. Lord Voldemort knows how to value bravery. Yet you have sustained heavy losses. If you continue to resist me, you will die, one by one. I do no wish this to happen. Every drop of magical blood spilled is a loss and a waste. Lord Voldemort is merciful. I command my forces to retreat, you have one hour. Dispose of your dead, treat your injured. I speak now, Harianna Potter, directly to you. You have permitted your friends to die for you rather than face me yourself. I shall wait for one hour in the Forbidden Forest. If at the end of the hour, you have not come to me, have not given yourself up, then battle recommences. This time, I shall enter myself, and I shall find you, and I shall punish every last man, woman and child who has tried to conceal you. One hour.'

'I'll be back,' Harry said quietly to Ron and Hermione.

'Where are you going?' Ron said, 'You're not going -'

'No - I'm going to view these memories.' Harry said, 'He gave me them for a reason.'

'We'll come with you.' Hermione offered.

Harry shook her head, 'I've ... I've got to do this one alone ... it's just a feeling I have - help out the others here - I'll be back.'

The castle was completely empty; even the ghosts had joined the mass mourning in the Great Hall, Harry speed from it and did not slow down until she reached the stone gargoyle guarding the Headmaster's office.

'Password?'

'Dumbledore!' Harry said, because it was whom she wanted to see more than anyone, and to her surprise the gargoyle slid aside, revealing the spiral staircase. Nothing had changed in the circular office, the portraits hung on the walls, though empty. Harry glanced at Dumbledore's frame, and turned her back to it. The Pensieve lay in the cabinet where it had always been: Harry placed it on to the desk and poured Snape's memories into the basin, the memories swirled and without hesitation, Harry dived.

She fell with her feet on warm ground, and the sun shining brightly. She was in a nearly deserted playground. A single huge chimney dominated the distant skyline. Two girls were swinging backwards and forwards, and a skinny boy watching them from some bushes. His black hair was overlong and his clothes were mismatched. Harry moved closer, Snape looked no more than nine or ten years old. And he was watching the younger of the two girls swinging higher and higher than her sister.

'Lily, don't do it!'

Harry spun around, the girl had let go of the swing at the very height of its arc and flown into the air, and instead of crumpling on the playground, she soared through the air for far too long, landing far too lightly.

'Mummy told you not to!' Petunia stopped her swinging. 'Mummy said you weren't allowed, Lily!'

'But I'm fine,' Lily said giggling, she picked up a flower, 'Look at what I can do.' And the flower sat there, in the palm of her hand, opening and closing its petals.

'Stop it! It's not right,' Petunia said, her eyes followed the flower's flight to the ground, 'How do you do it?'

'Isn't it obvious?' Snape said, no longer able to contain himself, jumping out from behind the bushes. 'You're a witch.'

'That's not a very nice thing to say to somebody!' Lily turned and marched off.

'No! Wait!' Snape said. 'You are,' he said to Lily, 'You are a witch. I've been watching for a while. But there's nothing wrong with that. My mum's one, I'm a wizard.'

The scene dissolved and reformed around her. She was now in a small thicket of trees. Two children sat facing each other.

'Hogwarts is real, isn't it?' Lily said, 'Tuney says you're making it up. Says it's all a joke.'

'It's real for us,' Snape said. 'Not for her. But we'll get the letter, you and me.'

'Really?'

'Definitely,' Snape smiled.

'How are things at your house?' Lily asked.

'Fine,' Snape said.

'They're not arguing anymore?'

'Oh yes, they're arguing,' Snape said. 'But it won't be that long and I'll be gone.'

'Doesn't your dad like magic?'

'He doesn't like anything much,' Snape said.

Lily sighed, 'Well, I like you ... and we'll have so much fun at Hogwarts ... I want to learn everything - does it make a difference being Muggle-born?'

Snape hesitated, 'No. It doesn't make any difference.'

'Good,' Lily said relaxing.

The scene changed, they were now sitting on the grassy slope that led down towards Hagrid's hut, which could be seen in the distance. A year or so had passed, they were both wearing their Hogwarts uniform of their respective houses.

Snape snorted loudly.

'Don't laugh,' Lily said, embarrassed.

'Harianne, you want to name your daughter Harianne?'

'Ha-re-an-ah, actually,' Lily reprimanded him, and added thoughtfully, 'I think I'll call her Anna for short.'

'Lily - you are so odd!'

'Look who is talking ...' Lily retorted, 'promises of witchcraft and spells ... do know how odd you sounded.'

'OK, OK,' Snape laughed, 'So - why, Harianna.'

'I did - I did a bit of reading, in that book my mother gave me - the one that's been in my family for years -' Lily said, 'And well there is a power behind a name, well behind the meaning of a name.'

'I'm listening.'

'Well, Harry means "army", "warrior", "to rule", 'lead". Anna means "god has shown favour". But it's also short for Anastasia which means "resurrection".' Lily said, 'I just liked the idea of what it represented - to lead and resurrect - Harianna, it's ... different -' she shrugged, 'I'll most likely change my mind. Who knows - eh?'

Snape had a thoughtful look on his face, though he did not say anything. And the scene changed ...

Lily and Snape were walking across the castle courtyard, evidently arguing. As Harry reached them she realised how much taller they both were, how much older they both were.

'...thought we were supposed to be friends?' Snape was saying. 'Best friends?'

'We are Sev, but I don't like some of the people you're hanging around with! I'm sorry, but I detest Avery and Mulciber! Mulciber! What do you see in him, Sev? He's creepy! Do you know what he tried to do to Mary McDonald the other day?'

'That was nothing,' Snape said, 'It was a laugh -'

'It was Dark Magic, and if you think that's funny -'

'What about the stuff Potter and his mates get up to?' Snape demanded.

'What's Potter got to do with anything?'

'They sneak out at night. There's something weird about Lupin. Where does he keep going?'

'He's ill,' Lily said.

'Every month at the full moon?'

'I know your theory,' Lily said, and she sounded cold. 'Why are you so obsessed with them anyway? Why do you care what they're doing?'

'I'm just trying to show you they're not as wonderful as everyone seems to think they are.'

'They don't use Dark Magic, though,' she dropped her voice. 'And you're being really ungrateful. I heard what happened the other night. You went sneaking down that tunnel by the Whomping Willow and James Potter saved you from whatever's down there -'

'Saved? Saved? You think he was playing hero? He was saving his neck and his friends' too! You're not going to - I won't let you-'

'Let me? Let me?'

'I didn't mean - I just don't want to see you made a fool of - he fancies you, James Potter fancies you!' The words seemed wrenched from him against his will. 'And he's not ... Everyone thinks ... Big Quidditch hero -'

'I know James Potter's an arrogant toerag,' Lily said, cutting across Snape. 'I don't need you to tell me that. But Mulciber and Avery's idea of humour is just evil. I don't understand how you can be friends with them.'

And the scene dissolved, and Harry watched again as Snape left the Great Hall, after sitting his OWL in Defence Against the Dark Arts. Harry kept her distance this time, she did not want to see this memory again. She waited patiently for the memory to change.

'I'm sorry.'

'I'm not interested.'

'I'm sorry!'

'Save your breath.'

It was night time. Lily, was wearing a dressing gown, stood with her arms folded in front of the portrait of the Fat Lady, at the entrance to Gryffindor Tower.

'I only came out because Mary told me you were threatening to sleep here.'

'I was. I would have done. I never meant to call you - it just -'

'Slipped out?' there was no pity in Lily's voice. 'Let me remind you, who helped you with your Empathy - who was it that stood by you when you couldn't control it when it began it eat at you! And you chose to call that person a Mudblood!'

'I didn't mean to - I know, I know you can't possibly be - your book, your powers-'

'But I have no other proof, do I?' Lily said, and she looked at him in disgust, 'I don't see what's wrong with being a Mudblood, anyways - you said that it didn't matter once. But it did, didn't it? It too late now, Severus, none of my friends can understand why I even talk to you. You can just run along with your precious little Death Eater friends - see you don't even deny it! You don't even deny that's what you're aiming to be! You can't wait to join You Know Who, can you?'

He opened his mouth but closed it without speaking.

'I can't pretend anymore. You've chosen your way, I've chosen mine. I don't want to speak to you - I'm done! I'm done!'

He struggled with speech, but with a contemptuous look she turned and climbed through the portrait hole ...

The corridor dissolved, and the scene took a little longer to reform: Harry seemed to fly through shapes and colours until her surroundings until her surrounding solidified again and she stood on a hill top, forlorn and cold in the darkness. The adult Snape was panting, turning on the spot, his wand gripped tightly, waiting for something or someone ...she looked over her shoulder, wondering what it was that Snape was waiting for - then a blinding white light flew through the air, Snape had dropped to his knees and his wand had flown out of his hand.

'Don't kill me!'

'That was not my intention.'

Albus Dumbledore stood before Snape with his robes whipping around him. 'Well, Severus? What message does Lord Voldemort have for me?'

'No message - I'm here on my own account!' Snape said. 'I - I come with a warning - no a request - please -'

'What request could a Death Eater make of me?'

'The - the prophecy ... the prediction ... Trelawney ...'

'Ah, yes,' Dumbledore said, 'How much did you relay to Lord Voldemort?'

'Everything I heard!' Snape said. 'That is why - he believes it - it is for that reason I'm here - I know Lily Evans - I have heard and so has he - he knows she is bearing a child - a daughter.' Snape looked terrified, 'He's going to hunt them down and he's going to kill them all-'

'If she means that much to you,' Dumbledore said, 'surely Lord Voldemort will spare her? Could you not ask for mercy for the mother, in exchange for the daughter?'

'Don't you think I've tried-'

'You disgust me,' Harry had never heard such contempt in Dumbledore's voice before, 'you do not care about the deaths of her husband and child? They can die, as long as you have what you want?'

'Hide them all, then,' Snape croaked. 'Keep her - them - safe. Please.'

'And what will you give me in return, Severus?'

'In - in return?' Snape gaped at Dumbledore, Harry expected him to protest, but after a long moment he said, 'Anything.'

The hilltop faded, and Harry stood in Dumbledore's office, and something was making a terrible sound, like a wounded animal. Snape was slumped forwards in a chair, Dumbledore was standing over him, looking grim.

'I thought ... you were going ... going to keep her safe ...'

'They put their faith in the wrong person,' Dumbledore said, 'Rather like you. Weren't you hoping that Lord Voldemort would spare her?'

Snape's breathing was shallow.

'Her girl survives,' Dumbledore said. 'Her daughter lives. She has her eyes, precisely her eyes. You remember the shape and colour of Lily Evan's eyes, I am sure?'

'Don't!' Snape bellowed, 'Gone ... dead ...'

'Is this remorse, Severus?'

'I wish ... I wish I was dead ...'

'And what use would that be to anyone?' Dumbledore said. 'If you loved Lily Evans, if you truly loved her, then your way forward is clear.'

'What do you mean?'

'You know how and why she died. Make sure it was not in vein. Help me protect Lily's daughter.'

'She does not need protection. The Dark Lord has gone -'

'- and he will return, and Harianna Potter will be in terrible danger when he does.'

'He'll know ...' Snape said, 'that I was a spy.'

'When the time comes ... we will think of something -' Dumbledore said.

'Very well,' Snape said, 'I'll do it, for Lily, for Anna.'

The office dissolved but reformed instantly. Snape was pacing up and down in front of Dumbledore.

'- rule breaking - she broke rules, with her damn curiosity!'

Dumbledore chuckled, 'Yes, but you know as well as I, just where she got her curiosity and bravery from. It is not a sin, Severus.'

'No, it's not,' Snape said, 'but if she's not careful, she's going to get herself killed.'

A whirl of colour, and now everything darkened, and Snape and Dumbledore stood apart in the Entrance Hall, while the last stragglers from the Yule Ball passed them on their way to bed.

'Well?' Dumbledore murmured.

'Karkaroff's Mark is becoming darker too. He is panicking,' Snape said, 'I do not know what he intends to do now, with what I've told him, that our only hope lay with Potter.'

'Did you?'

'Of course, I did,' Snape said indifferently, 'She's growing into her powers - you must sense it, what she is becoming-'

'Yes - I do believe she will have Empathetic magic -' Dumbledore said, 'Do you think your talk went well?'

'I do not think he will run,' Snape said, 'But I cannot be sure.'

The memory changed and Harry stood in the Headmaster's office yet again. It was night time, Dumbledore sagged sideways in the chair behind the desk. His right hand blackened and burned, Snape was muttering incantations, pointing his wand at the wrist of the hand. After a moment or two, Snape looked up at Dumbledore.

'Why, why did you put on that ring? It carries a curse, surely you were aware of that. Why even touch it?'

Marvolo Gaunt's ring lay on the desk before Dumbledore. It was cracked; the sword of Gryffindor lay beside it.

'I was a fool. Sorely tempted ...'

'By what?' Snape said, but Dumbledore did not answer. 'It was a miracle you managed to return here! That ring carried a curse of extraordinary power, I have done all I can, I contained it, trapped the curse in one hand, for the time being-'

Dumbledore raised his blackened hand, 'How long do you think I have?'

'I cannot tell. Maybe a year. There is no halting such a spell forever. It will spread eventually; the curse will strengthen over time.' Snape looked down at the broken ring and sword. 'Did you think that breaking the ring would break the curse?'

'Something like that ... I was delirious no doubt ...' Dumbledore said, 'Well, this makes matters much more straightforward.'

Snape looked perplexed. Dumbledore smiled.

'I refer to the plan Voldemort is revolving around me. His plan to have the poor Malfoy boy murder me.'

'The Dark Lord does not expect Draco to succeed.'

'No, he does not, Draco is too loyal to Harry now,' Dumbledore said, 'then this becomes a test - a test of your true loyalty.'

'Yes,' Snape whispered, 'He wants me to kill you if Draco should fail-'

'Then the plan we drew up together with Lucius has worked out,' Dumbledore said, 'I have your word that when Hogwarts falls into Voldemort's hands, that you will do all in your power to protect the students?'

'Of course - but you cannot expect me to-'

'You must kill me, Severus.'

'Would you like me to do it now?' Snape asked, his voice full of irony, 'It is bad enough I have to let Death Eaters into this school - that broken vanishing cabinet needs fixing, but I do not know how.'

'There is only one person for that job Severus - you'll need to seen; followed even,' Dumbledore said, 'If Voldemort is truly to believe your cover. So yes Severus - I expect you to kill me ... when the time should arrive.'

The office disappeared, and now Snape and Dumbledore were strolling together in a deserted corridor.

'What are you doing with Anna, all these evenings your closeted together?' Snape asked.

Dumbledore looked weary, 'I spend time with Harry because I have things to discuss with her, information I must give her before it is too late.'

'Information,' Snape repeated, 'but her mind - their connection?'

'Voldemort fears that connection, not so long ago he had one, small taste of what truly sharing Harry's mind means to him. It was such pain as he never experienced. He will not try to possess her again,' Dumbledore said.

'I don't understand.'

'Voldemort soul maimed as it is, cannot bear close contact with a soul like Harianna's.'

'Souls? We were talking of minds!'

'In their case, to speak of one is to speak of the other.' Dumbledore said, 'besides you know as well as I, Harry is capable of blocking him out of her thoughts. He will not be able to penetrate her mind like she can his.'

Dumbledore glanced around to make sure they were alone. 'After you killed me, Severus -'

'You refuse to tell me anything, yet you expect that small service of me!' Snape snarled, 'You take a great deal for granted! Perhaps I have changed my mind!'

'You gave your word, Severus,' Dumbledore retorted, Snape looked angry. Dumbledore sighed. 'Come to my office tonight, at eleven and I shall tell you everything ...'

They were back in Dumbledore office, the windows dark, Snape sat still, as Dumbledore walked around him, talking.

'Harianna must not know, not until the last moment, not until it is necessary, otherwise, how could she have the strength to do what must be done?'

'What must she do?'

'That is between Harry and me. Now listen closely, Severus. There will come a time - after my death - when Voldemort will fear for the life of his snake.'

'Nagini?' Snape looked astonished.

'Precisely. If there comes a time when Voldemort stops sending that snake forth to do his bidding, but keeps it safe with him, under his protection, then, I think, it will be safe to tell Harry.'

'Tell her what?'

Dumbledore took a deep breath, 'Tell her that on the night Voldemort tried to kill her, when Lily cast her life between them as a shield, the Killing Curse rebounded upon Voldemort, and a fragment of his soul was blasted apart from the whole, and latched itself on to the only living soul left in the building. Part of Voldemort soul lives inside Harianna. And while that fragment of soul, unmissed by Voldemort, remains attached to, protected by Harry, Lord Voldemort cannot die.'

'So ... Anna must die?' Snape asked.

'And Voldemort must do it himself. That is essential.'

There was a long silence, then Snape said, 'I thought ... all these years ... that we were protecting Anna for her. For Lily.'

'We have protected her because it has been essential to teach her, raise her, to let her try her strength,' Dumbledore said, 'and if I know her as well as I do, she will have arranged matters, so that when her time comes, it will truly mean the end of Voldemort.'

Snape looked horrified, 'You kept her alive all this time so that she can die at the right moment?'

'So, you have grown to care for her after all?'

'For her?' Snape shouted, 'Expecto Patronum!'

From the tip of his wand burst the silver doe: she landed on the office floor, Dumbledore watched her until the silvery glow faded, he turned back to Snape. 'After all this time?'

'Always,' Snape said.

And the scene shifted. Now Harry saw Snape talking to Dumbledore's portrait.

'You will have to give Voldemort the correct date of Harry's departure from her relatives,' said Dumbledore. 'Not to do so will raise suspicion, when Voldemort believes you to be so well-informed. However, you must plant the idea of decoys - that I think ought to ensure Harianna's safety. Try Confunding Mundungus Fletcher. And Severus if you are forced to take part in the chase, be sure to play your part convincingly ... I am counting upon you to remain in Voldemort's good books as long as possible, or Hogwarts will be left at the mercy of the Carrows..'

Now Snape was head to head with Mundungus in an unfamiliar tavern, Mundungus's face looking curiously blank.

'You will suggest to the Order of the Phoenix,' Snape murmured, 'that they use decoys. Polyjuice Potions. Identical Potters. It is the only thing that might work. You will forget that I have suggested this. You will present it as your own idea. You understand?'

'I understand,' Mundungus murmured, his eyes unfocused ...

Now Harry was flying alongside Snape on a broomstick through a dark night: he was accompanied by other hooded Death Eaters, ahead were Remus and a Harry who was really George ... a Death Eater moved ahead of Snape and raised his wand, pointing it at Remus's back -

 _'Sectumsempra!'_ Snape shouted.

But the spell, intended for the Death Eater's wand hand, missed and hit George instead -

And next Snape was kneeling in Sirius's old bedroom. Tears were dripping from face as he read the old letter from Lily. The second page only carried a few words:

 _could ever have been friends with Gellert Grindelwald._

 _I think her mind's going, personally!_

 _Lots of love,_

 _Lily_

Snape too the page bearing Lily's signature, and her love, tucking it inside his robes. Then he ripped in two the photograph he was holding so that he kept the part from which Lily laughed, throwing the other portion back on to the floor ...

And now Snape stood again in the Headmaster's study as Phineas Nigellus came hurrying into his portrait.

'Headmaster! They are camping in the Forest of Dean! The Mudblood-'

'Do not use that word!'

'-the Granger girl, then, mentioned the place as she opened her bag and I heard her!'

'Good. Very good!' cried Dumbledore's portrait. 'Now, Severus the sword! Do not forget it must be taken under conditions of need and valour - and she must not know that you gave it! If Voldemort were to find out -'

'I know,' Snape said curtly... He approached the portrait of Dumbledore and pulled its side. It swung forwards, revealing a hidden cavity behind it, from which he took the sword of Gryffindor.

'And you're still not going to tell me why it's so important to give Anna the sword?' Snape said as he pulled on a travelling cloak.

'No I don't think so,' Dumbledore replied. 'She will know what to do with it. And Severus be careful, they may not take kindly to your appearance after George Weasley's mishap-'

'You mean Anna will try to hurt me,' Snape corrected, 'Do not fret. I have a plan ...'

And Snape left the room. Harry rose up out of the Pensieve, and moments later she was back in exactly the same room, Snape had left. Harry did not know how to feel, the truth, finally, had been given to her. She was not supposed to survive; her job was to walk into Death's welcoming arms. Dumbledore's betrayal almost meant nothing. Of course, there had been a plan, Dumbledore has passed the job of destroying Voldemort of herself to her, and she had obeyed, she had continued to chip away the bonds trying them both to life!

How neat, how elegant, not to waste any more lives, but to give the dangerous task to the girl who had already been marked for slaughter, and whose death would be another blow against Voldemort. And Dumbledore had known that she would not duck out, that in the end she would keep going, even if it was her end. Because he had taken the trouble to get to know her. Dumbledore knew, as Voldemort knew, that Harry would not let anyone else die for her. She had made her own ties - friendship and love - if dying meant protecting those she loved, she would to it.

Dumbledore had overestimated her. She had failed: the snake survived. One Horcrux remained, to bind Voldemort to earth, even after she had been killed. But that would mean an easier job for somebody. She wondered who would di it ... Ron and Hermione knew what needed to be done. Of course... that would have been why Dumbledore wanted her to confide in two others ... so that if she fulfilled her true destiny a little early, they could carry on...

Her friends seemed a long way away; she felt as though she had parted from them. There would be no goodbyes and no explanations - George was never going to forgive her, she had never told him, had never repeated the words back; for she had been unable to, but she hoped he knew how she felt.

The castle was still empty, the whole place was eerily still, Harry pulled the Invisibility Cloak over herself and descended through the floors, she had been determined not to be deterred from her new task. She reached the front door easily, Neville nearly walked into her. He was carrying a body from the grounds with Oliver Wood. Harry glanced down, it was Colin Creevey, though under-age, must have sneaked back just as Crabbe and Goyle had done.

'You know what? I can manage him alone, Neville,' Oliver said, and he heaved Colin over his shoulder and carried him into the Great Hall. Neville leaned against the door-frame to catch his breath. Then he set off down the steps again to recover more bodies.

Harry glanced at the entrance of the Great Hall. People were moving around, trying to comfort each other, but she could not see any hint of the people she loved. Perhaps it was better like this - she had made her choice, after all. Harry moved down the steps and out into the darkness. It was nearly four in the morning and the deathly stillness of the grounds felt as though they were holding their breath, waiting to see whether she could do what she must.

Harry moved towards Neville who was bending over another body.

'Neville.'

'Blimey Harry, you nearly gave me heart failure!'

Harry had pulled off the Cloak: the idea had come to her out of nowhere. Dumbledore had died knowing three still knew about the Horcruxes; if Neville took her place: there would still be three in the secret.

'Where are you going alone?' Neville asked suspiciously.

'It's all part of the plan,' Harry said, 'Neville listen, I need some backup - I need some help.'

'Anything,' Neville said, 'You know I've always got your back.'

'I'm going to be out of sight for a while.' Harry said, 'You know Voldemort's snake, Neville, the huge one he calls Nagini ...'

'Yeah ... I've heard about it?'

'Kill it ... it's got to be killed. Ron and Hermione know, but just in case - in case they're busy - and you get the chance-'

'Kill the snake?'

'Yes,' Harry confirmed.

Neville nodded, 'All right. You're OK, aren't you?'

'I'm fine. Thanks, Neville.'

Harry pulled the Cloak back over herself as Neville returned to look for more bodies. Harry walked on she paused as Hagrid's hut came into view, she turned back looking at the castle, taking in her the sight that had been her first home. It had her think of her adventures here - how had she been so oblivious that George had fancied her for so long - saving Norbert the dragon - finding Sirius; who had tried to give her, her first true home away from her refuge. Her lessons with Snape; " _think of everything and nothing"._ She knew now why he resented her, why he had such mixed emotions about her - Harianna Snape - her mother had been oblivious at the time, like how Harry had been with George. Snape had been testing out her name in his head, picturing his future with the woman he loved. But unlike George, Snape had failed, had destroyed any hopes of being with her mother. It was now Harry's turn, to destroy George's hopes and dreams, from under her robes, Harry pulled out a necklace, from which the promise ring he had given her, hung from. She took it off and put the ring on. It was a little too large for her - but it did not matter - in death, she was promising herself to him, to never stop, never stop loving him.

She moved on, she reached the edge of the Forest, a swarm of Dementors was gliding amongst the trees; she could fill their chill, she had no strength left for a Patronus, and it would give her away - not to Voldemort, but to the loved ones she was leaving behind. Her time was up - she had played the game and it was now finished, the Snitch had been caught ...

The Snitch. She pulled it out from her bag, and stared down at it. This was the close. This was the moment. She pressed the golden metal to her lips and whispered, 'I am about to die.' The metal shell broke open. She lowered her hand and lit her wand beneath the Cloak. The stone sat in the centre of the Snitch, and Harry understood, it did not matter about bringing them back, for she was about to join them. She closed her eyes, and turned the stone over three times, in her hand. She knew it had happened, because she heard slight movements around her that suggested bodies shifting their footing. She opened her eyes and looked around.

They were neither ghost nor truly flesh, she could see that. They resembled most closely the Riddle that had escaped from the diary. James was wearing the clothes in which he had died, his hair untidy and ruffled, his glasses were a little lopsided. Sirius was tall and handsome, and younger by far than Harry had seen him alive. He loped with an easy grace, his hands in his pockets and grin on his face, one Harry returned. Remus was younger too, much less shabby, and his hair was thicker and darker, he looked happy. Lily's smile was widest of all, her green eyes, so like Harry's, searched her daughters face hungrily as though she would never be able to look at her enough.

'You've been so brave.'

'You're nearly there,' James said, 'Very close. We are so proud of you.'

'Does it hurt?' Harry said, the childish question leaving her lips, 'Dying?'

'Not at all,' Sirius said. 'Quicker and easier than falling asleep.'

'And he'll want it to be quick. He wants it over,' Remus said.

'I didn't want you to die,' Harry said, 'Any of you.' she looked towards Sirius, 'I missed you terribly,' than her parents, 'all of you.' she turned to Remus, 'And Remus, I'm sorry - dying after just having your son - '

'I am sorry too,' Remus said. 'Sorry that I will never know him ... but he will know why I died and I hope he will understand. I was trying to make a world in which he could live a happier life.'

'Wait for me,' Harry said.

'We are part of you, Anna,' Sirius said, 'We're not going anywhere.'

'Good,' Harry said quietly.

And she set off, the Dementors chill did not overcome her, Harry walked further and further through the Forest with her companions, they acted like Patronuses to her. Harry clutched at the Cloak tightly around her in the darkness, travelling onwards, with no idea where Voldemort exactly was, but was sure that she would find him. She did not know for how long she walked when she saw a fire burning in the middle of a clearing, watchful Death Eaters crowded around it. Harry extinguished her wandlight, pocketed the stone, and walked forwards a few steps. She pulled off the Invisibility Cloak and stuffed it beneath her robes with her wand. She forced herself to mediate, to think of everything and nothing, so that she would not be tempted to fight.

'I was it seems ... mistaken,' Voldemort said.

'You weren't.'

Harry said it as loudly as she could, she did not want to sound afraid. She stepped towards the crowd of Death Eaters, but no one mattered but Voldemort. Voldemort was frozen where he stood, his red eyes found Harry, and he stared as Harry moved towards him. Then a voice yelled -

'HARRY! NO!'

She turned: Hagrid was bound to a nearby tree. His massive body shook the branches overhead as he struggled, desperate.

'NO! NO! HARRY, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?'

'QUIET!' shouted Rowle, and flick of his wand Hagrid was silenced.

Bellatrix who had leapt to her feet, was looking eagerly from Voldemort to Harry, her chest heaving. Voldemort continued to stare, Harry could feel her wand, could feel feel her magic tingle, but she made no tempt to use them. Voldemort tilted his head a little to the side, considering the girl standing before him, and a singularly mirthless smile curled the lipless mouth.

'Harianna Potter, the girl who lived,' he said softly, 'come to die.'

Harry knew better, though death neared, Voldemort did not understand, but she hadn't forgotten, she had not given up, she had not given in. She was willing surrendering herself, ready to met her end. None of the Death Eaters moved, Hagrid was still struggling, Voldemort raised his wand. Harry thought of her friends; Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Luna, Neville, Draco, and of George, of his speckled eyes; that always spoke volumes, and the feel of his lips upon her own. Harry looked back into the red eyes, and wanted it to happen now, quickly, while she could stand, before she lost her nerve -

 _'Avada Kedavra!'_

There was a flash of green light, and everything was gone.


	124. Chapter 124

**_A.N. Well this is it, the last chapter. I hope you all have enjoyed the story as much as I have done writing it. Thank you all for the kind reviews ... and constructive criticism ... though the flames, I've pretty much ignored ... This chapter is for those of you who have stuck through my craziness, whether from the very start or even if you have just begun to read this. And might I add, before everyone wonders, I have gone back to change the first chapter so it fits in with my ending ... I would just like to thank you all so much, writing this has encouraged me to pick up my own writing; that I have left alone for quite some time. So in the theme of this chapter, it is now time I bring this story to an end, even if my own path has just started out. So for the last time, I'll sign off, how I usually do. Any mistakes are my own. Enjoy Kx_**

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The grassy field, which held the playground had not changed since she last had been here. Harry sat there listening to the silence of her surroundings. She waited ... patiently - she knew he would come, he always had. Then a noise reached her: the small, soft thumpings of something that flapped, flailed and struggled. It was a pitiful noise - she looked around and spotted the thing making the noise. It had the form of a small naked child, curled on the ground, its skin raw and rough, it lay shuddering, on a blanket by the playground.

'You cannot help.'

His voice startled her, even though she had been expecting it.

'Is that what I think it is?' she asked.

'If you are referring to the Horcrux, then yes,' Eugene said, 'that would be it.'

'And if I pass from this place - he'll die?'

Eugene laughed, 'Voldemort is capable of dying, yes.'

His expression left her no openings, she did not know how to read him, though she knew long ago, she might not ever be able to.

'I've been waiting for you, for quite some time, you know,' he said, 'yes quite some time.'

'Me-?' Harry said, not understanding.

'Yes,' Eugene said, 'Come - walk with me.'

Harry, walked towards him, and together, they crossed the Spirit Plane.

'You realise what you've done, don't you?'

'I only did what needed to be done,' Harry said, 'I died ... Voldemort can be killed now.'

'Voldemort can be killed ... but what makes you think, that you are dead?'

'But the killing curse -'

'But you let him kill you - and that made all the difference, think Harianna, because I'm sure you already know the answer.'

'Well I let him kill me, so the part of his soul that was in me ... has gone.'

'Yes, your soul is your whole and completely your own.'

'But then how can I be alive if Voldemort used the Killing Curse and nobody died for me this time?'

Eugene gave a deep chuckle, 'Remember what he took in his haste to make himself stronger.'

'My blood.'

'Precisely! Your blood runs in his reins, your mother's protection inside both of you! He tethered you to life while he lives.' Eugene said, 'You were the seventh Horcrux, the Horcrux he never meant to make. He had rendered his soul so unstable that it broke apart when he committed those acts of unspeakable evil. What escaped from that room was less than he knew. He left more than his body behind. He took your blood believing it would strengthening him. He took into his body a tiny part of the enchantment your mother laid upon you when she died. While that enchantment survives so do you and so does Voldemort's one last hope for himself.'

'A magic in which he knew of, but never understood,' Harry said, 'Can you tell me - was I right, about my wand? About why it broke the borrowed one.'

Eugene laughed again, they had passed the playground, heading towards a river. 'You're the theorist genius - but yes I do believe you were correct.'

'He killed me with the wand you created.' she reminded him.

'He failed to kill you with the wand I created,' Eugene corrected.

'Can you tell me something?'

Eugene rolled his eyes, 'I suppose.'

'How comes - why did your descendants, until my mother, never possessed magical abilities?'

'I used magic of which you are fully aware of,' he answered, upon her blank look he elaborated, 'Do you not remember me telling you, that I too chose to die, chose to surrender myself-'

Harry smiled in spite of herself, shaking her head, 'You wanted to protect your family from being hunted, so you took it?'

'I did not take it, I merely postponed it,' he replied, just like the Slytherin he was, and added with a chortle, 'admittedly by several hundred years.' They had reached the river now, a half finished stone bridge stood part way across it.

'I always liked sunrises,' Eugene said, looking off into the distance, across the bridge, like he could see something she could not, 'There is just something magical about them, don't you think?'

'I've only ever seen a few myself. I was a bit busy worrying to enjoy them.' Harry said. 'So why did you say you've been waiting for me for a long time - I mean, I've been here before.'

'Ah ... yes, but before ... you were not whole, your soul was not your own,' he replied, 'I waited here, for I knew you would need me, you would need my guidance and to correct the mistakes I had once made.'

'My name - the meaning behind it, the power behind its meaning - it's talking about something else - isn't it?'

'You were always a smart witch - it was what you wanted to do after all - research into it - why not resurrect it?' Eugene said smiling slightly, 'I do believe I finally found someone worthy of possessing the Hallows. I'm glad if it was anyone, it was one of my descendants.'

'I'll try, after all, it's ancient magic your talking about,' Harry said, 'Is that why you like sunrises so much?'

'Why not? They symbolise a new start, a fresh beginning - hope for a better day,' Eugene said, 'Yes there is something magical about sunrises.'

'If I die? It will be - you know - for real, next time?'

'Yes, your soul is your own,' Eugene said, 'if you die and choose to go on, you will pass onto the next life.'

'But I can go on - now - if I want to?'

'The choice is yours.'

'Voldemort has the wand, and there's the snake.'

'Yes, there is that.'

Harry paused thoughtfully, 'Tell me if Dumbledore planned his death with Snape - the wand would have stopped working, wouldn't have it?'

Eugene chuckled, 'You're a smart witch Harianna, I'm sure, you've already worked that out,' he looked sat the bridge, 'now this is where I must leave you. I have done all I can. You are, as they say, on your own.'

'No I'm not,' Harry replied, 'I'm never on my own, because I'm never alone.'

'You have learnt, I see, you have grown into a fine young woman. Definitely someone worthy of the Hallows.' And Eugene began to walk across the half-finished stone bridge.

'You know,' Harry shouted as neared the end of it, 'No one is ever going to believe me, when I'll tell them, who you were - are - and that I am related to you. I don't think I still believe it myself, _Merlin.'_

He turned, his green eyes search hers, and smiled for a moment, then he backed away into nothingness.

...

The first thing Harry was aware of was that she was lying face down on the ground. The smell of dirt filled her nostrils. She did not stir, she should of heard cheers of triumph and jubilation at her death, but instead of hurried whispers, and solicitous murmurs filled the air. Harry focused her mind, kept her magical presence in check, they could not know she was still alive.

'My Lord ... my Lord...'

It was Bellatrix's voice, Harry did not dare open her eyes, but allowed her other senses to explore her predicament. She knew her wand and Cloak were still stowed beneath her robes.

'My Lord...'

'That will do,' Voldemort said.

Something must have happened when he had hit Harry with the Killing Curse. Had Voldemort, too, collapsed? It seemed like it. Both of them had fallen briefly unconscious and both of them had now returned ...

'I do not require assistance,' Voldemort said coldly, 'The girl ... is she dead?'

There was complete silence in the clearing. Nobody approached Harry, but she felt their concentrated gaze. Harry willed her heart not to race, and kept her breathing low.

'You,' Voldemort said, and there was a bang and a small shriek of pain. 'Examine her. Tell me whether she is dead.'

Harry did not know who had been sent to verify. She could only lie there, and wait to be examined, there was a small comfort in knowing Voldemort was wary of approaching her, that Voldemort suspected that all had not gone to plan. Hands softer than she had been expecting touched Harry's face and neck, feeling for a pulse, and Harry knew what they could feel, she could hear fast breathing, and long hair tickled her face.

'Tell me, and I won't betray you, is Draco alive? Is he in the castle?'

The whisper was barely audible, her lips were an inch from her ear, her head bent so low that her long hair shielded her face from the onlookers. Narcissa Malfoy, had wanted to know of her son's whereabouts in exchange she had sworn to help Harry. Narcissa Malfoy no longer cared if Voldemort won.

'Yes,' she breathed back.

She felt the hand on the neck contract, Narcissa had turned to the watchers, 'She's dead!'

And now they all shouted, all yelled in triumph and stamped their feet, through her eyelids Harry saw bursts of light being sent up into the air.

'You see?' Voldemort screeched. 'Harianna Potter is dead by my hand, no one alive will threaten me now! Watch! _Crucio!_ '

Harry had been expecting it: knew her body would not be allowed to remain unsullied upon the Forest floor, that it would be subjected to humiliation to prove Voldemort's victory. The curse was not as painful as she had expected it to be, it felt like a numb tingling, instead of an unbearable writhing pain. When the curse lifted, the clearing echoed with jeers and shrieks of laughter.

'Now,' Voldemort said, 'we go to the castle, and show them what has become of their hero. Who shall drag the body? No - Wait-'

There was a fresh outbreak of laughter, and after a few moments Harry felt the ground trembling.

'You carry her,' Voldemort said. 'she will be nice and visible in you arms, will she not? Pick up your little friend, Hagrid.'

The enormous hands that lifted her into the air were exceedingly gentle. Harry could feel Hagrid's arms trembling with the force of his heaving sobs, tears splashed down upon her as Hagrid cradled Harry on his arms, and Harry dare not, by movement or word, to intimate to Hagrid that all was not, yet, lost. Hagrid stumbled forwards, carrying her through the trees. Harry did not know how long, she waited until they reached the edge of the Forest. She just lay there as limp as she could manage in Hagrid's arms, waiting until finally they reached the edge of Forest, for Voldemort yelled: 'Stop.'

Harry thought that Hagrid must have been forced to obey Voldemort's command, because he lurched a little. A chill settled over them where they stood, Harry heard the rasping breaths of Dementors. Someone passed close by Harry, and she knew it was Voldemort himself because he spoke a moment later, his voice magically magnified so that it swelled through the grounds.

'Harianna Potter is dead. She was killed as she ran away, trying to save herself while you lay down your lives for her. We bring you her body as proof that your hero is gone. The battle is won. You have lost half of your fighters. My Death Eaters outnumber you and the Girl Who Lived is finished. There must be no more war. Anyone who continues to resist, man, woman or child, will be slaughtered, as will every member of their family. Come out of the castle, now, kneel before me, and you shall be spared. Your parents, children, your brothers and sisters will live, and be forgiven, and you join me in the new world we shall build together.'

There was silence in the ground and from the castle.

'Come,' Voldemort said, and Harry heard him move ahead, and Hagrid was forced to follow. She knew the snake would be close by, but Harry had no possibility of extracting the wand concealed under her robes without being noticed by the Death Eaters who marched on either side of them. She knew they were approaching the castle, the Death Eaters sounded too gleeful.

'Stop.'

The Death Eaters came to a halt: Harry heard them spreading out in a line facing the front door of the school. She waited, any moment, the people for whom she had tried to die would see her, lying apparently dead in Hagrid's arms.

'NO!'

The scream was terrible because she had never expected or dreamed that Professor McGonagall could make such a sound. Harry could feel magical presences now exiting the doorway, survivors of the battle came out, to see the truth of her death for themselves.

'No!'

 _'No!'_

'Anna! ANNA!'

Ron, Hermione and George's voices were worse than McGonagall's; she wanted to call back, yet she made herself lie silent, and their cries acted like a trigger, the crowd of survivors took up the cause, screaming and yelling abuse at the Death Eaters, until -

'SILENCE!' Voldemort cried, there was a band and a flash of light, and silence was forced upon them all. 'It is over!'

Her body was lifted out of Hagrid arms, and into the air.

'Potter is dead! IT IS OVER!'

At an extremely fast rate, her body fell downwards, there was nothing she could do. She could not save herself - she fell towards the ground - arms, hands, caught her, had stopped her from hitting the ground. She was now being cradled, in strong arms, against a muscular chest; that held a familiar musky scent - George's scent. Harry took a deep breath - A kiss was placed upon her forehead, than upon her lips, with such demanding force, as though he didn't believe what he was seeing, when she did not respond, George broke away.

'You'll pay for this!' his voice trembled as he spoke.

'I'll pay, no I think not! Potter is dead! Don't you understand deluded ones? She was nothing, ever, but a girl who relied on others to sacrifice themselves for her!'

'She beat you!' Ron yelled.

'She was killed while trying to sneak out of the castle grounds,' Voldemort said, and her body was suddenly being forced away from the safety of George's arms, and landed on the ground with a thump, 'killed while trying to save herself.'

'Bullshit!' came a yell and shuffle, a bang and flash of light and a grunt of pain.

'And who is this?' Voldemort said.

Bellatrix gave a delighted laugh, 'Neville Longbottom, my Lord! The boy has been giving the Carrows so much trouble! The son of the Aurors, remember?'

'Ah, yes I remember,' Voldemort said, 'But you are a pure-blood, aren't you, my brave boy?'

'So what if I am?' Neville said loudly.

'You show spirit, and bravery, and you come from noble stock. You will make a very valuable Death Eater. We need your kind, Neville Longbottom.'

'When hell freezes over,' Neville said, 'Dumbledore's Army! Potter's Resistance!' he shouted, and there was an answering cheer from the crowd, whom Voldemort's silencing charms seemed no longer able to contain.

'Very well,' Voldemort said, and Harry heard danger in the silkiness of his voice. 'If that is your choice Longbottom, we revert to the original plan. On your head, be it.'

Harry opened her eyelashes an inch as the sound of shattering windows, something that looked like a misshapen bird flew through the window and landed in Voldemort's hand. He shook the object by its pointed end and it dangled, empty and ragged: the Sorting Hat.

'There will be no more Sorting at Hogwarts School,' Voldemort said, 'There will be no more houses. The emblem, shield and colours of my noble ancestor, Salazar Slytherin, will suffice for everyone, won't they Longbottom?'

He pointed his wand at Neville, who grew rigid and still, and forced the Hat to Neville's head. There were movements from the watching crowd in front of the castle, as the Death Eater raised their wands, holding the fighters at bay.

'Neville here is going to demonstrate what happens to anyone foolish enough to continue to oppose me,' Voldemort said, and with a flick of his wand, he caused the Sorting Hat to burst into flames. Neville was aflame, rooted to the spot, unable to move, Harry could not bear it: she must act- several thing happened at once. Grawp had came lumbering round the side of the castle, his cry was answered by roars from Voldemort's giants Then came hooves, and twangs of bows and arrows were suddenly falling amongst the Death Eaters, who broke ranks. Neville moved too.

In one swift motion Neville broke free of the Body-bind; the flaming Hat fell off him and he drew from its depths something silver, with a glittering, rubied handle - The slash of the silver blade could not be over heard by the crowd, of Grawp's shouts, yet every eye seemed drawn to it, and Harry seized her chance - she pulled the Cloak from inside her robes, swung it over herself and sprang to her feet.

Chaos reigned. The charging centaurs were scattering the Death Eaters, everyone was fleeing the giants' feet, reinforcement had come out of no where; Harry saw great winged creatures soaring around the heads of Voldemort's giants, Thestrals and Buckbeak were scratching at their eyes while Grawp punched and pummelled them, defenders of Hogwarts and the Death Eaters were being forced back into the castle. Under the Cloak Harry was shooting jinxes and curses at any Death Eaters she could see, while searching for Voldemort. He had entered the Entrance Hall, firing spells from his wand, still screaming instructions to his followers; Harry cast more Shield Charms at her surroundings, Seamus Finnigan and Hannah Abbott darted past her into the Great Hall where they joined the fight flourishing inside it.

Now there were more people storming up the steps, Harry saw Charlie Weasley overtaking Horace Slughorn. George had sprinted into the Great Hall, tearing after Voldemort. The shopkeepers and homeowners of Hogsmeade had turned up. Three of centaurs had burst into the Hall, and the door behind Harry that led to the kitchens was blasted off its hinges. The house-elves of Hogwarts swarmed into the Entrance Hall, screaming, being led by her very own house-elf; Kreacher, still wearing Regulus Black's locket, crying: 'Fight! Fight! Fight for my Mistress, defender of house-elves!'

Death Eaters were folding under the sheer weight of numbers, overcome by spells, dragging arrows from wounds. Harry sped past them, and into the Great Hall. Voldemort was in the centre of the battle, the Great Hall became more and more crowded, she could not get a clear shot.

Yaxley was slammed to the floor by Fred and Lee Jordan, Dolohov fell with a scream by Flitwick's hands, Macnair was thrown across the room by Hagrid, he hit the stone wall and slide unconscious to the ground. Ron and Neville brought down Fenrir Greyback, Aberforth Stunned Rockwood, Arthur and Percy floored Thicknesse. Draco almost Stunned his own parents, who were holding up their hands in surrender at him.

Voldemort was now duelling McGonagall, Slughorn and Kingsley at once, and there was cold hatred in his face as they wove and ducked around him, unable to finish him - Bellatrix was fifty yards away duelling three people at once: Hermione, Ginny and Luna, Bellatrix was equal to them, Mrs Weasley broke through the crowd, as a curse missed Ginny. 'NOT MY DAUGHTER, YOU BITCH!' Bellatrix spun on the spot, roaring with laughter at the sight of a new challenge. Harry watched with terror and elation as Molly Weasley's wand slashed and twirled, Bellatrix's smile faltered. Jets of light flew from both wands; both women were fighting to kill.

Hundreds of people now lined the walls, watching the two fights, Voldemort and his three opponents, Bellatrix and Molly, Harry stood, invisible, torn between wanting to attack and yet to protect, unable to be sure that she would not hit the innocent. Bellatrix laughed, and Harry knew what was going to happen before it did. Molly's curse soared beneath Bellatrix's outstretched arm and hit her squarely in the chest, directly over her heart. Bellatrix's smile froze, her eyes seemed to bulge: for the tiniest space of time she knew what had happened, Voldemort screamed.

McGonagall, Kingsley and Slughorn were blasted backwards from his fury. And as he rose his wand towards Molly Weasley a different curse was ascending towards him.

' _Sectumsempra!_ '

Voldemort deflected the curse, and rounded upon the person who had cast it; George Weasley. Harry passed through the onlookers - she had to make it - time was against her - Voldemort had raised his wand straight towards where George stood - she was so close now - barely feet away - there was a flash of green light -

'NO!'

There was a flash of blinding light - George had been forced out of the way, the Killing Curse flew over darting heads until it collided with the wall.

Everyone was searching around for the source of the shout, George looked around in bewilderment - Voldemort looked furious. And Harry pulled off the Cloak at last. The yell of shock, the cheers, the screams on every side of; 'Harry!' 'SHE'S ALIVE!' were stifled at once. The crowd was afraid, and silence fell abruptly and completely as Voldemort and Harry looked at each other, and began, at the same moment, to circle each other.

'You!'

'Me!' Harry replied. 'You think you know me so well, then you should have known - should have known I'd fight. That I wouldn't come to you without doing something!'

'It was an accident! Just an accident that you're alive-'

'Accident was it, when my mother died to save me? Accident when I decided to fight in that graveyard? Accident, that I didn't defend myself tonight, and still survived, and returned to fight again?'

'Accidents!' Voldemort screamed, but he did not strike, and the crowd watched frozen. 'Accidents and chance and the fact that you crouched and snivelled behind others, and permitted me to kill them for you!'

'You won't be killing anyone else tonight,' Harry said, 'You won't be able to kill any of them. Don't you get it? I was ready to die to stop you hurting these people -'

'But you did not!'

'- I meant to. I did what my mother done. They're protected from you. Haven't you noticed? Can't you feel it? Your spells will not bind. You cannot torture them. You cannot touch them. You haven't learnt from your mistakes -'

 _'You dare -'_

'Yes,' Harry said, 'because I know things you don't Tom. I know lots of important things that you don't. Want to hear some, before you make another big mistake?'

'Is it love, again?' Voldemort said, 'Dumbledore's favourite solution, love? Love did not prevent me stamping out your Mudblood mother. So, what will stop you dying now when I strike.'

'Firstly; they are all gone Tom. All your little precious Horcruxes.' Harry said, 'Secondly; my mother was no Muggle-born - she just never had proof.' Voldemort said nothing, as they continued to circle, 'Let's see shall we, who prevails - the descendent of Salazar Slytherin, who gave you nothing but the ability to speak to snakes, or the descendent of Eugene Averhill, better known as Merlin, that right I said Merlin!' Harry said, ' _the creator of the very wand your holding_ \- and I'll be honest with you, I'm not liking your chances right now.'

'You think you know more magic than I do?' Voldemort laughed. 'Then I, Lord Voldemort, who has performed magic that Dumbledore himself never dreamed of?'

'Oh he dreamed of it, but he knew more than you, knew enough not to do what you've done.'

'Then he was weak!' Voldemort screamed. 'Too weak to dare, too weak to take what might have been his, what will be mine!'

'No he was clever than you, a better wizard, a better man.'

'I brought the death of Albus Dumbledore!'

'You thought you did, but you were wrong.' Harry said. 'He didn't die from your orders. He chose his own manner of dying, chose it months before he died, arranged the whole thing with man you believed to be your servant.'

'What childish dream is this?'

'Not a dream, I've seen his memories - Severus Snape was never yours,' Harry said, 'He betrayed you then and continued to do so until his death. All because you started hunting down the woman he loved; my mother. And you never realised it, because of the thing you can't understand. You never saw Snape cast a Patronus, it was the same as my mothers; a doe, because he loved her for nearly all his life. You should have realised, he asked you to spare her life, didn't he?'

'He desired her, that was all,' Voldemort sneered. 'This matters not. Matters not whether Snape was mine or Dumbledore's, or what petty obstacles they tried to put in my path! I crushed them. Dumbledore tried to keep the Elder Wand from me! He intended that Snape should be the true master. But I got there ahead of you - I reached the wand before you could get your hands on it. I understood the truth before you caught up. I killed Severus Snape hours ago, and the Elder Wand is truly mine!'

'Yeah ... about that!' Harry said, 'You're right in thinking Dumbledore's plan going wrong. But before you try kill me, I'd advise you to think about what you've done ... think, and try for some remorse, Tom ...'

'What is this?'

'It's your last chance, it's all you've got left ... I know what you'll be otherwise ... be a man instead ... try ... try for some remorse ...'

'You dare-?' Voldemort said again.

'I dare, because Dumbledore's last plan hasn't backfired on me at all. It backfired on you Riddle.' Voldemort's hand trembled as he held the Elder Wand. 'The wand still isn't working properly for you, because you failed to kill the wrong person. Dumbledore intended to die, undefeated, if all had gone to plan, the wand's power would have died with him. Didn't you listen to Ollivander? _The wand chooses the wizard ..._ possessing the wand is not enough! Holding it, using it, doesn't make it yours.' Harry explained, 'the night Dumbledore died, Draco Malfoy Disarmed him, thus the Wand chose him as its new master. Snape killed Dumbledore with his wand as planned. But the wand had a new master - for just moments - for Draco would not betray me and Snape - Snape then Disarmed him.'

'I killed Snape!'

'It's not necessary to kill the previous master of the wand, haven't you been listening - Draco Disarmed Dumbledore - Snape Disarmed Draco. You do not need to kill the previous master of the wand. So now, I ask you this,' Harry said, 'does the wand you hold, know that I overpowered Snape in this very Hall, before he met you hours ago. Because if it does, it knows that I am the true master of the Elder Wand.'

A red-glow burst suddenly across the enchanted sky above them, as an edge of dazzling sun appeared over the sill of the nearest window. The light hit both of their faces at the same time. Harry heard Voldemort's voice shriek, as she too, yelled:

 _'Avada Kedavra!'_

 _'Expelliarmus!'_

The band was like a cannon-blast and the golden flames that erupted between them, at the dead centre of the circle they had been treading, marked the point where the spells collided. Harry saw Voldemort's green jet meet her own spell, saw the Elder wand fly high, spinning across the enchanted ceiling, spinning through the air towards the master it would not kill, who had come to take full possession of it at last. Harry, with her unerring Seeker skills, caught the wand in her free hand as Voldemort fell backwards, arms splayed. Tom Riddle hit the floor with mundane finality, his body feeble and shrunken. Voldemort was dead, killed by his own rebounding curse, and Harry stood staring down at her enemy's shell.

One shivering second of silence, the shock of the moment suspended: and then the tumult broke around Harry as the screams and the cheers, the roars of the watchers rent the air. The first to reach her were Ron and Hermione, their arms wrapping around her, their shouts deafening her. Then Neville, Draco, Luna were there, Kingsley, Hagrid, the Professors, Harry could not hear a word that anyone was shouting - her eyes searched until they found him. George stood there a short distance away - his parents were now speaking with her, as were his brothers - but she kept her eyes upon him. She broke into a run crossing the gap between them, passing the mass of people trying to approach her. She threw herself at him the moment she was in reaching distance. An arm wrapped itself around her waist, pressing her close against him, as though he could not believe she was actually real.

'Do you have any idea what I thought - what I was feeling?' George raged, once he found his voice, grasping her left hand, 'I thought you were -' he stopped speaking, blinking rapidly at her, then stared down at her hand, taking in the sight of the promise ring he had felt on her finger, 'you're -' he gulped, 'you're wearing it?'

'Of course, I'm wearing it,' Harry said, 'I love you, George.'

'This doesn't mean - doesn't change - you're going to tell me - everything!'

'OK,' Harry replied softly, looking around at the massive crowd, 'but not here and not now.'

Harry lay on the grassy slope that led towards Hagrid's hut, a little while later, watching the sun rise into the sky. Ron, Hermione and George were with her, she had just finished telling them, what she had recently learned. Luna and Neville - had been amazing at making a distraction so that she could. The Great Hall blazed with such life, and people had wanted her there to be part of the mingled pourings of jubilation and mourning. They wanted their symbol, their saviour and their guide with them. The thought that she had not slept, had only wanted company of only a few, occurred to none of them. They had moved Voldemort's body and laid it in the chamber off the Hall, away from the bodies that had died fighting him. Kingsley had been named temporary Minister for Magic ... the Death Eaters were fleeing or being captured, the innocent of Azkaban were being released at that very moment.

But Harry only cared about a few things - telling her friends, telling George, what had happened, without everyone listening in, and watching the sunrise.

'So what are you going to do now?' Ron said, 'With them - the Hallows?'

'Well Eugene passed them on so they could be destroyed - but I think I'll keep the Ignotus present though.'

'But the wand?' Ron said.

'Don't want it,' Harry said, and she pulled out from her bag, the wand she took from Snape, placing her own and the Elder Wand within it, instead, 'I'm going to hide them - the Elder Wand and my own - just in case. As the master of the Elder Wand, and people wanting its power, I'll be sought out - it's safer like this - I'll use Snape's wand.'

'That wand cursed off my ear -'

'This wand wasn't aiming at you,' Harry corrected, 'It's the only way, George, If I die a natural death, the Elder Wand's power will die with me. And I can't use my own, because that's how I won the wand -'

'And the Stone?' Hermione said hesitantly.

'I dunno yet,' Harry said, 'I'm half tempted to keep it, but then I might regret my decision. Eugene said, he had found someone worthy of them - so it must mean I'm able to use it - them, without going mad.'

'Still don't believe it,' Ron added, 'it's bloody mental - how the hell did he know you'd need help anyhow?'

'I dunno - some things though are going to be a mystery,' Harry said, 'and I'm Ok with that.'

'So what is next then?' George asked, his eyebrows raised in a serious expression.

'I'm going to resurrect Ancient Magic,' Harry replied.

'And just how are you going to do that?' George said, frazzled.

'I have no idea,' Harry laughed, looking up at the rising sun, 'but it's a good time to start.'

...

 _Three Years Later:_

Darkness was descending from the sky, and slowly, ever so gracefully, ambient light rose up into the sky signalling the start of a new day. A woman with long messy black hair watched from her bedroom window, with nerves and anticipation as the sun launched itself into the sky. Today was the start of another new beginning, she had stayed up, had waited for this moment on purpose. Eugene had been right, there was something magical about sunrises. Green eyes searched around the organised room, and by organised; she meant it was in such a mess, that she knew where everything was. A laugh escaped her lips, most of it; almost most of it, had not been her fault. George was just as bad as she was. Harianna smiled, as she thought of him. George, the man she was going to marry later on today.

Her heart skipped a beat, she was getting married. _Married!_

She felt giddy, the thumping of her heart raced, as her eyes settled upon the white dress which hung on the outside of her wardrobe. A simple, white laced dress, that fell shortly below her knees. On the back of the lace dress, was a blue bow sash, that matched, her bridesmaids dresses and most importantly George's eyes. The dress that had once been her mothers. Winky had done an excellent job in transforming it, to a usable state, and transfiguring it. Harianna shook her head ... three years, three years since the demise of Voldemort. She had kept the Stone and Cloak, and hidden her wands like she said that she would. She wondered how had the time gone so quickly, and did not know how she managed to get George to wait this long.

September first dawned upon her, it had been George who had insisted that the got married on the day they had first met. She herself, did not mind, and could hardly care less, when or how they got married. But George had wanted it, he had wanted to give her, the best wedding she could have ever wanted. He did not understand, that he was already giving her, her wildest dreams ... even if his experiments caused explosions to happen all over Runewald.

Winky, who had been left in charge of Runewald, often chaste him for leaving his "work", which she said reluctantly, at "home". Home, how Harianna, loved hearing that word, she could never get enough of it. Even if that meant putting up with three overbearing house-elves. Kreacher wasn't so bad - the old elf had starting taking orders from George, much to her surprise. Dobby was helping out in Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes, even though he couldn't pronounce Weasley correctly, not that Fred and George minded. All three elves had been at Runewald, helping out with the wedding preparations, having them certainly came in handy and meant less work - and not having to worry about an overbearing mother-in-law, as much as she loved Mrs Weasley.

Harianna glanced out of the window again, the sun had risen now, and smiled. Mrs Weasley, there would be a new Mrs Weasley added today, though technically it would be Lady Weasley, and George would be Lord Weasley, through the marriage. He joked that he had to marry her, just for those benefits; he slept on the coach for a week, for that remark. She may have jinxed him to sleep there, as Runewald had other bedrooms he could use.

Harianna stretched and decided there was no point in waiting much longer; she might as well get ready, even if she had most of the morning to get ready, the wedding wasn't until two. She stumbled into the bathroom, turning onto the taps and began to draw herself a bath. Though she preferred showers for the quickness, there was something about just being able to relax. By the time she finished relaxing she still had hours to go. Why had she chosen to stay up again; oh yes, the sunrise. She walked over to her dresser drawer; which had a mirror placed over, and upon it, was the jewellery box George had once got her. From the goblin made container, she took a black rugged stone, and turned it over three times.

'It's your own fault, Anna,' a voice said. 'Staying up, what was you thinking? It doesn't take that long to get ready!'

Harianna laughed, four people had appeared in front of her once more. The voice that had spoken belonged to Sirius. It wasn't often she used the stone to speak with them, she had only used it once since her trip to the Forest. But she needed to talk with them today, she had a little issue, she hoped they could help with.

'I agree, I don't see what the fuss is about,' James said, 'He's not good enough.'

'You wouldn't have thought anyone was good enough for me, dad,' Harianna retorted.

'I happen to like him,' Lily said. 'He's good for you.'

'Well I never,' James said offended, 'And here I thought you would have wanted someone more serious for Anna.'

Lily glared at him, and Sirius who had just been about to open his mouth, stopped.

'I so need to learn that glare, mum,' Harianna said, 'Works wonders.'

Lily laughed, 'So, you nervous?'

'A bit,' she replied honestly, 'not just about marrying him either - there's the whole Handfasting ritual.'

'Ah yes, Ancient Magic ritual, that you discovered, through the pagan witchcraft.' Remus said.

'Yeah, I have no idea what to say for my vows,' Harianna admitted. After she had finished her last year at Hogwarts, she had travelled for a bit, only to discover that Ancient Magic had a connection with the pagan witchcraft, and though most of it never crossed over from Muggle to witchcraft, some of traditions and beliefs did. She was still learning though, it took time to work out what was relevant and what wasn't, 'that's what I'm worried about most - you know, making a fool of myself.'

'You'll be fine,' Sirius said, 'Speak from the heart.'

'Just what I needed to hear.'

A knock came at her bedroom door.

'Anna, it's Molly. Are you decent? Can I come in?'

'Best go before we get you into trouble,' Sirius said, grinning widely at her.

'Yeah, I'm decent,' Harianna called, and she placed the stone down into the box. The four people vanished from her sight, and Mrs Weasley walked in.

'Ah good, I was quite worried, I thought you might have slept in - I know how much you dislike mornings.' Mrs Weasley smiled at her.

Harianna blushed, 'They've grown on me.'

'So Dobby and Winky are finishing off the last of the food preparations, whilst Kreacher is helping the boys with the marquee.'

'Is that wise, Kreach's definition of nice, is ... old fashioned.' Harianna said, concerned. That was another thing which had changed, shorting Kreacher's name, the elf assumed like how Dobby and Winky did, when she merely spoke the name, she was actually wanting him.

'Better than Dobby's.'

Harianna laughed, her first Christmas with George, Dobby had decorated Runewald with large baubles with pictures of their faces. George had found it hilarious. 'Yes, that was probably for the best.'

'Is there anything you need?'

'No thank you,' Harianna replied softly.

'Are you sure,' Mrs Weasley asked, glancing around the untidy room, Harianna chuckled, and flicked Snape's wand, watching the room tidy itself up.

'We'll never find anything now.' Harianna joked.

'But it looks much nicer,' Mrs Weasley added, 'I'll leave you to it, if you need anything.'

'I'll call for you - are Hermione and Ginny here.'

'Yes, they're in the guest room, collecting their dresses, I suspect -'

However, Mrs Weasley did not quite get to finish her sentence as two squeals of excitement came from the hallway, and burst into Harianna's room. Ginny hugged her tightly, and Hermione gave her the same greeting, then Ginny demanded for her hair brush, and made her sit down. It was an odd feeling having one's hair brushed, it was soothingly nice.

'I've waited too long to be able to do this,' Ginny said, 'Fleur wouldn't let me touch her hair, but now I'll have a sister-in-law that doesn't mind.' Mrs Weasley rolled her eyes, and shut the bedroom door again, picking up the bridesmaids' dresses from the bed, so that they wouldn't crease.

'Well Hermione doesn't mind either,' Harianna said, glancing at the best friend, 'And she's next.'

'Ginny and Dean are next to marry.' Hermione corrected. 'But no I don't mind.'

Harianna laughed, that was true, Dean and Ginny were next to get married, then Hermione and Ron. Her friends were doing well for themselves. Ginny was now playing professional Quidditch with the Harpies. Hermione had gone into Magical Law and was currently working on changing the laws surrounding the treatment of magical creatures; including house-elves. Whereas her other best friend, and soon to be brother-in-law was also working for the Ministry; in the Magical Games department, not quite doing Ludo Bagman's job, he was instead creating games for shops. Ron said he basically sat around all day, doing nothing whilst getting paid for it, though they knew better. Speaking of friends Luna was travelling the world in the hopes of discovering new creatures, Neville was teaching, Herbology. Draco had been the surprise though, he had joined the Ministry, working in Muggle Relations, working hard on maintaining the Statue of Secrecy.

Ginny had managed to settle her messy hair into an elegant curly knot, which was held up with a new hair comb; a gift from her house-elves. So, all bases of the Muggle tradition of something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue was covered. By lunch time her hair and makeup was ready, Hermione and Ginny were both in their dresses and guests had started arriving. Teddy had turned up, which had put a huge smile on her face; he was dressed handsomely, though his hair would not stop changing colour, a habit he got into when he saw everybody. Fleur entered with her and Bill's daughter; Victore, trying to settle her nerves, apparently, she had been projecting so much, they could feel it in the marquee.

Her nerves did not settle when she put on her wedding dress, she paced the length of bedroom over and over, trying to think of words, that would not come to her.

'Harry?' a voice said, and a knock came at the door. She knew who it was the moment they said her old nickname, as mostly everyone changed to using Anna, but she had been Harry to him, for far too many years. 'Are you ready?'

'If I said no,' she replied, facing the door that opened slowly, to reveal a timid looking Dudley. Over the years, he had dieted, and lost the excessive weight; though he had not lost the muscular build. 'Would you believe me?'

He smiled widely. 'It's a bit late for now ... you're all dressed, everyone's waiting for you - and you - you - look - look-' he seemed lost for words, and unsure of what to say.

'Thanks,' Harianna said kissing his cheek, 'It means a lot,' and she took a deep breath, 'Well, here goes nothing. Ready to walk me down the aisle?' Dudley stuck out his arm for her to take as an answer. Hermione, handing over her bouquet of flowers. And she followed them down the stairs and outside. Her eyes took in the first sights of large marquee that had been placed nearby Sirius's grave. She walked over to it and placed a hand upon the headstone, and said two words; 'thanks, Sirius.' She retook Dudley's arm, and turned to the entrance of the marquee. 'I'm ready.'

Together, as music played, they walked down the aisle, Harianna glanced around at their guests, smiling in greeting until her eyes settled upon the man waiting for her; George's wide smile was infectious, and even from a distance she could tell his eyes were twinkling. She was not wrong for when she reached him, the emotions running in the depths of his eyes spoke volumes. Harianna turned, gave her flowers to Hermione, then smiled at the Priestess for the ritual required a female. And she waited, she was ready for her vows, she had received good advice after all.

'We are gathered here today to unite two souls as one,' the Priestess said, 'Do you George Weasley and Harianna Potter join us here of your own free will, to acknowledge the internal bond shared between you.'

'I do,' George replied.

'I do,' Harianna said.

'You may face each other,' they did so, 'join hands,' George and Harianna grasped each others hands, 'George you may recite your vows.'

'Anna,' George said, 'You exasperate me, you bewilder me, you drive me crazy, and drive me up the wall. You encourage me, you guide me, you help me, you are my lover and my friend and my soul mate, you have been many things to me,' he paused, 'though what infuriates me the most, is your ability to be completely oblivious.' he laughed, 'Like the first day I met you, ten years ago to the day. You were oblivious to your surroundings whilst trying to figure out how you were going to place your trunk onto the train. The thought of asking for help - well it just had not occurred to you. You were oblivious to my flirting - admittedly it was quite bad, but still I was flirting. You were oblivious that I liked you for such a long time. But I could not love you more for it, without this ability of yours we would not have met. And I would not have fallen in love you, my Princess, my Anna, my oblivious crush that didn't know how to simply get her trunk onto a train.' he paused, 'I promise to be strong for you when you are in need of it, to stand by you when times get tough. I promise to love you, to cherish you, even in your oblivious moments, for I would not change a single thing about you.'

'George,' Harianna replied, silencing the small amount of laughter, 'I have longed for the day I'd meet someone to love me for me. You stood by me, and saw me at weakest points. You brought laughter and joy into my life, that I have never known before. I would have to been stupid to not have fallen for you, as oblivious as I may have been. You know me, you know my faults, and you know that sometimes - _just sometimes,_ I need saving too. That's what makes you, you, and that's why I fell in love with you. My somewhat obnoxious Prince Charming, my very own knight in shining armour, my one and only hero.' she paused, 'you helped save me, when I needed it the most, even if that meant saving me, from myself. I could not love you more for that, and words could only begin to describe what that means, and what you mean to me. I've often wondered what I got right to deserve someone like you,' she took a breath, 'I promise to love you, to honour you, to help you even with your deepest fears, and I promise to never take you for granted for I would be at a loss without you.'

'Here before witnesses George and Harianna have sworn their vow to one another, with this cord,' the Priestess conjured a piece of rope, 'I bind them to those vows, and to each other.' the cord wrapped around their hands. 'I pronounce thee bonded for life.' she turned to George, 'You may kiss your bride.'

George had no trouble in complying, guiding Harianna towards him, kissing her thoroughly.

'Ladies and Gentleman may I proudly present to you,' the Priestess announced to their guests, 'the new Lord and Lady Potter.'

Harianna pulled away from George, startled, 'Potter?' she repeated.

'Potter,' George confirmed, as though it was nothing, pulling at right the sleeve of his dress robe, a new tattoo had appeared on his wrist, the same shape and size as her own; the Black Family Crest, 'Hurt less then I'd thought it would.' George remarked, looking at it.

People hurried to congratulate them, and to pay their respects, Harianna rolled her eyes, she was pretty sure George had not told her about him taking her surname; not that she minded. And when she told her story later on, to what she hoped would be one day be their children, she would make sure to always start it with once upon a time, and ended the same way all Muggle fairy tales did, After, all isn't that what every princess got? A happy ending, Harianna looked around at the marquee with all the smiling faces, George swept her towards him for another kiss; she was definitely living hers, even though the sun would be soon setting, tomorrow would bring about a new day, and with it a brand-new start.

And they lived happily ever after. Even though their lives were just beginning.

The end.


End file.
